Summer 2013
Newsletter of the Association for Self Advocacy
TOPIC OF THE ISSUE: EUROPEAN UNION
Issue 11
EDITORIAL Dear readers, as you already know, Croatia joined the European Union on 1 July 2013. I am sure you have a lot of questions on joining the European Union. In this newsletter we will try to answer some important questions. We hope they will be interesting to you and that you will get some new information.
TOPIC OF THE ISSUE: EUROPEAN UNION
Editor Senada Halilčević Journalists Hrvoje Forner Snježana Kanjir Fadil Špuren Nera Bajzec Assistants Ivana Bašić Sanja Hotko Damjan Janjušević Ivana Poslon Hrvoj This newsletter was supported by a grant from the Open Society Fundations.
European Union is the community which assembles European states. European states assembled to develop economy and increase employment, to better protect the rights and interests of their citizens. European Union for short is EU. European Union has 28 member states. Croatia is the latest state to join the European Union. Croatian citizens had a referendum to decide if Croatia will join the European Union. Most citizens who voted in the referendum voted „yes“ for Croatia to join the European Union. Croatia joined the European Union on 1 July 2013. European Union has its institutions. Some of the most important institutions of the European Union are: • European Council • European Commission
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Newsletter of the Association for Self Advocacy
• Council of the European Union • European Parliament • Court of the European Union European Council decides on the most important political questions. Heads of states and governments sit on the European Council. European Commission is often called the Government of the European Union. European Commission proposes laws and protects interests of the European Union as a whole. Council of the European Union protects the interests of member states of the European Union. Council of the European Union is also called the Council of Ministers. Ministers of member states are on the Council of the European Union. European Parliament makes laws together with the Council of the European Union. European Parliament represents the citizens of the European Union. European Parliament is the only institution of the European Union whose members are elected directly by its citizens. It is the task of the Court of the European Union to ensure that the regulations of the European Union are followed. Some regulations made by the European Union are mandatory for all member states. However, states make many decisions and laws on their own. That means that states are independent and equal even after they join the European Union.
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Some states in the European Union have the same money which is called the euro. European Union has its flag. The flag consists of 12 yellow stars on a blue background. European Union also has its anthem. The anthem of the European Union is called Ode to Joy. The anthem is a symbol of European values of freedom, peace and solidarity. Written by Fadil Ĺ puren and Sanja Hotko
SITUATION IN THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA Some things will change after joining the European Union, but some will stay the same. What will stay the same? We will still speak Croatian. Croatian became one of the official languages of the European Union. Now there are 24 official languages in the European Union. Those are the languages of all states in the European Union. We will not change our money either. We will still use kunas for shopping in Croatia. The government in Croatia will stay the same. President, prime minister and the government will lead our country until the next regular elections. The flag of the Republic of Croatia and the Croatian coat of arms will not change their appearance.
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Newsletter of the Association for Self Advocacy
Our anthem will still sound the same and have the same lyrics. Flag, coat of arms and anthem are all called state symbols. That is how we recognize each state. European Union as a community has its flag and anthem, but every state in the European Union keeps its own state symbols. What will change? Some laws will change. We will harmonize some laws with laws of the European Union. Member states of the European Union agree on the laws on agriculture, fisheries, protection of the environment and safety. Every state makes its own decisions on some things. For example, Croatia will still make its own decisions on education and social policy. In the European Union it will be easier to travel. There will be less control at state borders. We can already travel to some states with only our identity card, for example Slovenia, Italy and Hungary. In a few years we will be able to travel to other countries of the European Union without our passports. Until then we need to have our passports. In the European Union it will be easier for Croatian citizens to go live or work in other European Union countries. However, some states have a period when we will still need a licence to work there. One of those states is Germany.
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In the European Union our documents will be different. That does not mean that we need new documents right away. All document we already have are valid until the date that is written on them. Written by Snježana Kanjir and Ivana Bašić
GOOD EXAMPLES FROM EUROPE Although Croatia joined the European Union, it still needs to do a lot to catch up with other member states of the European Union which have ensured more rights for persons with intellectual disabilities. In Sweden, Great Britain and France many persons with intellectual disabilities live on their own and receive support in the community. In Germany, France and Latvia many children with disabilities attend mainstream schools in classes with children without disabilities. Many countries have a programme for supported employment. That means that persons with disabilities can work in the open labor market together with persons without disabilities. Because they work and earn money, persons with intellectual disabilities have more opportunities to make decisions about their own lives. In some countries like Norway, Germany and Great Britain, persons with intellectual disabilities have the right to personal support. They manage their support on their own. That means that they choose who will be their support person, when they need support and what the support should do.
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Newsletter of the Association for Self Advocacy
Besides Croatia, in 8 other European countries persons with intellectual disabilities have the right to vote. Countries where persons with intellectual disabilities can vote are: Austria, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Great Britain and Ireland. In France and Germany there were campaigns to ensure accessibility of elections for persons with intellectual disabilities. Written by Ivana Bašić
NEWS Association for Self Advocacy has a new president Association for Self Advocacy held an assembly. At the assembly Senada Halilčević read the report on the work of the Association for the previous period. Accountant of the Association Predrag Miščević explained how much money the Association received, and how much it spent. Damjan Janjušević talked about the work plan of the Association. Association plans to continue to cooperate with other organizations, connecting self-advocates and advocating to change the laws. This year's assembly was important because we elected a new president of the Association. The new president of the Association is Tomislav Ivašković.
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We would like to congratulate him and wish him success in representing the Association! Written by Snje탑ana Kanjir Workshops on the right to vote One of the projects in which our association is a partner is called Realizing the right to vote for persons with intellectual disabilities. We are implementing this project with association GONG, and it is financed by the European Union. In this project we are implementing many activities to raise awareness of persons with intellectual disabilities and other people that persons deprived of legal capacity got the right to vote. One of the activities of the project is implementing educational workshops on the right to vote. We held these workshops for self-advocates in 12 local self-advocacy groups across Croatia. At the workshops we learned why elections are important for self-advocates. Self-advocates recognized that politicians have to make decisions which are good for persons with intellectual disabilties to win their votes in elections. To be able to advocate for their rights with the politicians, self-advocates have to know their rights. Our association and the network of self-advocates, which we have strengthened with these workshops, will help them with that. Written by Sanja Hotko
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Newsletter of the Association for Self Advocacy
Workshops on making easy to read materials In the project Pathways 2 we held workshops on making easy to read materials for self-advocates and experts. We held the workshops in Rovinj, Pula and Slavonski Brod. Project Pathways talks about making easy to read materials and involving persons with intellectual disabilities in lifelong learning programmes. At the workshops we presented the project and brochures we made in the project to self-advocates and experts. We explained how to make easy to read materials. We talked about why lifelong learning is important for persons with intellectual disabilities and how persons with intellectual disabilities can become involved in making easy to read materials and lifelong learning programmes. Written by Ivana Bašić Conference of the Coalition for Community Living On 21 June 2013 Coalition for Community Living held a conference called „Community for All“. Members of the Coalition for Community Living and Ombudswoman for persons with disabilities Anka Slonjšak participated at the conference. Self-advocate Senada Halilčević spoke on behalf of Association for Self Advocacy. Senada shared her story which is a rare example of a successful journey to living in the community. The conclusion of the conference is that society still does not provide enough support to any of the groups of persons with disabilities.
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That is why we need to keep fighting for persons with disabilities to realize their fundamental human rights. Written by Fadil Špuren Europe in action From 29 May to 1 June 2013 in Ljubljana conference Europe in action was held. The topic of the conference was ageing of persons with intellectual disabilities and their families. Speakers were self-advocates, family members and experts. We talked about how to improve the lives of elderly persons with intellectual disabilities, what their needs are and what kind of support they want. As representatives of the Association for Self Advocacy, Senada Halilčević and Snježana Kanjir participated at the conference. Written by Snježana Kanjir Deinstitutionalization is starting The process of transformation and deinstitutionalization started in Center for rehabilitation Stančić and Centre for rehabilitation Zagreb. That means that this year 80 persons with intellectual disabilities who live in these centers will start living in the community with support. In this way Republic of Croatia will finally allow some persons with intellectual disabilities to realize their right to live in the community which is written in the Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities.
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Newsletter of the Association for Self Advocacy
Self-advocates from our Association will help with their experiences to make the beginning of life in the community easier and more successful Written by Senada Halilčević Transformation of care for persons with intellectual disabilities in Turkey National conference was held in May in Turkey where the topic was care for persons with intellectual disabilities and how persons with disabilities live in Turkey. All participants had the opportunity to discuss topics important for persons with intellectual disabilities and their families. The conference lasted for 3 days. Senada Halilčević talked about her life experience as representative of our Association for Self Advocacy. A meeting for self-advocates from across Turkey was held in the conference. Written by Senada Halilčević
ANNOUNCEMENT Conference of European self-advocates in Zagreb From 4 to 6 October in Zagreb the 2 European conference for self-advocates will be held. The conference is organized together by European Platform of Self Advocates, Inclusion Europe, association GONG and Association for Self Advocacy. The conference will be called Hear our voices: Citizens first!
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Persons with intellectual disabilities from Croatia and other parts of Europe will participate at the conference. They will talk about the position of persons with intellectual disabilities as citizens. Part of the conference will be about the project we are implementing together with association GONG. The project talks about realizing the right to vote for persons with intellectual disabilities. Besides self-advocates, representatives of the European Commission, Council of Europe, Croatian government and the City of Zagreb will speak at the conference. Self-advocates will hold their workshops at the conference. For example, there will be a workshop on legal capacity, living in the community, on violence toward persons with disabilities. ZABAVNIK
At the conference we will also have workshops where self-advocates will be able to dance, act, film a video, write stories and try martial arts.
At the end of the conference self-advocates will make a joint statement which they will direct to their families, organizations and decision makers. Written by Fadil Ĺ puren and SnjeĹžana Kanjir
NOVOSTI 10 years of the Association This year our Association is celebrating 10 years of work. Our Association is the first in Croatia that was started by persons with intellectual disabilities themselves.
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Newsletter of the Association for Self Advocacy
The aim of the Association is to improve position of persons with intellectual disabilities in Croatia. Association allows persons with intellectual disabilities to express their own wishes and opinions. Some of the activities of Association for Self Advocacy are • working on projects • working on changing the laws which discriminate against persons with intellectual disabilities • campaigns to raise public awareness on the position and problems of persons with intellectual disabilities • writing brochures and newsletter in easy to read form • meetings of self-advocates and • computer workshop. Today Association for Self Advocacy cooperates with 12 self-advocacy groups from across Croatia. We also cooperate with organizations and self-advocacy groups from other countries. Self-advocates often participate at conferences in Croatia and other countries. We are very happy that the conference Hear our voices will be in Zagreb this year. The conference is organized by Association for Self Advocacy together with other organizations. Written by Snježana Kanjir and Ivana Bašić
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FUN PAGES QUIZ 1 Where is the European Union? a) in South America
b) in Asia
c) in Europe
2 Which money will we use in the European Union? a) euros
b) dollars
c) kunas
3 Which language will we speak in the European Union? a) Croatian
b) French
c) English
Written by Senada Halilčević, Snježana Kanjir, Fadil Špuren WORD SEARCH Find these words in the word search. FLAG ANTHEM KUNA EURO
CROATIA UNION PASSPORT BORDER
Created by Ivana Bašić
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Newsletter of the Association for Self Advocacy
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ADVICE CORNER QUESTION
I have a big problem. My friends do not like my girlfriend. I don't know what to do, they don't want to hang out with her and they think we should break up. ANSWER
This is a very complicated situation. Sometimes friends think they know what is best for us and they do not like it if we choose something else. Maybe they just think that your girlfriend should be different. In that case you should explain to your friends that it is your choice and they should respect it if they really care about you. On the other hand, sometimes people around us see things we do not notice. For example, if a girl just want to tell her boyfriend what to do or if a guy controls his girlfriend too much. You should talk to your friends and ask them what is the reason they do not like your girlfriend. If they see something they think could be bad or even dangerous for you, maybe you should think again.
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