The Polish Association of the Blind (PAB) has become a leader in a project that monitors administration units in the Masovian Voivodeship (region) in terms of their alignment with the provisions of the UNCRPD.
The project is funded by the European Social Fund under the Operational Program Knowledge Education Development 2014-2020. Priority Axis II - Effective Public Policy on the labour market, economy and education. Action 2.6. - High quality of policy for the social and occupational integration of people with disabilities. The Intermediate Body in the project is the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy in Poland. PAB works with other partner organizations: the SYNAPSIS Foundation (an NGO specialized in helping persons with autism and their families) and Poland without Barriers, the Foundation (an NGO dealing with the elimination of barriers and promoting inclusion of people with disabilities in social and cultural life.)
The project's goal is to increase the capacity of public policy actors to implement provisions of the UNCRPD. Initially, the project will carry out an analysis of the tasks and activities of 50 governmental and local administration units in terms of their compliance with the provisions of the Convention. In the next step, a team of experts will elaborate detailed recommendations for each of the monitored units. The project also integrates a follow-up session to monitor the implementation of recommendations.
Public policy entities taking part in the monitoring will include, among others: The Marshal's Office in Warsaw together with its Delegates Offices and subordinate units, the Offices of the Towns, Communes and Districts together with their subordinate units, as well as the Units of General Administration operating in the Masovian Voivodship.
The project is very promising since it covers accessibility for all kinds of disabilities in many areas of life, including education, social assistance, sports, culture, and leisure activities. PAB and its partners will have an opportunity to investigate
- Accessibility of buildings
- providing information in formats appropriate for persons with disabilities
- undertaking information campaigns aimed at combatting stereotypes, raising awareness about the rights and dignity of people with disabilities and promoting the employment of people with disabilities.
- actions for promotion of the employment of people with disabilities
- conducting social consultations in the institution
- competence of employees of the institution.
- fulfilment of general obligations under the convention
The project will last until December 2018. The same monitoring programmes are also implemented in all regions in Poland, conducted by different NGO's.