The European Union and the Council of Europe, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Social Protecion and ‘Se Bashku’ Foundation, supported a series of regional meetings, in Durrës, Shkodër, Berat and Elbasan, focused on social inclusion and equal opportunities for persons with disabilities, ahead of the National Council on Persons with Disabilities, to be held on 4 December. The initiative aimed to promote dignity and exchange on ways and measures to improving the quality of life of persons with disabilities in line with the Council of Europe standards.

Meetings brought together representatives from local municipalities, regional employment offices, state police, community members, and civil society organizations working in the field of disability. Participants engaged in active discussions, identifying key local challenges and exploring solutions to better support individuals with disabilities. Senior representatives of the Ministry for Health and Social Protection shared findings on the National Action Plan for Persons with Disabilities 2021-2025, offering insights on national efforts to improve accessibility and inclusion. The issues raised during the meetings will be further addressed in collaboration with relevant authorities to ensure continued progress on disability rights and inclusion.

The meetings also served the purpose of promoting the recently published Inclusive Dictionary for Persons with Disabilities to promote inclusive language in addressing disability in Albania.

These events took place in the framework of the action on  Advancing the protection from discrimination in Albania, part of a joint programme of the European Union and Council of Europe Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye 2023-2026.