Albania Project Proposal
Albania Project Proposal
Title: Support to civic engagement and public participation of Disabled People’s Organizations
for structural change in Albania
Country: Albania
Duration (max. 36 months): 36 months
Total Budget: 509,469 USD
Participating UN Organizations: UNDP, UNFPA
Executive summary
Max 250 words.
Persons with disabilities (PwD) are among the most marginalized groups in Albania who suffer from exclusion and lack of
services and opportunities. They face barriers and disadvantages in many areas including health care. The recently
adopted National Action Plan on Persons with Disabilities 2016-2020 (NAPPD) provides a comprehensive policy
framework, which if implemented effectively could have a positive impact in many areas. In this context, while there is
need for the mobilization of all actors, organizations of persons with disabilities (DPOs) who should have a leading role
among civil society are generally perceived as incapable of participating in public affairs to improve the quality of
governance, influence the policy-making and hold the government officials accountable.
Thus, the present proposal, through capacity and partnership building interventions, opts to focus specifically on the low
levels of civic engagement and public participation of PwD with a particular focus on women and girls with disabilities,
especially regarding their access to health care services. The project will therefore advance the human rights of PwD
through:
- Empowering DPOs to influence relevant policy- and decision–making processes; mainstream disability issues into
national priorities across sectors; and engage meaningfully with partners and relevant stakeholders;
- Supporting state agencies, National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) and DPOs to establish an effective
collaboration, which would enable PwD to participate fully in consultative and monitoring processes of relevant
legislation and policies.
- Strengthening the organizations and forums of youth and women with disabilities, to advocate for quality sexual
and reproductive health (SRH) services, tailored to the needs of these groups.
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1.1. Challenges and opportunities to be addressed by the project.
Max 750 words.
Describe the context in which the project will take place, highlighting in particular:
While drafting this section please make specific reference to the following information:
• Statistical data (disaggregated by sex) on persons with disabilities and evidence (qualitative and quantitative)
utilized as a basis for the development of the proposal.
• Relevant normative and institutional frameworks, as well as information on key actors operating in the thematic
area identified by the project.
• Relevant recommendations resulting from the Universal Periodic Review process or issued by the Committee on
the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (or other human rights treaty bodies), as well as the Special Rapporteur on
the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
• Potential linkages between the proposed project and national SDG processes or other on-going national
development initiatives.
Please ensure that this section provides relevant information on the different situation of men and women (with a
dedicated analysis of the specific barriers faced by women and girls with disabilities and an overview of relevant national
commitments towards gender equality).
Persons with disabilities are among the most marginalized groups in Albania who suffer from exclusion and lack of
services and opportunities. National data does not provide a clear picture of the number of PwD in the country.
According to the 2011 Census, 6.2% of the population have some sort of disabilities, but this data refers only to adults
and excludes children with disabilities.1 Please see Appendix 1 for more data and evidence.
PwD face barriers and disadvantages in many areas, including education, employment and social services. The health care
situation, including reproductive health remains also problematic. PwD are entitled to free health care services, but they
face difficulties to access the healthcare centres and hospitals. Very problematic remains lack of quality sexual and
reproductive health services tailored to the needs of women and girls with disabilities.
However, following the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2012, the
Albanian legislation is gradually being brought in conformity with the CRPD’s provisions. The Albanian government, with
the support of UN agencies and other organizations, has made some efforts to address the main root causes of the
problems, including lack of political interest in disability issues and limited financial and human resources. (A number of
State authorities that deal with disability-related issues have been established at both central and local levels). The recent
adoption of the National Action Plan on Persons with Disabilities 2016-2020 (NAPPWD), also provides a comprehensive
policy and monitoring framework, which if implemented effectively could have a positive impact in many areas. 2
In this context, the mobilization of all actors is needed to move forward with the reform. In particular, civil society can
play a crucial role by supporting the implementation and monitoring processes of the relevant legislation and policies.
However, organizations of PwD who should have a leading role among civil society are generally perceived as incapable
of participating in public affairs to improve the quality of governance, influence the policy-making and hold the
government accountable. Despite efforts of a few organizations to become involved in policy and legislative processes,
the impact has been limited due to lack of expertise in strategic planning, advocacy, internal organisation and leadership
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skills. These organisations face difficulties with resource mobilisation and financial sustainability, though some do receive
state funding. In general, their members have limited ability to pay fees and they mainly rely on donor funding, which is
temporary and project-based. In addition, organisations of PwD suffer from fragmentation and lack of networks to
ensure better coordination of their activities. Persons with mental and intellectual impairments are less likely to be
organised and represented by existing organisations, and associations of youth with disabilities are almost inexistent.
Children, young people and women with disabilities have even less opportunities to raise their voices and be heard on
issues concerning their rights. Their organizations also face the same challenges, including their lack of knowledge and
capacities to influence public health policies and practices related to sexual and reproductive health care services.
Thus, among many of the challenges PwD face in Albania, the present proposal opts to focus specifically on the low levels
of civic engagement and public participation of PwD with a particular focus on women and girls with disabilities, and their
lack of access to health care services. The proposed interventions aim to empower the organisations of and for PwD,
including of women and girls with disabilities.
The project will also support Albania’s progress in view of achieving SDGs, especially SDGs 1, 3, 5, 10 and 11 (no poverty,
good health and well-being, gender equality, reduced inequalities, sustainable cities and communities).
Please describe the consultation process leading to the development of this proposal. Kindly provide specific information
on the following points:
• National stakeholders, within and outside government who contributed to the definition of the proposed
intervention.
• The role played by persons with disabilities and their representative organizations in the definition of the project
objectives and strategies.
• Strategies that were put in place to ensure the full participation of women with disabilities in keeping with the
principle of equality between men and women.
• The process through which the plausibility of the project theory of change was verified (including research and
evaluative evidence consulted).
The present proposal was developed by UNDP and UNFPA offices in Albania in close consultation with:
- The Albanian Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth (MSWY) as the lead agency for mainstreaming, coordinating,
monitoring and evaluating policies, that protect and promote the rights of persons with disabilities;
- The Albanian Ministry of Health as the key policy-making authority regarding health and responsible for
monitoring the service delivery in primary health care, reaching out to all including women and girls, adolescents and
youth;
- Albanian National Organizations of Persons with Disabilities representing, and advocating for, the rights of blind,
deaf, paraplegics, persons with disabilities caused in the workplace, and children with intellectual disabilities. These
organizations have been key stakeholders in developing the National Action Plan on Persons with Disabilities 2016-2020
and whose membership at national and local level will benefit from the intervention;
- Non-governmental organizations with expertise in designing and delivering capacity building activities,
conducting awareness activities and implementing programmes on issues related to PwD.
- The Ombudsman who is in charge of monitoring the implementation of the national and international legislation
on human rights.
- The Commissioner on Protection against Discrimination, who is in charge of monitoring the antidiscrimination
legislation as well as the CRPD provisions
UNDP as the leading agency in the proposal development process made all efforts to ensure a balanced representation
by men and women of DPOs. As a result, in addition to DPOs which have women in their leadership, the organizations of
parents of persons with intellectual disabilities were mainly represented by women.
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Twenty four representatives (Please see Appendix 2 for the List of CSOs participants) of the above stakeholders gathered
in a workshop to discuss and agree on the drafting process and proposal outcomes including the theory of change,
impact, outputs and logframe. The same group validated the project proposal during a second round of consultation
which to took place electronically. All partners have also been regularly informed and consulted via emails or smaller
meetings.
The government representatives committed to facilitate the access of civil society organisations to government
institutions for consultation and monitoring purposes. The representatives of national human rights institutions
highlighted the need for the organizations of PwD to increase their involvement and reaction to the implementation of
new policies and measures in the area of disabilities. The contribution of DPOs was more evident on issues regarding
monitoring and evaluation of implemented policies and programmes and on specific targeted action. Non-governmental
organizations contributed more with information for special groups such as women, children with disabilities, vulnerable
minorities and youth as well with mainstreaming-oriented interventions. UN Agencies provided input based on
international experience as well as on recommendations and lessons learned from other development projects
implemented in the country. Please see Appendix 2 for the resource materials consulted for drafting the present
proposal.
2. Project approach
2.1 Focus of the project – “What is the project about?”
Max 100 words; Please refer to the UNPRPD SOF Sections 2.2, page 31.
Describe the entry point used to define the scope of the proposed project, noting that such an entry point can be one of
the following:
The UNPRPD Fund in Albania will focus on the right of PwD to participate in public life. The project will address the
various enabling factors that are needed to increasing the capacities of organizations of PwD to effectively advocate for
the realization of their rights. In addition, the project will support DPOs and other CSOs in Albania to influence the
improvement of services offered to PwD, including access of women and girls with disabilities to sexual and reproductive
health services.
2.2 Theory of change of the intervention – “How will the project produce positive change?”
Max 750 words; Please refer to the UNPRPD SOF Section 2.1, 2.2 pages 22 - 35 and Technical Note Section 2.
Please describe the change that the proposed project is seeking to trigger using one of the following options, as
appropriate:
• If the entry point of the proposal is a specific right, describe the levers of change that will be utilized to advance
this right and the in-focus groups that are expected to benefit from the initiative;
• If the entry point is lever of change, describe the specific rights that will be advanced through work on this lever
and the in-focus groups that are expected to benefit from the initiative;
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• If the entry point is an in-focus group, describe the specific rights which will be addressed in relation to this group
and the levers of change to be utilized.
With respect to the in-focus groups, please provide to the extent possible and as relevant, a breakdown by sex, age, type
of disability, race, ethnic origin and geographical location, together with an estimated number of beneficiaries.
As per the UNPRPD Strategic Operational Framework page 33 in focus groups will be identified on a case-by-case basis in
relation to the context of planned initiatives. Particular attention, however, will be given to women and children with
disabilities, in line with articles 6 and 7 of the CRPD.
Please feel free to annex a visual representation or diagram of the project’s theory of change, if and as appropriate.
In Albania, the UNPRPD fund will be used to support organizations of PwD become aware and take full advantage of the
mechanisms that enable their effective influence in decision-making and policy implementation processes at both
national and local levels. The existing legal framework is conducive to participation of PwD in public life. The Law on
Inclusion of and Accessibility for PwD (2014) and the Law on Public Consultation (2015) create obligations for state
agencies to conduct public consultations with PwD and their organizations during the adoption process of legislation and
policies that affect them. In addition, the recently adopted National Action Plan on the Rights of PwD (2016-2020)
provides for the involvement of organizations of PwD, civil society organizations and National Human Rights Institutions
in monitoring the implementation of the action plan’s activities.
The rights of PwD are mainstreamed to a certain extent also in national policies and legislation in other areas, including
health, education and employment. But, PwD need to increase their knowledge about their entitlements to inclusion
and accessibility in all areas of governance and develop strategies to support and monitor the implementation of these
frameworks. Additionally, the ongoing decentralization reform in Albania and the increased role of local government for
the provision of social and rehabilitation services to PwD, requires meaningful engagement from civil society
organizations operating at the local levels.
This project is grounded on a human rights-based approach to disability and aims at advancing the CRPD principles and
standards, and in particular the key human rights principles of participation, accountability and non-discrimination.
Furthermore, the project’s interventions and results might be of help to the government in reporting to the Committee
on the Rights of PwD.
A key lever of change in this regard is the development of mechanisms for cooperation between stakeholders for
monitoring of the implementation of policies at local and at central level involving state agencies as duty bearers, target
groups as right holders, and civil society and NHRIs as human rights watchdogs. Improved mechanisms for cooperation
and monitoring are to result in increased accountability of state actors whose decision-taking is to become more
transparent and whose information practice towards the target group is to be based on evidence, including from
monitoring data in the domain of social inclusion. The empowerment of target groups will permit them to request
adequate services and to actively participate in the planning and the monitoring of their activities, thus acting as an
indicator of the project’s effectiveness.
The project will also address exclusion and discrimination that PwD face in accessing services. The increased role of civil
society in the implementation and monitoring of relevant policies and legislation will help reduce or remove
infrastructural and attitudinal barriers that often lead to discrimination. Multiple forms of discrimination will also be
addressed for groups of PwD who have been left out of previous interventions, including persons with intellectual and
mental disabilities and women and girls with disabilities. While civil society working on disability issues in Albania has
been traditionally represented by only a few organizations, mainly located in the capital, the project will aim at expanding
its focus on other single- or cross-disability organizations and groups throughout the country regardless of their current
capacity levels. Increasing these organizations capacities will be one of the main drives of this initiative.
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The influence of organizations of PwD in the improvement of their services will advance many of the CRDP standards,
including accessibility, the right to health, education, employment, equality before the law and others. Access to food,
housing, health, education and legal support are basic prerequisites for social inclusion. Particular efforts will be placed
on the right to sexual and reproductive health of women with disabilities, an issue that has not received attention by
public health policies and required immediate intervention.
Table 1.
On the one hand, the project’s interventions will focus on strengthening participation of DPOs in policy-making,
implementation and monitoring of specific legislation and policies for the inclusion of PwD; on the other hand, efforts
will be expanded to increase the scope of DPOs involvement also in the implementation of policies and legislation in
other sectors.
By empowering the organization of PwD, the project will contribute to promote and mainstream disability rights in the
Albanian society. This undertaking will improve the system and make it more inclusive. The improvement of the
system is to reflect the fact that PwD are entitled to rights on an equal basis with the others in all areas of life.
2. Scalability
How will the project create the conditions for scalability of results and successful approaches tested through project
activities?
The project aims at creating conditions for scalability by promoting good and successful practices among all
organizations of PwD and other CSOs. To develop a scaling-up strategy, the project will make use of existing relevant
tools such as the ExpandNet guidelines on scaling up.
Identification and divulgation of good practices during the project’s implementation will be based on the results of the
project’s monitoring and consultation exercises, which may be of interest for other CSOs, NHRIs and state institutions,
as well as projects financed by the grant fund, which may be of interest for other CSOs, possibly for other donors.
In particular, the project will focus on sharing the good practice of well-established organizations who have mainly
been operating in the capital with smaller organizations operating at the local levels.
Policy dialogue with central and local authorities, particularly the support that will be provided to the women and girls
with disabilities can increase their awareness about issues, possible solutions and innovative means to improve the
situation of PwD.
3. Sustainability
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1. Mix of targeting and mainstreaming
How will the proposed project mix targeting and mainstreaming strategies in order to generate structural
transformation?
How does the project intend to create the conditions for the long-term sustainability of the project results?
Sustainability is pursued through a series of approaches and mechanisms that all tend to sustainably improve the
inclusiveness for PwD in Albania.
The project will aim at targeting a large number of organizations around the country, engaged in a wide-range of
activities including lobbying, advocacy and provision of services for PwD. The financial support for capacity building
and networking of DPOs through the grant scheme will commit them to continue to fund and maintain the developed
capacities and connections over time, but also will serve as models of scaling up, diversifying and using them as
examples to lobby and advocate for increased funding from government and donors.
Another approach to ensure sustainability is the project investments in actors, processes and persons: The
strengthening of organisations, the introduction and improvement of mechanisms for cooperation between actors,
and the development of capacities of individuals, together with strengthened monitoring capacities and willingness to
influence the policy-making are expected to have effects beyond the project’s duration. The project will support the
permanent integration of changes introduced by the project into advisory, implementing or monitoring bodies.
Building synergies with other programmes supporting social inclusion is of paramount importance to maximize use of
financial resources for lasting interventions.
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Type of risk* Risk Likelihood Impact on Mitigation strategies Risk
(contextual (L, M, H) result treatment
programmatic, owners
institutional)
for participation of target into advisory,
groups introduced by the implementing or
project into their monitoring bodies, and
operations; by requesting viability
- grant funded plans from projects
projects are not financed by the grants
supported with follow-up fund.
budgets from other
resources to ensure
continuity
Programmatic The project may duplicate Coordination must be Implementing
or overlap with other ensured, including with partners
activities the support of
Low Medium
competent State
authorities and other
donors.
Institutional Fraud and corruption, Strict UN management of UN agencies
regarding the financial regulations.
management of the grant Close monitoring of all
Low High
scheme. involved parties by the
project management
team.
Contextual The achievement of The Project will develop Implementing
results may be faced with a wide and open partners
challenges due to communication with
inefficient and ineffective Medium High target groups and clearly
cooperation with target explain its purpose and
groups, e.g. NGOs. approach.
* Please specify here the type of risk and refer to the following definitions:
Contextual: risk of state failure, return to conflict, development failure, humanitarian crisis; factors over which external actors have limited control.
Programmatic: risk of failure to achieve the aims and objectives; risk of causing harm through engagements.
Institutional: risk to the donor agency, security, fiduciary failure, reputational loss, domestic political damage etc.
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Based on the information in the previous section, provide a concise formulation of the project objectives (expected impact,
intended outcomes and outputs) utilizing the table format provided below. 3
Impact:
What rights will be advanced? For whom?
The project will directly advance the rights of all PwD, including women, youth and children with disabilities to
participate in public life (Article 29 of the CRPD) and their freedom of expression and opinion and right to access
information (article 21 of the CRPD). Consequently, the progressive inclusion of PwD through civic engagement and
participation of DPOs in the public life will contribute to the realization of many other rights guaranteed by the CRPD
and the Albanian legislation.
Table 3. Expected outcomes (there will be as many such tables as the outcomes envisaged by the project)
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In defining the above, please refer to the following definitions based on the UNDG Harmonized RBM Terminology.
Impact: Positive and negative long-term effects on identifiable population groups produced by a development intervention, directly or
indirectly, intended or unintended. These effects can be economic, socio-cultural, institutional, environmental, technological or of other
types.
Outcome: The intended or achieved short-term and medium-term effects of an intervention’s outputs, usually requiring the collective
effort of partners. Outcomes represent changes in development conditions which occur between the completion of outputs and the
achievement of impact.
Outputs: The products and services which result from the completion of activities within a development intervention.
When articulating the result chain, the following should be noted with reference to the level of control the project can have over the
envisaged short, medium and long term results of the planned intervention.
Outputs are elements within the direct sphere of influence of the organizations implementing the project. Implementing partners are
therefore directly accountable for this component of the result chain.
Outcomes are higher-level structural shifts, which are not fully within the control of the project. For this reason, projects cannot be
directly accountable for outcome-level transformation, although it is expected that successful projects will be able to demonstrate high
rates of outcome-level achievement.
Impact - as a significant change in conditions of life - is not intended to be achieved solely by the project and in most cases will not be
fully observable within the project implementation time span. However, within an appropriate timeframe it should be possible for the
project to show a plausible link between the outputs delivered, the outcomes facilitated and relevant improvements in conditions of life.
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Please see Appendix 5 for more details.
Outcome 1
What structural shifts will be achieved?
Outcome formulation Type of lever*
DPOs are empowered to influence relevant policy- and CAP
decision – making processes; mainstream disability issues
into national priorities across sectors; and engage
meaningfully with partners and relevant stakeholders
[…] […]
Outputs
What project deliverables will contribute to the
achievement of the outcome?
Output Formulation Type **
(Only for capacity outcomes)
1.1 Conduct a mapping of the organizations of PwD active
throughout the country, including those that work on the
rights of PwD;
1.2 Conduct a rapid assessment of needs for capacity
building of DPOs regarding their:
- knowledge of human rights, CRPD’s provisions and
national policy and legal frameworks, and
- capacities/skills in strategic planning, internal
organization, leadership, advocacy, and monitoring and
evaluation.
1.3 Based on needs assessment findings, design and KNO
deliver capacity building interventions for the staff of Up to 36 formal training sessions for about 360 DPOs staff
DPOs will be organized tailored to their role/ functions
(leaders, programme staff, support staff), location
(dividing the country in 12 regions), and by mixing staff
from different groups representing people with single
impairments as well as staff from both DPOs and
organizations working on PwD.
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Outcome 2
What structural shifts will be achieved?
Outcome formulation Type of lever*
State agencies, NHRIs and DPOs establish an effective PAR; NET
collaboration, which would enable PwD to participate
fully in consultative and monitoring processes of relevant
legislation and policies.
[…] […]
Output Formulation Type **
(Only for capacity outcomes)
2.1 Support the establishment of a network of DPOs to
ensure better coordination and exchange of information,
in particular with regards to monitoring of the NAPPD
(2016-2020) and strategies in other sectors.
Establish monitoring procedures by supporting the
establishment by the NHRIs staff and the representatives
of the DPOs net of a joint Monitoring Framework for the
NAPPD, to be communicated to the National Council on
PwD.
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Outcome 3
What structural shifts will be achieved?
Organizations and forums promoting the rights of youth PAR; CUL; CAP
and women with disabilities are strengthened to
advocate for quality sexual and reproductive health (SRH)
services, tailored to the needs of these groups.
[…] […]
Outputs
What project deliverables will contribute to the
achievement of the outcome?
Output Formulation Type **
(Only for capacity outcomes)
3.1 Perform a qualitative research : (i) to get the
perceptions of men and women with disabilities and their
family members with regards to access and quality of SRH
services; (ii) to investigate the existing gaps in knowledge
among care givers (health care providers and social
workers) with regards to SRH services tailored to people
with disabilities.
3.2 Strengthen civil society organizations to advocate for KNO, CAP
the mainstreaming of disability perspective into health Based on the evidences generated by the research, the
policies, strategies and action plans, and for improving project will design and deliver capacity building
the quality of SRH services tailored to the needs of people interventions, including 12 information days and 12
with disabilities. formal training sessions targeting respectively DPOs and
(around 120) staff from the PHC centers and community
centers.
3.3 Enhance support services for people with disabilities
by designing and promoting specific measures and
interventions for youth, women and elderly people with
disabilities.
* Please specify here the type of lever of change to which each proposed outcome corresponds. With reference to Table 1, page 33 of the SOF, for each
outcome select one of the following options:
** For capacity-related (CAP) outcomes only: please specify here the type of capacity driver to which each proposed output corresponds. With
reference to Technical Note Section 2.1, for each output select one of the following options:
- KNO: Knowledge
- ACC: Access
- HUM: Human Resources
- FIN: Financial resources
-TOO: Tool
-PRO: Procedures
-NET: Networks
-ACC: Access
-ACV: Accountability Venues
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3. Elements of project design
Max 500 words; Please refer to UNPRPD SOF section 3.1.1 page 46-50.
The promotion of gender equality will be a regular dimension of the project’s implementation. All of the project’s
interventions will be gender sensitive, promoting disability rights also from a gender perspective. More than half of the
target groups are women; when supporting the authorities at national and local levels and civil society organisations who
will participate in the steering and the implementation of the project, women and their specific perspectives and needs
will receive special attention. In addition, the project’s intervention for realising projects financed by the grant fund will
make of gender equality a selection criteria. The project’s progress and achievements will be assessed, based on sex-
disaggregated data and gender related indicators. The project will cooperate closely with the Directorate of Social
Inclusion and Gender Equality at MSWY and with women’s alliances at local level to mainstream gender in disability –
related activities planning, budgeting, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
The third Output of the project is particularly focused on women and girls to ensure their access to sexual and
reproductive health services and strengthen civil society organizations to advocate for the mainstreaming of disability
perspective into health policies, strategies and action plans.
In addressing the above points, please elaborate as appropriate on how the heterogeneity of the various disability groups,
and their experience of multiple and compound discrimination, will be taken into account throughout the project cycle.
The aim of the proposal is to empower PwD through their representative organizations to be able to participate and
influence in the decision-making processes as well as to be involved and participate fully in the monitoring of policy
implementation process. As such, the project recognizes the PwD, including children with disabilities, and their
representative organizations as a key stakeholder involved in the project design, implementation, monitoring and
evaluation, and benefiting from the project’s interventions.
The project will aim to involve persons with all forms of impairments including organizations of parents of children with
disabilities and of people with intellectual disabilities, cross disability youth forums and the community of women with
disabilities.
Accessibility
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Please outline briefly main actions that will be undertaken during the project planning and implementation to ensure that
accessibility is fully realized noting also how PwD and their organizations will be involved in this process.
Since project inception, and then in each and every activity planning and implementation, specific needs of PwD will be
considered with regards to the accessibility of the: a) infrastructure by identifying accessible premises where meetings
and capacity building interventions will take place; (b) transport by providing arranged transportation for persons with
mobility impairments or covering cost of transportation by personal vehicles; (c) communication through ensuring sign
language interpretation4. A percentage of costs will be planned to guarantee the preconditions to participation of PwD in
the project implementation.
4. Partnership-building potential
Max 200 words; Please refer to the UNPRPD SOF section 3.1.3 page 53.
Please describe the way in which the proposed project will establish new connections among relevant national
stakeholders and promote partnership-building within and outside state institutions, including for instance between state
institutions working in different areas, among non-governmental organizations (including organizations of PwD) and
between governmental and non-governmental actors, organizations of PwD and other stakeholders.
The project will help fostering and formalizing partnerships and modalities of collaboration between the national
authorities including NHRIs and local governments and the civil society. Line Ministries and local government units (LGUs)
will inform and consult with CSOs when designing and implementing policies and programmes regarding PwD and draw
on lessons learned from CSOs to address extreme marginalization; NHRIs will involve CSOs in monitoring and evaluating
implemented measures by taking care to avoid when necessary the conflict of interest that might arise from the potential
multiple roles of CSOs as advocacy and paid for service provision.
On the other hand, thanks to the role of the CSOs, the national authorities including deconcentrated services and the
local government units will reinforce their cooperation when it comes to issues affecting the life of PwD.
Civil society organisations, in particular DPOs, will coordinate and network at national and local level to better voice their
needs and fight for access to rights. Youth and women with disabilities are expected to network and establish
cooperation with homologue organizations of non-disabled people.
It is expected that the organizations and forums of PwD will partner with media and academia which will be involved in
the project respectively for visibility and research & training purposes.
Finally, the project will help strengthening the partnership between UN agencies, the government and CSOs in
implementing international human rights treaties through development programmes.
Please describe in which ways the project intends to improve the mainstreaming of a disability rights perspective into the
broader work of the UN System.
The UNPRPD Fund will also provide an internal opportunity for UN Albania to further consolidate its assistance, credibility
and comparative advantages in the area of disability and advance the Delivering as One UN agenda.
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Regarding the access to information and communication, due to its limited financial resources, the project will support only the access to
communication for persons with hearing impairments who aren’t actually assigned a personal assistant. People with other kinds of impairments will
have to use the services of their own assistants to access to written information.
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Coordination and synergies with ongoing efforts will be actively sought by the proposed project.
The UNPRPD Funding will be used to leverage resources from other donors operating in the country. European Union is
currently an important donor that would be targeted to join forces with UN agencies working in this area.
To ensure maximum flexibility and adaptation to national priorities, donors will be strongly encouraged to contribute to
joint UN work in the area of disabilities, which in the third ONE UN Programme 2017-2021 (PoC) are included under
Priority II, Social Cohesion, Outcome 2.: All women, men, girls and boys, especially those from marginalized and
vulnerable groups, are exercising their entitlements to equitable quality services, in line with human rights; and more
effective and efficient investments in human and financial resources are being made at central and local levels to ensure
social inclusion and cohesion.
The programme will be implementing its activities in the framework of PoC, It will ensure a strategic integration and
cohesion with other projects of UN organizations in the country working in the area of social inclusion, human rights
(including those of women and children) and civil society strengthening, while it will benefit from the UN participating
agencies in cash contributions (110,338 USD) as part of the total project costs.
The programme will also aim at building partnerships with other organizations in the country that work towards similar
goals in order to broaden the scope of beneficiaries and ensure the synergy of development results.
6. Management arrangements
Max 350 words; Please refer to UNPRPD SOF Section 3.1.2 page 51.
Utilizing the table format provided below, indicate for each of the proposed project outcomes: the UNPRPD Focal
Point (i.e. the UNPRPD Participating Organization that will have primary responsibility for the achievement of that
particular outcome); the implementing agency or agencies (specifying, when necessary, if government institution or
NGO); and the main partners (within and beyond the UNPRPD) that will contribute to the realization of the outcome.
• Overall coordination arrangements and the way in which the project will ensure a streamlined, efficient flow of
communication with national partners;
• The overall governance structure of the project (e.g. role and composition of the country-level project Steering
Committee).
15
Outcome number UNPRPD Focal Point Implementing agencies Other partners
National Human Rights
Institutions; Local
Government Units
The proposed intervention is a Joint Project (JP) that will be implemented through the modalities of Delivering as One
mechanism, under the framework of the Programme of Cooperation for Sustainable Development 2017-2021, with the
joint participation of two UN agencies of UNDP, and UNFPA and in close partnership with national partners at central and
local level. The deliverables provided in the section on “Result chain of the interventions” will be further fine-tuned in
relevant annual work plans over a time frame of three years (2017-2020).
UNDP will be the leading UN agency for the overall implementation and coordination of the joint project. Both
participating UN agency will implement activities and outputs in line with their mandate and expertise. UNDP will be
expected to contribute with its knowledge and expertise on the CRPD requirements and will focus its work, building on
results of previous projects, on i) promotion and support to the implementation of the CRPD ii) capacity building of CSOs
on planning and monitoring in the area of disabilities; iii) civic engagement, advocacy and networking to promote social
inclusion of PwD at local level.
UNFPA, building on its comparative advantages in population dynamics and reducing inequalities in health and education,
and on its knowledge and expertise on youth issues and challenges, will contribute towards strengthening capacities of
both DPOs to claim quality healthcare services, and staff from the primary health care centers and community centers to
provide improved health care services, tailored to the needs of the target group.
A Steering Committee (SC) will be established to oversee and coordinate the operations of this intervention. The SC will
take all necessary strategic decisions regarding the project’s implementation, receive and comment semi-annual reports,
and approve annual work plans and reports. The SC will unite at least twice a year, and upon necessity.
The SC will be composed of senior representatives of the participating UN agencies, senior representative of the Ministry
of Social Welfare and Youth, senior representative from the Ministry of Health, senior representatives from NHRIs and at
least two representatives of civil society organisations. The SC will be co-chaired by MoSWY and UNDP senior
representatives.
7. Knowledge Management
Max 250 words.
• The way in which the proposed project plans to document good practices and lessons learnt as well the way in
which the project will involve multi-stakeholders in the process.
• Measures to ensure joint implementation of KM activities.
Monitoring and evaluation of the programme will be conducted in accordance with the PoC monitoring and evaluation
plan. The monitoring and reporting processes will involve gathering of information to make timely informed judgment
and assessment of progress including among others the identification of strengths and weaknesses of the Programme.
In the framework of PoC Outcome 2, output 2.3 on Social Inclusion and Social Protection, the mid-year and annual review
of the Programme will be conducted jointly by the participating UN agencies, the government and CSOs partners, and the
findings will be used to fine tune the upcoming annual work plan and activities.
This programme complements existing UNDP and other UN agencies projects/interventions that aim at mainstreaming
the rights of PwD in their intervention (work on social inclusion of marginalized communities, women empowerment,
youth employment promotion, strengthening of local government units, etc). The experience that will be gained by the
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programme will serve as a good example for UN agencies work to abide to the obligation stemming from the Convention
to make all development programming inclusive and accessible to PwD.
The Programme will partner with Academia (especially the Social/Human Sciences Faculties of public Universities in the
country) and knowledge-generating institutions by involving professionals on providing expertise and consultancy and
delivering specialized courses on programme-related topics.
The Programme, through the audio-visual and written media, social platforms and promotional materials/publications,
will ensure to share information on the project results, success stories and lessons learned with a broad range of
stakeholders at national and local level, to raise the profile of the project interventions and all disability rights issues, and
to attract the attention of new development partners on such issues.
8. Inception Activities
Max 250 words.
The maximum programme budget for individual projects will be 385.000 USD. In addition, up to 15.000 USD will be
made available for inception activities focused on quality assurance. These activities could include joint planning of
project implementation involving UN, government, organizations of PwD and other partners; joint capacity building
(for instance to ensure all relevant parties have a foundational understanding of the CRPD, or on specific technical
issues related to the project); M&E planning; collecting baselines.
Please describe below which inception activities will be undertaken. (Kindly note that in the budget section projects
are requested to provide an estimate of the monetary value attached to these activities)
The project inception activities will permit the project implementing partners to:
- Outline the overall and Year 1 project work-plans. UN participating agencies jointly with line ministries, NHRIs and CSOs
representatives will create the first project plan, which can be revised when implementation starts. The project plan will
envisage specific interventions, resources and timescales for Year 1 and tentative ones for the remaining project
duration.
- Define a communication plan, i.e. paths of communication and how to escalate issues that cannot be resolved at a
certain level. The objective of a good communication plan is to make sure that coordination activities on the project run
as smoothly as possible and to avoid wasted effort through miscommunication.
- Discuss and agree on a plan for monitoring and evaluation of project progress.
- Organize an inception workshop to launch the project, introduce the project Steering Committee composition, the
project work-plan outline, the communication plan, and the project monitoring and evaluation plan, and agree on the
programmatic theory of change.
9. Budget
Please use the template below, based on the format approved by the UNDG Financial Policy Working Group, to
provide overall budget information. Please also utilize the attached Excel spreadsheet to provide a budget breakdown
by fund recipient (Sheet 1) and by outcome (Sheet 2).
While developing the budget please ensure that appropriate allocations are made for project inception, monitoring
and evaluation activities as well accessibility costs. Kindly note that Table 5 should reflect the entirety of the
requested budget, while Table 6 should reflect the following:
• Portion of the requested budget that will be allocated to project inception activities (up to 15,000 USD).
• Portion of the requested budget that will be allocated to monitoring and evaluation (including final external
evaluation).
17
• Portion of the requested budget that will be allocated to covering accessibility costs.
• Total budget value of activities that will have a direct impact on strengthening the capacity of organizations of
PwD (based on section 4 of the project narrative).
18
19
Table 5. Project Budget
20
From the above information please specify the following:
5
Please include costs for a final external evaluation of the project.
21
LIST OF ACRONYMS
MH Ministry of Health
PoC Programme of Cooperation between Government of Albania and United Nations Agencies
UN United Nations
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APPENDICES 1-5
Appendix 1
Background and rationale: Challenges and opportunities to be addressed by the project
More data and evidence
According to the 2011 Census, 6.2% of the population (in absolute figure 176,435 people out of which 53% women) have
some sort of disabilities, but this data refers only to adults and excludes children with disabilities. 6 On the other hand,
administrative data in 2016 indicate that 66,411 PwD out of which 545 from Roma Community, and 71,812 labour
invalids out of which 29,348 women are enrolled in disability benefit schemes.7 However, the current disability
assessment system (and related benefits) is in the early stages of moving towards the ICF model 8, which means that a
considerable number of PwD, including those with hearing impairments are not included in the national data. 9
PwD face barriers and disadvantages in many areas, including education, employment and social services. Data show that
only 55.6 per cent of PwD over 15 years of age have completed basic education.10 Furthermore, PwD are much less likely
to participate in the labour market than their non-disabled peers. 8 in 10 disabled working-age adults are out of the labor
force. Cash payments are the main form of support for PwD, which despite some increases over the years, are insufficient
to ensure an adequate standard of living 11. Lack of social care community-based service makes independent living almost
impossible and private providers remain the only option for those who can afford their services.
disabled member
23
Appendix 2
Background and rationale: Proposal development process
List of (invited/attending) participants from CSOs
24
Resource materials
The resource materials consulted for drafting the present proposal are as follows:
Invisible Violence, an overview on the phenomenon of violence against women and girls with disabilities in
Albania – UNDP
Implementation of Employment Promotion Programme for PwD approved by Decree no.248, date 30.04.2014 of
the Council of Ministers, Monitoring Report, ADRF, April 2017
UNDP Promoting Disability Rights in Albania Project- Lessons learned12
Consultants’ report on the training of in-service judges and prosecutors on “Case-law on PwD in the Strasbourg
Court Jurisprudence”, carried out in October 2017 – January 2017
12 Little knowledge exists about social inclusion of persons with disabilities. In order to ensure inclusiveness it is essential strengthening capacities of
public authorities and organizations of persons with disabilities to shift the approach from passive allowances schemes to inclusive services. Social
inclusion is still to be educated, promoted and demonstrated through pilot initiatives; Education on CRPD through the awareness raising activities serve
as a food for thought. It’s important that technical expertise is available and continue to be offered to all stakeholders in the long and the challenging
process of implementation of the CRPD. Lack of capacities and “know how” cannot be addressed through only a single and one time event/intervention.
13 Stronger advocacy is to ensure that the needs of the vulnerable groups are prioritised in the government’ s agenda; The main learning of the Youth
Disability Forum is that new actors and alliances of groups can unlock long-standing interest monopolies and open up space for policies that are
inclusive).
25
Appendix 3
Project approach: Theory of change of the intervention
ToC Diagram
26
Appendix 4
Project approach: Other programmatic considerations
Table 1
On the one hand, the project’s interventions will focus on strengthening participation of DPOs in policy-making,
implementation and monitoring of specific legislation and policies for the inclusion of PwD; on the other hand, efforts
will be expanded to increase the scope of DPOs involvement also in the implementation of policies and legislation in
other sectors. During the last couple of years, the Government of Albania has adopted a number of sectorial
strategies14 and legislation which provide for the mainstreaming of the rights of PwD in all these sectors. However,
there is little knowledge among the disability community and their organizations about the existence of these
frameworks, and there are no initiatives to monitor their implementation from the perspective of the rights of PwD.
The project will aim to change this situation. By empowering the organization of PwD, the project will contribute at
reaching its goal to promote and mainstream disability rights in the Albanian society. This undertaking will improve the
system and make it more inclusive. The improvement of the system is to reflect the fact that PwD are entitled to rights
on an equal basis with the others in all areas of life.
5. Scalability
How will the project create the conditions for scalability of results and successful approaches tested through project
activities?
The project aims at creating conditions for scalability by promoting good and successful practices among all
organizations of PwD and other CSOs. To develop a scaling-up strategy, the project will make use of existing relevant
tools such as the ExpandNet guidelines on scaling up.
Identification and divulgation of good practices during the project’s implementation will be based on the results of the
project’s monitoring and consultation exercises, which may be of interest for other CSOs, NHRIs and state institutions,
as well as projects financed by the grant fund, which may be of interest for other CSOs, possibly for other donors.
In particular, the project will focus on sharing the good practice of well-established organizations who have mainly
been operating in the capital with smaller organizations operating at the local levels. These entities with the increased
role of the local government in provision of services to PwD are expected to increase their role in supporting and
monitoring the implementation of local projects.
Policy dialogue with central and local authorities, particularly the support that will be provided to the women and girls
with disabilities can increase their awareness about issues, possible solutions and innovative means to improve the
situation of PwD.
6. Sustainability
14
The National Strategy for Development and Integration (2016-2020); the National Gender Equality Strategy (2016-2020); the National Health
Strategy (2016-2020), the National Strategy on Education (2016-2020), the National Strategy on Employment (2014-2020), and the National Agenda on
the Rights of the Child (2017-2020)
27
4. Mix of targeting and mainstreaming
How will the proposed project mix targeting and mainstreaming strategies in order to generate structural
transformation?
How does the project intend to create the conditions for the long-term sustainability of the project results?
Sustainability is a constant concern of the proposed project. It is pursued through a series of approaches and
mechanisms that all tend to sustainably improve the inclusiveness for PwD in Albania.
The project will aim at targeting a large number of organizations around the country, engaged in a wide-range of
activities including lobbying, advocacy and provision of services for PwD. In parallel with the support to implement
DPOs various initiatives, the project will aim at increasing also their organizational capacities. The financial support for
capacity building and networking of DPOs through the grant scheme will commit them to continue to fund and
maintain the developed capacities and connections over time, but also will serve as models of scaling up, diversifying
and using them as examples to lobby and advocate for increased funding from government and donors.
Another approach to ensure sustainability is the project investments in actors, processes and persons: The
strengthening of organisations (for influencing policy and decision-making, for monitoring and adapting policies, etc.),
the introduction and improvement of mechanisms for cooperation between actors (state and civil society, NHRIs and
civil society, state institutions and CSOs), and the development of capacities of individuals (national councils
members), together with strengthened monitoring capacities and willingness to influence the policy-making can be
taken over and regularly maintained by the concerned stakeholders, hence expected to have effects beyond the
project’s duration. The project will support the permanent integration of changes introduced by the project into
advisory, implementing or monitoring bodies.
Building synergies with other projects/programmes supporting PwD and social inclusion is of paramount importance
to maximize use of financial resources for lasting interventions and avoid duplication.
28
Type of risk* Risk Likelihood Impact on Mitigation strategies Risk
(contextual (L, M, H) result treatment
programmatic, owners
institutional)
participate in public to guarantee the
decision making preconditions to
processes. inclusion of persons with
disability.
29
Type of risk* Risk Likelihood Impact on Mitigation strategies Risk
(contextual (L, M, H) result treatment
programmatic, owners
institutional)
information provided will
be accessible; the
purpose and the
approach of the project
will be explained clearly
and in simple terms.
30
Appendix 5
Project Approach: Result chain of the intervention
More info on expected impact and outcomes
Expected impact
Impact:
What rights will be advanced? For whom?
The project will directly advance the rights of all PwD, including women, youth and children with disabilities to
participate in public life (Article 29 of the CRPD) and their freedom of expression and opinion and right to access
information (article 21 of the CRPD). Consequently, the progressive inclusion of PwD through civic engagement and
participation of DPOs in the public life will contribute to the realization of many other rights guaranteed by the CRPD
and the Albanian legislation.
The project will advance the human rights of PwD through enabling the representative organizations of PwD to be
closely consulted with and actively involved in the development, implementation and monitoring of specific
legislation and policies that aim at implementing the CRPD’s provisions. In addition, it will empower DPOs to demand
and contribute to the mainstreaming of the rights of PwD in legislation and policies across sectors. Particular focus will
be placed on organizations of women and girls with disabilities to improve their access to sexual and reproductive
health care services.
Expected outcomes
Outcome 1
What structural shifts will be achieved?
Outcome formulation Type of lever*
DPOs are empowered to influence relevant policy and CAP
decision – making processes; mainstream disability issues
into national priorities across sectors; and engage
meaningfully with partners and relevant stakeholders
[…] […]
Outputs
What project deliverables will contribute to the
achievement of the outcome?
Output Formulation Type **
(Only for capacity outcomes)
1.1 Conduct a mapping of the organizations of PwD active The project will use the connections that the Ministry of
throughout the country, including those that work on the Social Welfare and Youth (MSWY) and UN Agencies’ have
rights of PwD; with with DPOs and CSOs as well as Municipalities.
1.2 Conduct a rapid assessment of needs for capacity Qualified expertise in the field will be contracted. The
building of organizations and foras of PwD regarding assessment methodology will include questionnaire,
their: interviews, in-focus groups with DPOs staff but also with
31
Outcome 1
What structural shifts will be achieved?
- knowledge of human rights, CRPD’s provisions and government officials and other stakeholders to get their
national policy and legal frameworks, and perceptions on the DPOs’ status.
- capacities/skills in strategic planning, internal
organization, leadership, advocacy, and monitoring and
evaluation.
1.3 Based on needs assessment findings, design and KNO
deliver capacity building interventions for the staff of Up to 36 formal training sessions for about 360 DPOs staff
DPOs will be organized tailored to their role/ functions
(leaders, programme staff, support staff), location
(dividing the country in 12 regions), and by mixing staff
from different groups representing people with single
impairments as well as staff from both DPOs and
organizations working on PwD.
Outcome 2
What structural shifts will be achieved?
Outcome formulation Type of lever*
State agencies, NHRIs and DPOs establish an effective PAR; NET
collaboration, which would enable PwD to participate
fully in consultative and monitoring processes of relevant
legislation and policies.
[…] […]
32
Outcome 1
What structural shifts will be achieved?
Output Formulation Type **
(Only for capacity outcomes)
2.1 Support the establishment of a network of Joint meetings of DPOs, CSOs and advocacy groups will be
organizations of PwD to ensure better coordination and organized to discuss and agree on ways of exchange and
exchange of information, in particular with regards to coordination during the monitoring process of the
monitoring of the National Action Plan on PwD (2016- NAPPwD. It might be expected that they divide among
2020) and strategies in other sectors, including education, them/their staff, based on expertise, interest and non-
employment, gender equality and child’s rights. conflict of interest, the sectors /activities contained in the
Establish monitoring procedures by supporting the NAPPwD.
establishment by the NHRIs staff and the representatives
of the DPOs net of a joint Monitoring Framework Provision of support to improve coordination and
including work procedures and calendar for the NAPPWD, cooperation between the NHRIs staff (Ombudsman Office
to be communicated to the National Council on PwD, in and Antidiscrimination Commissioner Office) and the
particular to members representing the civil society. DPOs representatives. The project consultant will help
with writing down the work procedures and calendar.
2.2 Make operational the monitoring mechanism by The project will assist in selecting the sectors, carrying out
(i) facilitating the joint monitoring by the NHRIs staff and the preparatory work, with coaching the DPOs
DPOs representatives of the implementation of NAPPWD representatives in their monitoring tasks, recording
in two/three sectors for one year; progress and challenges and writing reports.
(ii) enhancing the MSWY capacities to facilitate DPOs Provision of support to improve coordination and
access to data and information produced by state cooperation between the MSWY staff in charge of
institutions, as well as put DPOs finding reports in the coordinating and monitoring disability-related issues, and
regular meetings agenda of the National Council on PwD; the DPOs representatives.
and
(iii) supporting DPOs representatives that participated in
the above monitoring exercise to share their experience DPOS representatives will share experiences with others
with other members and/or organizations to be involved and/or provide peer to peer training.
in the monitoring of activities implementation in other
sectors.
2.3 Enhance DPOs voice in decision-making by: The project will take advantage of the new responsibilities
(i) facilitating the participation of their representatives in and tasks assigned, following the decentralization and the
consultative processes for planning and budgeting local administrative territorial reforms, to the local government
development programs (including social services e.g. in the area of services. DPOs constituency will be guided
social care services, public transport, social housing) in 2 to participate in the consultative meetings held by the
to 4 selected municipalities; municipalities when establishing local social plans.
(ii) supporting the replication of these practices in other
municipalities through exchange visits and peer to peer People from DPOs to share experience with others and/or
training as well as the scalability of the intervention by provide peer to peer training.
expanding the participation of DPOs representatives in
consultation process covering more/all municipal
development programmes.
2.4 Enhance partnership for promoting/mainstreaming The project will support/ encourage regular common
disability-related issues in wider civil society activism by meetings of the concerned parties with the aim to ensure
supporting connections among MSWY, DPOs that disability issues are duly taken into consideration by
representatives, the National Council for PwD the broad civil society operating in the areas of human
33
Outcome 1
What structural shifts will be achieved?
(established as an advisory body on disability issues to rights and rule of law, economic & territorial &
the Government), and the National Council of Civil environmental development, and social services & life
Society (established as an advisory body to the Prime quality improvement, and are provided inclusive
Minister’s Office). responses.
Outcome 3
What structural shifts will be achieved?
Organizations and forums promoting the rights of youth PAR; CUL; CAP
and women with disabilities, strengthened to advocate
for qualitative sexual and reproductive health (SRH)
services, tailored to the needs of these groups.
[…] […]
Outputs
What project deliverables will contribute to the
achievement of the outcome?
Output Formulation Type **
Improving access to quality SRH services for people with (Only for capacity outcomes)
disabilities (particular focus to young people and women)
3.1 Perform a qualitative research : (i) to get the In cooperation with selected municipalities, the project
perceptions of men and women with disabilities and their will contract expertise from think tank NGOs. The
family members with regards to access and quality of SRH research methodology will be designed in close
services; (ii) to investigate the existing gaps in knowledge consultation with key stakeholders. In-depth interviews,
among care givers (health care providers and social focus group discussions will be conducted with people
workers) with regards to SRH services tailored to people with disabilities and their family members as well as with
with disabilities. care givers (health care providers and social workers) at
primary health care level and community centers.
3.2 Strengthen civil society organizations to advocate for KNO, CAP
the mainstreaming of disability perspective into health Based on the evidences generated by the research, the
policies, strategies and action plans, and for improving project will design and deliver capacity building
the quality of SRH services tailored to the needs of people interventions, including 12 information days and 12
with disabilities. formal training sessions targeting respectively DPOs and
(around 120) staff from the Primary Health Care centers
and community centers.
3.3 Enhance support services for people with disabilities In close collaboration with the MoSWY, Ministry of Health
by designing and promoting specific measures and and Local Government Units (LGUs), the project will pilot
interventions for youth, women and elderly people with specific interventions aiming to reach out with support
disabilities. services people with disabilities. Strengthening
voluntarism among young people and youth networks will
be one of the strategic approaches to be followed.
34