People with disabilities are the most marginalized, endangered and poor group in Kosova. This is what the director of the Association of Paraplegics and Paralyzed Children of Kosova (HANDIKOS), Afrim Maliqi, says. According to him, this category of people is not involved in health services, education or employment. In the interview for KosovaPress, he says that only 12,000 people receive financial support compared to 93,000 in Kosova.

In the association for persons with disabilities, HANDIKOS, they consider that the state is obligated to provide services for persons of this category.

"In 2011, there were approximately 90-93 thousand people with disabilities according to the population census. But today, both children and adults receive financial support or some kind of pension, but not all of them, only approximately 12,000 people. Imagine what that means, only 12 thousand, in comparison to 93 thousand! Let's not compare it with 15 percent, which does not mean that all that large number, 15 percent of the population, can receive financial support, but they should receive services based on their needs which they have, or some other benefits, in this case they should have a personal disability status", declares Maliqi.

Further, he enumerates the main needs of this social group, which he says are the poorest in Kosova.

"Persons with disabilities are considered the most marginalized, most vulnerable and poorest group among our population. There are many reasons: their health condition is not good, for proper health services they have to pay and buy them, and they (the services they need) are daily services or medications, or they are daily equipment. I'm not talking about once a year or once a month, but about daily health services and medications. It is known that in our country there is still no Law on Health Insurance, which, among other things, impoverishes a family. The other issue concerns the guardians or personal assistants of persons with disabilities", said Maliqi.

According to him, the amount of money provided by the state for assistants of disabled people is insufficient.

"It is estimated according to UNICEF, which always focuses on children, that only 12 percent of children with disabilities are included in the education system. This shows where Kosova stands. 88 percent are not included in the education system. The reasons are the poor health of the children, the economic support of the children, the assistant or guardian, unsuitable transport, the schools may be unsuitable. So, these form the main issues or a chain of why families cannot include children with disabilities", he adds.

Services for people with disabilities, adds Maliqi, must be institutionalized. He requests that this category be rehabilitated at least once a year, as happens in the countries of the region.

"Today, if a disabled child is born to a family, that family, that mother is traumatized. She is not given information, she is not referred, she is not advised how to act with the child and she receives no services, I am talking about institutional services. The family goes home traumatized. The family, the society, prejudices them, thus the family becomes complex and isolated. And our citizens, society, say 'they are hiding them'. The main culprit is the system, our institutions and society for saying that they hide them. No family wants to hide their child or adult," said Maliqi.

The director of HANDIKOS, Afrim Maliqi, awaits the finalization of the strategy and action plan for persons with disabilities.

"We are in the process of finalizing the strategy and action plan, which must be approved by the Government of Kosova, a five-year strategy that deals with the rights of persons with disabilities. And the process of its finalization and approval is being delayed, only half of the year has passed. This is among the strategic documents related to the realization of the rights of persons with disabilities in various fields, such as the field of welfare, the field of improving legislation, the field of infrastructure, social services and many other fields". Maliqi concluded.

According to the WHO, it is estimated that about 15 percent of the population may have some form of disability./Sh.Pajaziti