Associations of disabled people without disabled people

You'll get on with the homework, correct the shortcomings in the equality of people with disabilities: The Director of Security Mario Fehr (SP) promised at a media conference last November.

in the Meantime, is getting started. Since last Monday, the Canton of Zurich has a specialist Agency for disability policy. You will coordinate the implementation of the UN disability rights Convention, and ensure that an action plan is created. It aims to identify which measures to take First.

That the action plan should be drawn up in close cooperation with disabled , is undisputed. Without those concerns, it's not about it. But how this cooperation should look like in concrete terms? Who is authorized to speak on behalf of people with disabilities?

"We meet often to reject"

Generally politicians and authorities have to contact the organisations for the disabled, if you want to know what people need with disabilities. "In the bodies Concerned, but hardly directly," says the Zurich-based disabled activist and SP politicians, Islam Alijaj. Many organisations, therefore, be too far away from the everyday reality of people with disabilities.

you can find That in the associations of disabled persons is hardly Affected, even the person in charge. So you wish for Procap Zurich, the members of the Association for people with disabilities, the disabled in their own bodies, says Executive Director Yolanda Gottardi. "We encounter but often rejected, if we people inquire whether they want to join. Many people with disabilities are already overburdened and not able to take even more."

in one of the established associations to engage, is for the disabled activist Islam Alijaj is not an Option. "Because we need to have the objectives of the organization. We want to represent us but ourselves." Alijaj has energy with other disabled people the club, "the Ambassador" was established. In search of start-up capital energy had "" in the past, but with little success. The reason For self-representation, there is no money.

Difficult financing

Although the Federal government supports the associations of Disabled people an essential part. The contributions are mainly intended for the financing of offers of help. An organization wants to represent social and political interests, it must obtain the funds yourself. "Here, additional stones are placed in the way," says David Siems from the Association of self-determination.ch. "Since we have no charitable offers, we are not exempt from tax." Without the tax exemption, it was virtually impossible to generate donations.

That self-representation is not only a concern of people with physical disabilities, shows the example of the "human first", a still-young organization of people with learning disabilities. She offers classes where members learn how to act in order to be heard.

The Self-advocacy must be encouraged. And you must be compensated."Marianne Rybi, the disabled conference, the Canton of Zurich

"people with an intellectual disability are not accustomed to decide for himself. You said you always have what you need to do," says Peter Fischer from the Association of Simple language.

The courses was "human Finance first" so far with the donations and contributions of the Federal offices by the Federal government. However, for the ongoing operating costs, and thus for the construction of a self-advocacy organization, the money is missing. Alijaj is afraid of the young Association could be incorporated, therefore, of one of the established organizations.

There is a need, therefore, an urgent need for new framework conditions, to allow the financing of self-representation. "I'm going to lobby for the Canton receives this as a measure in the planned plan of action," says Alijaj. In doing so, he can count on Marianne Rybis support. The Executive Director of the disabled conference of the Canton of Zurich, says: "If it is of the Canton and the Federal government is serious about the implementation of the UN disability rights Convention, need to be encouraged to self-representation. And you must be compensated."

(Tages-Anzeiger)

Created: 03.04.2019, 10:32 PM