Bridge to Bosnia Project - History

One of our key projects over the past few years has been the Bridge to Bosnia project – a programme that has allowed us to share knowledge and expertise gained since our foundation with colleagues in Eastern Europe. The main project aim was to develop an understanding between ENIL and people with disabilities throughout Eastern Europe. The idea was to set up a form of "buddy system" whereby established and experienced CILs in the EU would mentor and support an emerging CIL in Eastern Europe. It was felt that it was vital to ensure that a social and rights based model of disability emerged out of the changes being experienced by these countries.

This has led to many exchanges of information, with people from Bosnia and the former Yugoslavia coming to Ireland to learn about the Independent Living Movement here and collaborate with CIL on a number of projects. In return, Irish CIL representatives have been to Yugoslavia, Kosovo and Albania to provide Independent Living and Disability Equality training to groups of disabled people.

As part of this project, participants from Bosnia and the former Yugoslavia traveled to Ireland for a year, to learn about Independent Living and Personal Assistance, and to train to be Personal Assistants (PA's). Once qualified, they returned home to start working with disabled people and/or in the disability movement. The program began in 1998 and one of our first students is now the key contact in Bosnia for this project and has helped local disabled people establish their own CIL in Belgrade.

On a journey into the heart of former Yugoslavia in July 2000, CIL founding member Martin Naughton met people with disabilities from all sides of its broken borders, and pledged support for their efforts to rebuild their lives following the devastation of their homelands by war. The success of Martin Naughton's trip to Bosnia provided the backdrop for a twin-track planned approach promoting the philosophy of independent living as well as supporting disability groups on the ground in a practical way in the former Yugoslavia.

The plan outlined two main ways to do this, firstly by establishing and promoting links to look at the bigger picture of disability rights for people in the region. This meant lobbying the irish and European governments, the EU and other funding bodies to create the financial and structural environment necessary to bring about real change in the lives of people with disabilities in Eastern Europe. Secondly, the plan involved establishment of tangible projects which will have a direct impact on the ground. The project development is outlined below:

Actions

To pilot a user led door-to-door dial-a-ride transport service for people with disabilities in Bosnia. In our experience lack of suitable transport deprives the person with disability of the choices and options that non-disabled people have, leading immediately to exclusion.
To continue the highly successful pilot exchange programme operating between CIL Belgrade and Dublin CIL of training candidates as Personal Assistants in Ireland for one year. A core philosophy of independent living is the right of a person with disability to choose his/her own PA therefore fostering the growth and understanding of a social/rights based approach to disability.
To establish a "Buddy System" with ENIL providing the links that are necessary for developing CILs to get off the ground. This system will allow established and experienced CILs to aid and mentor new and developing CILs.
To assist developing CILs in former Yugoslavia in building bridges and maintaining links with other organisations like the European Disability Forum.
To develop a website for the Bridge to Bosnia project.

It was envisaged that these projects would cost approximately IR £1m to carry out which was to be sourced from various funding foundations and bodies.

Words

To lobby the Minister for Foreign Affairs for Ireland to promote the adoption of a rights based approach to disability worldwide. The ability of the Irish government to influence foreign governments has been strengthened by our membership of the security council of the UN. CIL would also call on the Minister to ensure that the Dayton Agreement on human rights was respected.
To lobby the government to ring fence a percentage of Irish overseas aid to support services for people with disabilities in the countries of the former Yugoslavia, with the hope that other EU countries would do likewise.
To advocate the need for appropriate support structures and infrastructure to facilitate projects in Eastern Europe. With so many developmental projects currently being funded by the UN, EU and the World Bank, disability proofing is important in order to ensure that the needs of disabled people are fully addressed.
To advocate for the involvement of disabled people in development strategies for overseas aid.

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Bridge to Bosnia Project - History

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