Međunarodni-dan-osoba-sa-invaliditetom

m!M marked the International Day of Persons with Disabilities

The NGO Mladiinfo Montenegro marked the International Day of Persons with Disabilities through a Zoom workshop, on December 3, 2020 at 6 p.m.

The lecturer at the workshop was Miluša Žugić from the NGO Association for Assistance to Persons with Developmental Disabilities Nikšić, who spoke about the types of disabilities, correct terminology, as well as etiquette of behavior with PWD.

She pointed out that today, people with disabilities are in a worse position than ever, which was caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the economic crisis.

“People with disabilities are in isolation in their homes, very few of them go to school, kindergarten, to work, etc… Unfortunately this pandemic and economic crisis has made a huge negative shift in their lives and I hope it will change soon and that people with disabilities will be able to actively participate in society again and be accepted and recognized both in our city and in the whole of Montenegro”, said Miluša.

They also talked about the terminology with people with disabilities.

There is no adequate translation in our language because, unfortunately, no word is free of negative connotations. The words disability and handicap are used as alternatives, about which there is still no complete agreement. The use of certain terms that deny the personality of people with disabilities and emphasize their dependence on certain services and professionals, emphasized the reduction of the ability of people with disabilities to work, earn a living and support their families.

“The terminology is usually negative, but I hope it will change soon”, said Miluša.

Miluša Žugić also explained to us the difference between the two terms – handicap and disability.

“A handicap is a defect that one person has and that prevents him from being a part of something. Disability is considered only one of the characteristics, but it does not characterize a complete person”, said Miluša.

During the workshop, there were questions from the participants to which Miluša Žugić answered clearly and concretely.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities, December 3, has been celebrated since 1992, when the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution calling on all countries to mark the day with the aim of promoting and enabling persons with disabilities to enjoy equal human rights and participate equally in society. This day is an occasion to draw attention to the problems faced by people with disabilities, which are primarily poverty, high unemployment and exclusion from society.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *