22/05/2013
On May 22nd 2013, in hotel "Continental" in Skopje was hosted an international conference "Experiences from the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities" organized by the National Coordination Body for equal rights of people with disabilities in the Republic of Macedonia and the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of the Government. At this event many international experts led by Dr. Damjan Tatic from Serbia - vice president of the UN Committee for the Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Mr. Cveto Ursic from the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of Slovenia, Mr. Ms. Nadia Harizanova from the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of Bulgaria, Mrs. Jelena Kotevic from the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of Serbia and Mrs. Slobodanka Lazova-Zdravkovska from the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of Macedonia. There were no representatives from Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Kosovo.
The conference was opened and successfully led by the president of NCP, Mr. Branimir Jovanovski, and on behalf of the Minister Spiro Ristovski welcomed Mr. Muedin Kahvedzhi, State Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy.
The first lecture was by Dr. Damjan Tatic, who talked about past experiences and progress in implementation. Initial reports will be considered in 2015. Other experts shared the opinion that the current implementation will be long and tedious work associated with large financial resources. Initial experiences especially in Slovenia were that in time of crisis the state has a higher priority tasks. Making action plans with (reasonable) priorities are guided to others. Similar experiences shared the representatives from Serbia and Bulgaria. Our representative expressed satisfaction with the exchange of experiences and fruitful cooperation. She expressed readiness for further contacts and exchanges of views and practical situations in implementation.
President Branimir Jovanovski said that these meetings are valuable experience in building the capacity of NCPs in Macedonia to easily face all challenges. He added that the national strategy of the NCP from 2011-2018 practically contain many things. Now that strategy will ennobles as living matter and will be updated with all the experience gained in this and other similar conferences. So this is the best way to verify the work of NCP and the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of the Government on this issue.
The author is a member of the NCP since its inception in 1999 until today. Delegated from Mobility Macedonia, he is also a member of the National Coordinating Body for Implementation of the Convention at the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy. Delegated by the National Council of Disability Organizations in Macedonia, also a president of Mobility Bitola.
