Human rights organizations have asked the Albanian government to provide financial assistance for people with disabilities, in a petition published on Monday.
The NGOs’ petition called for “the immediate allocation of a financial support package for persons with disabilities in Albania in order to mitigate the impacts of Covid-19.”
They propose that this group receive no less than the monthly assistance currently allocated to people with disabilities, about €80 per month.
Initially, Down Syndrome Albania Foundation, in cooperation with the organizations Together Foundation and Together for Life, had submitted a similar request to the Prime Minister on April 8. The request has remained unaddressed.
According to a study on the “Impact of Covid-19 on people with disabilities in Albania,” about 79.8% of respondents faced financial difficulties, and couldn’t afford food, medicine, or other living expenses.
Disabled people in Albania also struggle with accessibility, unemployment, and high rates of poverty, worsened by high medical expenses.
The three organizations have urged the public to sign the petition in order to bring the issue to the government’s attention, adding that Albania has ratified the UN Convention on Persons with Disabilities and has an obligation to pay attention to the needs and rights of this community.
The NGOs also consider discriminatory the fact that people with disabilities in Albania, a very vulnerable group, have been left out of COVID-19 financial relief bills and haven’t been provided priority COVID-19 vaccines.
