Presentation by Jelena Perovic, UNICEF Montenegro Communication Officer

CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVE:

Increase awareness of Montenegro’s general public on the rights of children with disabilities and deinstitutionalization process and stimulate

inclusion of children with disabilities in the life of the society

TARGET GROUPS:•GENERAL PUBLIC•PARLIAMENTARIANS AT LOCAL AND NATIONAL LEVEL (OPINION LEADERS)•PROFESSIONALS WORKING WITH CHILDREN•CHILDREN•PARENTS•MEDIA •CIVIL SECTOR•INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY – EU AND AMBASSADORS

According to KAP survey from August 2010:

• almost two thirds of people (64%) said it was unacceptable that a child with disability went to the same class with their child.

• just one in five citizens would accept that a child with disability is the best friend of their child

• 40% of people said that all children with disabilities should be in special institutions

CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

Observed in general, a more positive view of inclusion is present among:

– children and young people– residents of urban areas and particularly the capital city

In general, more negative view of inclusion is present among citizens who are:

– not informed about children with disabilities– have no personal experience with children with disabilities– least educated– population of rural areas – those with the lowest income.

KAP survey – August 2010Target group – Who do we need to

convince/change?

However, in Danilovgrad, the petition against small group houses was signed by ex Minister of Health, intellectuals, clinical psychiatrist, etc.

Inhabitants of the local community in Danilovgrad, where small group homes funded by the US Embassy were supposed to be built, signed a petition against having “Komanski most” in their courtyard in June 2010

Petition against small group houses – June 2010

A threat to the lives of children with disabilities

One of the petitionaries posted on Facebook that if children with disabilities came to their local community, they would slaughter them like pigs – this was picked up by the media.

A petition against having “Komanski

most” in their courtyard -

negative image of children with

disabilities victims of abuse in

Komanski most institution

UNICEF responds to the situation with a campaign promoting inclusion of children with disabilities:

Campaign launch eventSeptember 10, 2010

Campaign was launched by the Prime Minister of Montenegro, Head of EU Delegation and UNICEF Montenegro Representative

Campaign launch eventSeptember 10, 2010

Lazar, a boy with cerebral palsy, and his classmate Nadja talked about their experiences related to inclusive education

Campaign launch eventSeptember 10, 2010

The launch was a celebration of Ability

Let’s have a look at the campaign…

Campaign strategy – create opportunities for showing abilities of children with disabilities

Visually impaired young people play the piano

Children with disabilities speak at campaign events regularly in the presence of Ministers, President, Prime Minister, Ambassadors, media,…

Children with disabilities make movies – one min juniors

Children with disabilities dance Children with disabilities play basketball

Campaign strategy – create opportunities for children with and without disabilities to become friends and speak out on inclusion together

School parliaments discuss about inclusion all over the country and include children with disabilities as their members

Children with and without disabilities from all over the country participate in summer camps on inclusion

Children with disabilities join their peers in art workshops and perform at children’s music and theatre festivals for the first time

Children with and without disabilities participate in intergenerational dialogues on inclusion in several municipalities

Campaign strategy – create opportunities for positive interaction of citizens with children with disabilities

Invite people to the events and let them have an opportunity to talk to children informally after the event, take pictures with them and spend some time together

Campaign strategy – promote access to materials and places for children with disabilities

Within the campaign, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was printed in Braille and made in sign language for the first time in the Balkans

Through the campaign events and activities, children with disabilities visited embassies, museums, theatres, sports centres, swimming pools, Vila “Gorica” where Prime Minister meets with other Prime Ministers, etc.

Italian Ambassador welcomes children with disability in his office

Prime Minister welcomes the Special Olympics Team in Vila Gorica

Children with disabilities perform at music and theatre festivals for the first time

Children with and without disabilities visit national museums

Campaign strategy – give face and voice to Montenegro’s children with disabilities

For more than 3 months, around 100 billboards were put up all over the country showing children with disabilities as active members of the society in 2010 and 2011:

as daughters, sons, brothers and sisters – our children

as sportsmen as artists as students

as friends

Campaign strategy – create a partnership/coalition for social change

Key messages on posters – adapted from UNICEF Croatia:

Where many see difficulties, we see opportunitiesWhere many see weakness, we see courage/strength

Where many see burden, we see loveWhere many stand back, we see our friend

Where many see obstacles, we see friendship

Key messages in 2011 refer to the ones from 2010:

We see our childrenWe see friendship

We see opportunities

TV Commercial 2010 - shows a child with disability in a family environment – adapted from UNICEF Croatia

Broadcast for free on all national TV stations for 3 months in 2010

TV Commercial 2011 - shows a child with disability as a musician with lots of friends – adapted from MetaSocial, Brasil

Broadcast for free on all national TV stations for 3 months in 2011

It's about ability campaign honoured for the best humanitarian action in Montenegro

People from across the country voted through text messaging and the Facebook social network for It's about ability campaign to get the “humanitarian action award in 2010”.

Also, a participant of the It’s about ability campaign, 16-year-old Ksenija Brajovic, won the award for the statement of the year.

"Children with disabilities let us into their world so easily. I believe this is a great thing and that we should let them into our world in the same way."

Ksenija said this at the closing event of the first phase of the campaign in December 2010.

It's about ability campaign draws attention of the private sector

Although the It’s about ability campaign did not have any fundraising activities, the private sector approached UNICEF with requests to donate to the campaign.

As a result, Podgoricka banka Societe Generale Group supported inclusive education by donating the equipment for opening soft-play areas that stimulate development of children with and without disabilities in 5 primary schools in the capital.

RESULTS IN 2010Placing children with disabilities in specialized institutions was mentioned by 40% of the citizens in August 2010 as the best way to care about them. In December 2010 this percentage decreased significantly (21%).

Goal in 2011: maintain this change and have more people to start thinking this way by reminding them of our key messages

SECOND PHASE 2011Pretesting -ensure that new materials are the ones most liked by the target group:

• pretesting has shown us that Montenegrin general public reacts best to the photos of children with and without disabilities doing something together (studying, playing outside in the playground, playing music, sports, dancing, etc.);

• in order for the public to understand what the campaign is about, there needs to be a child on the photo whose disability is “visible”

“It’s about ability campaign through media is a great thing, but it is a completely different impression to have live contact with a child with disabilities.“

Quote by one of the child-participants to the summer camp on inclusion in August 2011

SECOND PHASE 2011 – continue creating opportunities for children with and without disabilities to meet

The request for social interaction between children with and without disabilities is expressed also by children with disabilities

Most of one-min juniors made by children with disabilities in 2010 were about their wish to be friends with children who have no disabilities

Thank you!

For more information:

Jelena PerovicCommunication OfficerUNICEF MontenegroVladike Danila 28, 81000 Podgorica, Montenegrotelephone: +382 20 224 277 Ext. 3mobile: +382 69 225 315 fax: +382 20 224 278email: jperovic@unicef.orgwebsite: www.unicef.org/montenegro