Republican round table "Decide and Act Together" took place in Minsk

The systems of education, public health and social protection are to meet the highest standards of children’s inclusion. This opinion has been expressed today by Rashed Mustafa Sarwar, the Representative of UNICEF in Belarus, at the republican round table "Decide and Act Together".

“Only the inclusion of every child and adolescent will build the society without any physical and psychological barriers, which young people have to overcome in order to spend time with their peers, take part in the development and implementation of some programs and projects, – stated Rashed. – The involvement of children, adolescents and young people in the decision-making process is the cornerstone of UNICEF activities”. Special attention is given to the most vulnerable categories: children with disabilities, from large families and families in socially dangerous situations, children in conflict with the law and adolescents at risk.

“The development of inclusive education is obligatory to form their leadership potential and involve teenagers with disabilities in decision-making.” – says the UNICEF representative. Belarus adopted the concept of the development of inclusive education and with the help of UNICEF opened the center of inclusive education at the BSPU.

Rashed Mustafa emphasized that the Belarussian ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2016 was a significant event for the building of an inclusive society (the development of the national action plan for the implementation of the Convention is almost finished).

Natalya Pshenichnaya, Head of the Department of Youth, mentioned that “equal opportunities for children and adolescents’ participation in decision-making and in the implementation of socially important initiatives are of major concern to the State youth policy”.

Members of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly, the Ministries of Education, Labor and Social Protection, Health and Internal Affairs, local executive and administrative bodies, children's and youth parliaments, public and international organizations, as well as children, adolescents and young people from vulnerable groups are taking part in this event. It is planned to develop some recommendations on the introduction of innovative and promising inclusive forms and methods to involve various groups of adolescents and young people in the process of making and implementing the decisions related to their life and development.

The organizers of the round table are the Ministry of Education, the National Children's and Young People's Creative Arts Centre, UNICEF and the Embassy of Poland in Belarus.

Article from belta.by.