Another year of “combating poverty and social exclusion” is over, though on European level this time. So what? The never ending isolation, caring, misery and DEPENDECE were the major features of the disabled people’ lives in Bulgaria. These are the truthful companians of all disabled people – children and adults, active and passive, rebels and conformists, sick and suffering helplesness – who are not able to enjoy the new Bulgarian highways, the new Sofia subway and all the rest of the achievements that the 2010 Bulgarian Government is proud of. They will continue to live in misery – with no access to the progress promised by this Government – unless fundamental changes are made in the[...]

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Students from Sofia University conducted a thorough evaluation of the ‘Assistant for Independent Living’ service provided by the municipality of Sofia. The evaluation was part of a project implemented by the Centre for Independent Living in partnership with the Department of Sociology of the Sofia University and funded by the Trust for Civil Society in Central and Eastern Europe. The project started at the end of November 2008 with a Disability Rights Workshop. During the workshop meetings various topics from the field of social policy and disabilities were discussed, such as the social model of disability, the participation of disabled people in the policy-making process, personal assistance and legislation. Students in political[...]

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The Center for Independent Living starts a new project, which will be implemented in partnership with the Department of Sociology of the Sofia University and is funded by the Trust for Civil Society in Central and Eastern Europe. The project will involve university students in various activities aimed at the promotion of the social model of disability. The students will be engaged in critical analysis of policies and practices related to the day-to-day living of disabled people in Bulgaria – their inclusion in their natural communities of school or work, the local pub or the cinema… The results from the students’ work will be uploaded on the CIL website in the form of analyses and comments. An important[...]

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Since the beginning of 2007 Center for Independent Living - Sofia received funding from the Bulgarian Ministry of Finances under PHARE 2005 programme "Civil Society Development" for promotion activities of the results achieved by the international project as well as for building a national network of employers who would accommodate disabled people in their trainee- and internship programmes.

The purpose is to work closely with government agencies and organizations in a number of European countries to ensure that their trainee and internship programs are also open to qualified people with disabilities. To improve the chances of disabled youth in the labor market we plan to list training opportunities where disabled youth can gain valuable work experience and[...]

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The Convention is a set of 40 articles, aiming at prohibiting discrimination against persons with disabilities in all areas of life. Although it doesn't create new rights, it is a step toward the international recognition of the necessity to develop specific instruments for the full respect of Human Rights toward the estimated 650 millions persons with disabilities in the world.

The Convention addresses the main issues faced by disabled persons, and obligates UN member countries to develop inclusive policies and infrastructures. This means among other things to adapt buildings in conformity with international disability standards, to offer better access to education as well as to information.

Although the consensus around the Convention is in itself a[...]

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