The organization for support women with disabilities …IZ KRUGA – VOJVODINA organized a two-day online training Accessibility of protection services against violence for women with disabilities, on April 14 and 15, 2021, from 11 to 12:30 p.m. via ZOOM application.
Activities directed at improving the support system for women with disabilities are carried out in cooperation with the United Nations Agency for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment UN WOMEN and with the financial support of the European Commission within the project entitled Improving policies and capacities of service providers in ten municipalities in Serbia (Doljevac, Novi Knezevac, Mionica, Negotin, Kragujevac, Raska, Uzice, Valjevo, Vranje and Zabalj), in order to ensure accessibility, availability and quality of general and specialized services for women with disabilities exposed to violence, which is part of the regional program Stopping violence over women in the Western Balkans and Turkey: implementing norms, changing mind.
Accessibility training was intended for representatives of institutions in Raska, service providers for women with disabilities and victims of violence (Protector of patients rights, President of the Commission for the promotion of gender equality, Social Welfare Advisor, Center for Social Work, Misdemeanor Court, Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office, health center, municipal administration, high school violence team, Youth Office and local and economic development unit LED).
The trainers on the first day of the training were the coordinator of the SOS service, Ivana Zelic, and the consultant for the deaf community, Nina Baranovski.
Ivana Zelic spoke about the accessibility of support services for women with disabilities with experience of violence, types of violence, barriers to accessing support services, research on the availability of support services and accessible communication with women with disabilities (physical, sensory and intellectual).
Nina Baranovski spoke about introducing the wider community to sign language with deaf community, terminology, practical advice in communication with deaf people, accessibility of services, public institutions and the environment, as well as obstacles in providing services to deaf women with experience of violence.
After the presentation of the trainers, the participants were shown a short film Accessibility of protection services against violence for women with disabilities, after which a discussion was opened.
On the second day of the training, accessibility consultant Bojana Rudic Pocuc spoke about the concept of accessibility, universal, inclusive design, legislative framework and also presented examples of domestic and international practice in the field of accessibility (public areas and public transport, facilities for public use, information and communication).
Activities carried out in Raska and other municipalities in Serbia are focused at raising awareness of the existing services and needs of women with disabilities, introducing new and adapting existing services, providing accessible, available and quality services, as well as customized communication models in dealing with women with disabilities survivors of violence.
