Empowered – Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in the Western Balkans
6 West Balkan Countries
Social Inclusion
01/09/2024 – 30/04/2028
(4 years)
THE CHALLENGE
Western Balkan countries face similar challenges in the social inclusion of persons with disabilities. Although national legislation is largely aligned with EU standards and all countries have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, implementation remains weak. Community-based services are insufficient, deinstitutionalisation is progressing slowly, and access to education, employment, healthcare and public spaces is limited. Unemployment among persons with disabilities reaches up to 87%, highlighting deep structural barriers across the region.
THE SOLUTION
Empowered – Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) is a regional project aimed at strengthening the inclusion of persons with disabilities through cooperation and joint development in six Western Balkan countries. The project is led by Arbeiter Samariter Bund Deutschland e.V. and funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), in partnership with organizations from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.
The project empowers persons with disabilities and their organizations through regional dialogue, exchange of best practices, and the development of inclusive, community-based support systems. By fostering cooperation between public institutions, civil society and the private sector, the project contributes to more effective policies and sustainable social investment models.
IMPACT
The project will improve social inclusion and quality of life for persons with disabilities across the Western Balkans.
• At least 15 municipalities will strengthen local inclusion policies and services
• 30 Local Inclusion Projects will be implemented, directly benefiting around 1,500 persons with disabilities
• 600 persons with disabilities will receive psychosocial support and career guidance
• 300 persons with disabilities will enhance their employability through vocational training and work-integration programmes
• More than 21,500 persons with disabilities will gain access to improved community-based services
• Awareness-raising activities will reach over 1 million people across the region
Through strengthened regional cooperation, a joint regional declaration and the establishment of a Regional Working Group, the project will ensure sustainable improvements in inclusive policies and practices, contributing to long-term social inclusion of persons with disabilities in the Western Balkans.
Funding:
EUR 3.333.334.00
Donator
German Cooperation Deutsche Zusammenarbeit
Partners
The project is led by the German organization Arbeiter Samariter Bund Deutschland e.V. and is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of the Federal Republic of Germany. Implementing partners are Albanian Disability Rights Foundation from Albania, LIR Civil Society from Bosnia and Herzegovina, PREDA Plus from Kosovo, Alfa Center from Montenegro, Community Development Institute from North Macedonia, and the Initiative for Development and Cooperation from Serbia.