REPORT on the ACCESSIBILITY of PRIMARY and LOWER SECONDARY SCHOOL BUILDINGS for CHILDREN with DISABILITIES in KOSOVO Fëmijët Me Aftësi Të Kufizuara Dhe Edukimi
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REPORT ON THE ACCESSIBILITY OF PRIMARY AND LOWER SECONDARY SCHOOL BUILDINGS FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES IN KOSOVO Fëmijët me aftësi të kufizuara dhe edukimi This publication was published with support of UNICEF, office in Kosovo. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of HANDIKOS and in no way can be taken to reflect UNICEF’s views. Page 01 Children with disabilities and education Author: Rozafa Basha, architect, & HANDIKOS Page 02 Children with disabilities and education CONTENT Foreword 5 Introduction 7 Context of the study 7 Study goal and objectives 9 Methodology 10 Key parameters of access in assessed school buildings 12 Findings on regional level 16 Prishtina Region 17 Gjakova Region 19 Peja Region 20 Ferizaj Region 22 Mitrovic Region 23 Prizreni Region 25 Gjilan Region 26 Report Limits 28 Conclusions 29 Recommendations 30 Annex 1. List of evaluated schools 33 Annex 2. List of researchers 36 Annex 3. Photographs of ideal cases of access in school 37 Annex 4. Photographs of problems identified in the field 40 Annex 5. Literature 43 Page 03 Children with disabilities and education LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS EU – European Union MES – Ministry of Education and Science PWD – People with Disabilities OCD – Objectives for Sustainable Development PLSS – Primary and Lower Secondary School A.I. – Administrative Instruction UNICEF – United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund CRC – Child Rights Convention CRPD – Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities MED – Municipality Education Directorate Page 04 Children with disabilities and education FOREWORD Estimates from the World Health Organization show that people with disabilities make up about 15% of the total population. Based on these estimates, it turns out that 77.730 people from the total number of the last population census in Kosovo, are people with disabilities who face various barriers to participation in social life. What does the term disability mean? It is very difficult to define the boundary between a person with a disability and one without a disability. Indeed, in life abilities of each person change, whether due to age, injuries or illnesses that can sometimes make a person temporarily or permanently disabled. Disability can be grouped into four groups: • People with physical disabilities • Blind and visually impaired people • Deaf people, and • People with intellectual and mental disabilities The opportunity for each individual, in every country and with the potential he has, to participate in various activities without encountering barriers in the environment that surrounds him/her, constitutes full access in the construction environment and also the opportunity of access to the social, educational and cultural circle. Children with disabilities in Kosovo are largely excluded from the educational process, which is clearly related to the creation of appropriate conditions in spaces that facilitate their full participation in society with their peers. Lack of access in public spaces and facilities denies the free and independent movement of people with disabilities, especially in educational facilities which is a prerequisite for their full and equal participation in society. The inadequacy of public facilities, roads and transport excludes them from public services and goods, while denying them the right to access education, health services and other public services in general and leads them to involuntary isolation. The cause of this situation is also the lack of implementation of the legal framework by the country's institutions and the low awareness of society. Page 05 Children with disabilities and education Free movement is also guaranteed by the To achieve this, we aim to make appropriate United Nations Convention on the Rights of access to public educational facilities and People with Disabilities (UNCRPD, 2006), which infrastructure a priority of local and national in Article 9, inter alia sets out the obligations of policies of our country. Let’s increase the States to provide access in buildings, roads, awareness and level of responsibility of public transport and other facilities indoors or outdoors officials, responsible for creating access for all for people with disabilities, including schools, children in Kosovo, an approach that suits housing, health centers and workplaces. different needs and which enables the entire population to move freely and without obstacles. Today in Kosovo, new constructions such as: institutional educational facilities, roads, sidewalks, means of transport and many others, Afrim Maliqi, although some positive movements can be Director of HANDIKOS noticed, still remain unsuitable for people with disabilities, despite the fact of the existence of Law No. 04 /L - 110 for construction, which among others regulates the access and adaptation of facilities, roads and environment for people with disabilities, specified in Administrative Instruction No. 33/2007 on Technical Conditions of Construction Facilities for Access for People with Disabilities. This administrative instruction has mandatory provisions for the access of people with disabilities, from the design phases to the technical admissions of construction facilities. There are also provisions for the adaptation of existing facilities, obliging all heads of institutions and other entities that provide services to the public, to adapt facilities in order to facilitate access for people with disabilities. Page 06 Children with disabilities and education INTRODUCTION The context of the study Many of us take for granted the free movement in the physical environment. Obstacles, narrow passages, thresholds, and stairs - we overcome them effortlessly many times during the day, both inM opeAn RpuKblicE spTacIeNs aGnd in buildings. DHifficIuGltieHs tLo ImGovHe TfreSel yF, tOo Rreach certain destinations in the city, as well as to use the environment, while performing daily tasks, then the lack of physical access to public spaces, buTildHingEs aYndE seArvRices, are some of the problems faced by various groups of citizens, in particular people with physical and sensory disabilities. At certain moments, the elderly people, pregnant women, young children, the sick people, travelers, workers, etc., may also face these obstacles. All obstacles in the physical environment, constructive elements that impede the movement or use of the environment by certain citizens, are called architectural barriers [1]. The movement of people with disabilities is not limited only to physical barriers. Architectural barriers are present in the environment due to the barriers that we otherwise call cultural and institutional barriers. Cultural barriers in most cases consist of prejudiced attitudes that different citizens have about people with disabilities. Part of this group are also the architects and various municipal officials, who, driven by personal perceptions due to cultural prejudices against disability, produce, implement and authorize interventions in different public buildings which limit the integration of people with disabilities. Consequently, we can say that the inaccessible environment for people with disabilities is a direct product of careless planning and design of the constructions, which a priori excludes the spatial needs of this community in particular and other communities in need, guided by the belief that people with disabilities do not have the opportunity to contribute to social life. With the increase of social awareness on the direct interconnection of various barriers, including environmental and social barriers, as the main agents of limiting the possibilities of integration into society for people with disabilities, as well as after the entry into force of a number of documents focused on human rights through the actions of civil society, the issue of enabling access to the constructions, but also access to information and communication, begins to be regulated through legal mechanisms and national inclusive policies. There are important international human rights instruments that exclusively protect the rights of people with disabilities. Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities,[2] so far has been embraced by a large number of worldwide countries and organization, as well it is included within national legislation. Page 07 Children with disabilities and education The legal apparatus, as Casserly and Ormerod (2003) put it, enables the most convincing arguments to combat social discrimination,[3] Access includes the which includes the impossibility of physical ability of movement, access for people with disabilities. Weak legal reach, enter and usage of and administrative mechanisms create the right a public environment; terrain that keeps architectural barriers alive, orientation opportunities, which we also call institutional barriers. All the communication and above-mentioned barriers support the social information divisions, additionally, isolate entire communities of citizens from economic and social development. Access as a concept includes the ability of The law on pre university education [8] of mMoveAmeRntK, reEacTh, IeNnteGr and usage of a public Kosovo within some articles regulates space/environment; orientation opportunities, education for all. Article 3 within the same law coHmmIGunHicatLionI GaHndT Sinf oFrmOatRion as well. ensures that all children in Kosovo have the PhTysHicaEl a cYceEssA bRased on Titchkosky (2011) is right on education. Based on this, Ministry of related with strong political