Kelechek HP about HealthProm project on parents empowerment funded by ICCO in the Talas region during 2011-2012

1. Better and more services for
children with intellectual
disabilities in Kyrgyzstan
through empowerment of parents
HealthProm partnership project
funded by ICCO.
Bishkek, January 2011
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2. Situation in KR: official
statistics
 Population – about 5,5 mln
 Over 122,000 persons with disabilities (2,4% out of
total population whereas UN indicates that on average this is about
10%)
 Over 22,000 children with disabilities aged 18 and
younger
 Over 3312 children with intellectual disabilities
 Average monthly disability benefit – 1500 som
(about 23 Euro)
 Minimum subsistence level – 3700 som (56 Euro)
 Parents not paid any compensation for looking
after their child with a disability

3. Situation in KR
 No strategy on disability issues.
 No early intervention and support.
 No multidisciplinary support.
 Boarding special institutions for
children with disabilities work using
‘Soviet’ approach.
 Medical model of disability still
dominates in the society and officials’
attitude.

4. Legislation
 UN Convention on child rights (ratified by KR in
1994)
 Constitution of KR 2010, art. 16.2 for the first time
states that no one can be discriminated on the
basis disability инвалидности (along with other
forms of discriminations)
 Law on guarantees and rights of persons with
disabilities (2008)
 Code of KR “About Children” (2006)
 Ratified int’l law are above the local laws in KR.

5. Legislation
Collaboration between government and NGOs
considered within:
 National programme on implementing children
rights “New generation” (2001)
 Law on guarantees and rights of persons with
disabilities (2008)
 Law on Social contracting (2008)
 Law on Local authorities and local government
administration (2008)
 Law on government public procurements of goods
produced by disability NGOs (2009)

6. HealthProm project
 Increasing access to basic
services for children with
intellectual disabilities in
Kyrgyzstan
through empowerment of
parents and parent’s groups
 Funded by ICCO.
 For 2 years, from 2011.
 Talas region, Bishkek
(capital) and Bokonbaevo.

7. Partners
 In Talas region – Nur Bala
resource NGO and 7
parent-led organizations
with 6 day centres for
disabled children
 In Bishkek – The
Association of Parents of
Disabled Children
 In Bokonbaevo v. –
Shoola Kol NGO family
support centre

8. Project
 based on needs assesment of
partners, joint planning,
implementation and monitoring
through participatory and rights-based
approach
 Main aim: improve access to basic
services for children with intellectual
disabilities in Talas region.

9. Project objectives:
 Increase access to state guaranteed basic services
for children with intellectual disabilities
 Partners’ capacity building and parents
empowerment
 Forming a network of parent-led organizations of 3
regions (Talas, Bishkek and Bokonbaevo)
 Transforming day centres into family and child
support centres
 Increasing public awareness and changing attitudes
toward disability among local communities

10. How: capacity building
 17 people employed
(incl. 10 parents of
disabled children).
 Technical, informational
and training support.
 Created 2 steering
committees in Bishkek
and Talas.

11. How: forming network
 Education: trainings, study
and exchange visits.
 Purchase of office
equipment.
 All partner organizations will
have access to internet.
 Providing informational,
knowledge and skills support
to regional network.
 Projects on behalf of
network.
 Advocacy and lobby on
behalf of network with 9
organizations.

12. How: day centres
 Day centres develop/improve their services to become family support centres
to provide more support to parents in the centre and outside (outreach work).
 Purchase of furniture, development toys, literature.
 Staff will go through trainings and study visits.
 Inclusive events for children (summer camps, other social events).
 2 boarding institutions for disabled children in Belovodskoe and Manas
districts will be provided basic support.

13. How: increase awareness
 First web-site on children with intellectual
disabilities.
 Existing general disability web-site
www.KELECHEK.kg, devoted to children with
disabilities and their families.
 Quarterly newsletters about the project and
disability news in KR and abroad in electronic
and printed versions.
 Informational e-network with regular updated
news about grants, news and events for
organizations and persons working on
disability issues.
 Publications on disability issues.
 Coverage in mass media and blogging.
 Forums on disability issues.
 Changing attitudes through round tables,
seminars on social model of disability.

14. Lessons from projects
 Parents - experts.
 Children – not only
beneficiaries, but participants
of the process.
 Cooperation – not competition
– key to success.
 Share positive knowledge and
skills for the betterment of
everyone.
 The more we share the more
resources explored.
 Networking – together we are
power.

15. empoweringthevulnerable
 Thank you!
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