Wheelchair users participate in advocacy courses organized by Motivation Romania Foundation at national level, to discuss topics related to rights, legislation on access to education and employment or accessibility and access to medical and assistive equipment.
Courses organized within the project “Advocacy for community access for wheelchair users” implemented by Motivation Romania Foundation in partnership with Segoia Association, with the financial support of the Active Citizens Fund Romania, programme funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants 2014- 2021, are strictly online, on Zoom platform, to protect the health of all participants in the context of the pandemic.
„The courses give us the chance to reach the communities in Romania where people with mobility disabilities do not have easy access to information about their rights and the ways in which they can access them. It is very important for us to encourage people to fight for their rights, because that is the only way to draw attention to the real needs of people with disabilities in their current activities. Once the problems are reported by as many people as possible, the chances of them finding a solution increase. Through the resources we make available to participants, we hope that the process of self-representation will become easier to apply “, said Mirela Cîrlan, coordinator of advocacy and beneficiary support, within Motivation Romania Foundation.
Advocacy courses have been created so that participants can develop their skills to influence local and central public policies, to report violations of the rights of people with disabilities and to enforce the law, and to introduce participants how to better use mobile applications MotiActiv and Panoul de Bord. Through them, wheelchair users will have access to information regarding health, mobility equipment, emotional issues and sexuality, accessibility, lifestyle and can make proposals and complaints for accessing rights.
The first course for the promotion of the rights of people with disabilities was held in March, and two more were held in April. A total of 32 participants participated in them. In May, three more courses will be organized for which 21 people are expected.
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About Active Citizens Fund Romania
The Active Citizens Fund Romania programme is funded through the EEA Grants 2014-2021. The overall objective of the Grants is to reduce economic and social disparities, and to strengthen bilateral relations between 15 beneficiary countries and the Donor States (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway). The programme is administered by a consortium composed of Civil Society Development Foundation, Romanian Environmental Partnership Foundation, Resource Center for Roma Communities, PACT Foundation and Frivillighet Norge, acting as Fund Operator designated by FMO – Financial Mechanism Office of the EEA and Norway Grants. The objectives of the Active Citizens Fund Romania are to strengthen civil society and active citizenship and to empower vulnerable groups. With a total allocation of 46,000,000 euro, the programme pursues a long-term development of the civil society sector sustainability and capacity, stepping up its role in promoting democratic participation, active citizenship and human rights, while strengthening bilateral relations with organizations from the Donor States, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. For more information about the Active Citizens Fund in Romania, please go to www.activecitizensfund.ro. For more information about the EEA and Norway Grants, go to www.eeagrants.org.
About Motivation Romania Foundation
Motivation Romania Foundation is a non-profit organization, created in 1995 to support children and adults with disabilities. The services offered cover a wide range of needs, from assessment and adapted equipment for different types of mobility disabilities, to active recovery and training for independent living with a wheelchair instructor, advice for spaces accessibility and adapted sports. So far, Motivation has restored freedom of movement and hope in a fulfilled life for more than 25,800 people with disabilities in Romania. More information on www.motivation.ro.
About Segoia Association
Segoia Association is a non-governmental, non-profit organization, created in 2017, concerned with the development of civil society, promotion of democratic values, open government and citizen involvement through technology. More information on: https://segoia.ro.