Disability Rights Orgs Will Reach ¼ Million People in KZ

November 29, 2012 Almaty, Kazakhstan -  USAID financed “Empowerment Now” Program signs a Memorandum of Cooperation with the partners and stakeholders of disability rights organizations across Kazakhstan. This Program will be implemented by the Civil Society Development Organization (ARGO) in partnership with the Association of Women with Disabilities "Shyrak", Public Association of the disabled persons with higher education "Namys" and Association of Social Workers and volunteers (ASRiV). This new program will help people with disabilities to exercise their rights, and become economically independent and important members of society. Representatives of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection and representatives of USAID will attend this event.

According to official figures, Kazakhstan is home to about 600,000 people with disabilities. Among them is more than 200,000 women and 50,000 children. This new disability rights project is set to impact more than 250,000 people with disabilities, reaching more than 50% of all people with disabilities in Kazakhstan.  National and Regional informational and educational campaigns will be conducted throughout the country.

One of the main objectives of this program is to create a constructive dialogue between disabled persons organizations and governmental agencies based on the results of a 3-Tier National Assessment to be conducted in 2013. The research will include an analysis of the situation of people with disabilities and recommendations for improvement. Moreover, the institutional and organizational capacities of 20 disabled persons organizations involved in the program will be strengthened.

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