English

National Council of Associations of Persons with Disabilities (FESZT) is a non-profit NGO established in Budapest, Hungary in 2004 prior to Hungary’s accession to the European Union. FESZT a cross-disability organization, its membership is composed of national and/or regional associations of persons with intellectual, physical disabilities, persons with autism, hard of hearing, deaf-blind persons with visual disabilities and transplants. This year we started to broaden the membership in order to represent the affected people as effective as possible.

FESZT also strives to build international cooperation: we are a full member of the European Disability Forum (EDF) to represent the interests of women and men with disabilities in the lobby work of the forum towards different EU institutions. Since its membership FESZT representative has been elected to the executive board and to the board of director of EDF. For four years FESZT representative was Vice President of the Forum.

On national level FESZT focuses on 4 main areas: universal design, girls and women with disabilities, children with disabilities and employment. FESZT activities the make women with disabilities visible in the society:

In 2013 FESZT submitted an alternative report to the UN CEDAW Committee on the situation of Hungarian girls and women with disabilities in view of the implementation of the CEDAW Agreement. In 2015 FESZT intensified its activities to promote rights of girls and women with disabilities. In this regard we took part in several events of the Hungarian Women Lobby to speak about the special needs of women with disabilities. In 2016 we became member of the Hungarian Women Lobby.

In 2015 to mainstream the interests of girls and women with disabilities in the national disability policy FESZT made a gender view analyses of the Action Plan 2015-2018 for the implementation of the National Disability Program for 2015-2025. Also in the same year in cooperation with the Hungarian Women lobby FESZT organized a seminar where a document was discussed on the recommendation for public policies to promote social roles of women with multiply disadvantaged situation. In 2015 one of FESZT member associations made a model mini research on the situation of women with visual disabilities with the aim to see the areas where women with visual disabilities face difficulties. It is planned that all FESZT member association make the same mini research with small adaptation to the special needs to their members.

As a new initiative, we just have started a training series and sensitizing program to strengthen the advocacy capabilities of our members. The title of our program is “The rights of women living with disabilities in the practice”. Our goal is to raise awareness on the multiple discrimination of women with disabilities in as many ways as possible. Expected number of participants will be 25-30 women with various disabilities, among them those from rural areas and also from institutions. Paralelly workshops on topics corresponding to those of the trainings will be organized.

Our other main project is the deinstitutionalization: we work closely together with governmental organizations. We were asked to represent the affected people and lead the process from the civil side. The government strives to cooperate with our organization.

Our main messages:

  • all-disability level : eliminate the discrimination also among PLWD
  • gender issues
  • independent living
  • accessibility

We would like:

  • reach more people
  • raise awareness
  • inclusive society