The final event held today at the Zenica Hotel marked the successful conclusion of the advocacy campaign for systemic support to organizations of persons with disabilities. The campaign resulted in the inclusion of a budget item for the City of Zenica's 2025 budget, allocating 30,000 BAM for programs of representative organizations of persons with disabilities and civilian war victims.

The event showcased the key results of the campaign, highlighting the main activities and the importance of including this item in the budget for the sustainability of organizations supporting persons with disabilities. With this success, Zenica becomes the first city in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina to provide systemic support to the work of representative organizations for persons with disabilities, setting a new standard in their funding and recognition of their significance.

"We are no longer shadows, and that's the first thing I want to highlight, because finally, in one local community, in accordance with legal provisions, organizations of persons with disabilities have been recognized as a factor that can contribute to improving their position. Through the budget, funds are now secured for the programs that each organization must implement in line with its statute. This is not anyone's victory; it is the result of hard and continuous work in the advocacy process, targeting all the key stakeholders and decision-makers who could assist us in this campaign", said Harun Alifendić, representing the Association of Paraplegics and Persons with Polio.

In the upcoming period, continued efforts are expected to improve institutional support and further strengthen the capacities of organizations for persons with disabilities through collaboration with local authorities.

"The next steps have been secured by the success of this campaign, as we are now in a position to focus more on the real issues that persons with disabilities face, both in the City and more broadly in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Every leader and potential leader will now be relieved of the pressure of whether the organization can survive on its own. There are many plans and visions, but we are moving forward step by step. Our goal is for the city of Zenica to have a Local Action Plan in the field of disability that will clearly identify the issues faced by persons with disabilities in the city, and in line with its competences, be prepared to address them continuously", added Samira Điđić from the Association of Paraplegics and Persons with Polio.

This success represents an important step toward a more inclusive society, and organizations of persons with disabilities continue their work on further promoting the rights and needs of their members.