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Two sisters separated by the system

Bucharest, 23^rd March 2016. The European Center for the Rights of Children with Disabilities (CEDCD) has notified the National Council for Combating Discrimination in the case of an 8 year old girl from Galaţi County, diagnosed with an autistic spectrum disorder (Asperger Syndrome), excluded from Secondary School no. 10, Petre Ţuţea in Galaţi.

In 2014, based on her educational orientation certificate issued by CJRAE Galaţi, young Adelina was enrolled to the zero grade of Secondary School no.10 in Galaţi, along with her sister. During the entire year, the two sisters have been isolated and treated differently by the teacher, who has continuously pressured the parents to withdraw Adelina from school.

In spite of the difficulties, the parents tried to keep their children together, at the same school, including in the first grade. Starting with the school year 2015, things have become more severe, as Adelina’s teacher forbade her to come to school. Moreover, the teacher has taken all steps in order for Adelina’s parents to withdraw her from school. We enumerate by way of example: refusing to ensure her a place in a desk, refusing to talk to the girl’s personal assistant and her parents, denying her an adapted curriculum, offending and isolating both Adelina and her sister.

In this context, her parents addressed the school management which support the teacher’s behavior, explicitly denying Adelina’s integration in school.

All these abusive treatments have had severe repercussions for the two sisters, both in terms of emotions and behavior, with Adelina’s sister being equally discriminated and isolated by association with her sister.

Pressured by the teacher and the school management, the parents were obliged to request the children’s transfer in a school unit outside their living area. This fact is rendering the children’s access to education particularly difficult and puts an additional burden on the parents, who must transport them daily by cab to school.

“We are extremely concerned over the situation of the two girls in Galaţi, particularly as these cases are not an exception, but a phenomenon at the level of the entire Romanian educational system. In spite of CEDCD efforts and of numerous decisions of the National Council for Combating Discrimination, which sanctions discrimination in case of children with disabilities, the Ministry of Education still refuses to adopt measures of prevention and sanctioning of these acts. We will continue to fight for the rights of these children and will make use of all legal means, as well as international fora, for the Ministry of Education to assume the inclusion of children with disabilities, which is an obligation and by no means an option”, stated Mădălina TURZA, president of CEDCD.

Contact person:

Madalina TURZA

Email: madalina.turza@cedcd.ro

Mob: 0737545955

martie 23, 2016
Seminary with Magistrates on the Right to Education of Children with Disabilities

Bucharest, 18^th March 2016. Today, 18^th March, the European Center for the Rights of Children with Disabilities (CEDCD) organized the Seminary on “The Right to Education of Children with Disabilities in Romania from the Perspective of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities”.

12 judges from Bucharest, Ilfov and Argeş attended the debated organized by CEDCD with the purpose of facilitating the understanding of the right to education of children with disabilities from the perspective of international and national legislation on the matter. Other participants, guests of CEDCD, representatives of the National Council for Combating Discrimination, the Center for Legal Resources, the Advocacy and Human Rights Center have brought on the table key issues of the right to education, both from a perspective of non-discrimination and segregation of children with disabilities and Roma children, as well as from the perspective of creating a minimally restrictive environment in education.

Equally, CEDCD representatives have exposed a new vision on understanding the right to education from the perspective of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, tackling the concept of inclusive education, notions of formal and substantial access to education, as well as the applicable national legislation which can be put to use in cases regarding the right to education of children with disabilities.

Furthermore, CEDCD representatives have discussed two strategic cases pending in courts and represented by CEDCD with the aim of emphasizing particularities and challenges of cases relating to the infringement of the right to education of children with disabilities, both in the formal (exclusion from school) and substantial (failure to adapt the physical and informational environment to the pupil’s needs) understanding.

The seminary was organized as part of the Project OPEN SPECIAL SCHOOLS – Steps towards equity in education, financed by Open Society Foundations – Human Rights Initiative.

martie 19, 2016
Seminar cu magistratii pe tema dreptului la educaţie al copiilor cu dizabilităţi

Bucureşti, 18 martie 2016. Centrul European pentru Drepturile Copiilor cu Dizabilităţi (CEDCD) a organizat astăzi, 18 martie, Seminarul cu tema „Dreptul la educație al copiilor cu dizabilități în România din perspectiva Convenției ONU pentru Drepturile Persoanelor cu Dizabilități”.

12 judecători din Bucureşti, Ilfov şi Argeş au participat la dezbaterea organizată de CEDCD cu scopul de a facilita înţelegerea dreptului la educaţie al copiilor cu dizabilităţi din perspectiva legislaţiei internaţionale şi naţionale în domeniu. Pe lângă aceştia, invitaţii CEDCD, reprezentanţii Consiliului Naţional pentru Combaterea Discriminării, Centrului de Resurse Juridice, Centrului de Advocacy şi Drepturile Omului au adus în discuţie aspecte esenţiale ale dreptului la educaţie, atât din perspectiva, nediscriminării, a segregării copiilror cu dizabilităţi şi a copiilor romi, cât şi a creării unui mediu cât mai puţin restrictiv în educaţie.

În egală măsură, reprezentanţii CEDCD au expus noua viziune asupra înţelegerii dreptului la educaţie din perspectiva Convenţiei ONU pentru Dreptruile Persoanelor cu Dizabilităţi, abordând conceptul de educaţie incluzivă, noţiunile de acces formal şi substanţial la educaţie, precum şi legislaţia naţională aplicabilă ce poate fi utilizată în cauzele care vizează dreptul la educaţie al copiilor cu dizabilităţi.

De asemenea, reprezentanţii CEDCD au dezbătut pe marginea a două cazuri strategice aflate pe rolul instanţelor şi reprezentate de CEDCD cu scopul de a sublinia particularităţile şi provocările unor cauze care au ca obiect încălcarea dreptului la educaţie al copiilor cu dizabilităţi atât în acecepţia sa formală (excluderea dintr-o şcoală), cât şi în accepţia sa substanţială (neadaptarea mediului fizic şi informaţional la nevoile elevului).

Seminarul a fost organizat în cadrul Proiectului DESCHIDEŢI ŞCOLILE SPECIALE – Paşi către echitate în educaţie, finanţat de Open Society Foundations – Human Rights Initiative.

martie 19, 2016
We say „NO” to SILENT suffering

European Centre for the Rights of Children with Disabilities (ECRCD) has decided to support Bogdan DOBOSAN, the 6 years Down Syndrome boy who has been lacerated by a pack of street dogs due to the fact that he could ask for help.

Bogdan, like most of the Romanian children with Down Syndrome DOES NOT SPEAK! Not because he is not able, but because there are no adequate and accessible specialized services to help him learn speaking, that common thing that for the rest of us is so easy to attain.

Presently, Bogdan is in the Intensive Care Unit in a hospital in Timisoara, after having several surgical interventions to close his wounds. During the surgical intervention he has suffered a cardiac rest.

After the wounds will be healed, Bogdan will have another surgical intervention to replace the damaged tissues.

His parents need financial support to overpass this tragedy

ECRCD invites all those who understand the pain of SILENT suffering of a child who is the victim of indifference and the victim of a poor and inadequate system of services dedicated to the children with disabilities in Romania, to donate in the following accounts, mentioning „donation for Bogdan” or to contact us at: office@cedcd.ro, tel: 0040737545955.

LET’S SAY TOGHETHER „NO” TO THE SILENT SUFFERING!

Account holder: Centrul European pentru Drepturile Copiilor cu Dizabilitati

Raiffeisen Bank – Uverturii Branch

LEI:RO45RZBR0000060013815972
EURO: RO18RZBR0000060013815973 (SWIFT CODE: RZBRROBU)

martie 16, 2016
Leia and David – CEDCD newest campaign

https://www.facebook.com/LeiasiDavid/

“The rights of children with disabilities are the mission and creed of our organization. Beyond the fight for these rights, beyond numbers and statistics, files in court and painful cases of abuse and discrimination, beyond all these are the CHILDREN.

Our work is about them and for them. So, this time, we chose to tell their story, the way it is, seen through their heart and our adult eyes. No mincing words, no hidden agendas.

You are probably used to read vehement messages and tough stands against the injustices faced daily by children with disabilities, just because they are different.

You are probably used to seeing sanctions and moral compensations, as is only right when you fight for a cause.

And we will keep doing this.

Now, however, we wish to show you what is behind our fight. Why the fight cannot stop and why every day is a promise we do our best to honor.

Leia and David is the story of twin siblings. Their story is a mirror for us.

I wonder how many will have the courage to look in it.

But I know that those who will are good and courageous people of positive change.

Together we will discover, step by step, the story of the two children.

Thank you, dear friends, and I invite you to join us!”

Mădălina TURZA, CEDCD president

More details here: https://www.facebook.com/LeiasiDavid/

„Leia and David” is a campaign of the European Center for the Rights of Children with Disabilities as part of the Project OPEN SPECIAL SCHOOLS – Steps towards equity in education, financed by Open Society Foundations – Human Rights Initiative.

*Campaign illustrated by Dan Ungureanu.

martie 7, 2016
Leia şi David – cea mai nouă campanie a CEDCD

https://www.facebook.com/LeiasiDavid/

„Drepturile copiilor cu dizabilităţi reprezintă misiunea şi crezul organizaţiei noastre. Dincolo, însă, de lupta pentru aceste drepturi, dincolo de cifre şi statistici, dincolo de dosare la instanţă şi cazuri dureroase de abuzuri şi discrim

inări, se află COPIII.

Despre ei şi pentru ei este munca noastră. Aşa că, de data aceasta, am ales să le spunem povestea. Aşa cum este ea, văzută prin inima lor de copii şi prin ochii noştri de adulţi. Fără ocolişuri şi fară agende ascunse.

Probabil că v-aţi obişnuit cu mesaje vehemente şi poziţii dure faţă de nedreptăţile la care sunt supuşi zi de zi copii cu dizabilităţi doar pentru că sunt diferiţi.

Probabil că v-aţi obişnuit să vedeţi sancţiuni şi reparaţii morale, aşa cum este şi firesc atunci când lupţi pentru o cauză.

Şi asta vom face în continuare.

Acum însă, ne dorim să vă arătăm ce este în spatele luptei noastre. De ce ea nu se poate opri şi de ce fiecare zi este o promisiune pe care încercăm din răsputeri să ne-o ţinem.

Leia şi David este povestea a doi fraţi gemeni. Iar povestea lor ne pune în faţă o oglindă.

Mă întreb câţi vor avea curajul să privească în ea.

Dar cei care o vor face ştiu că sunt oamenii curajoşi şi buni ai schimbării în bine.

Împreună vom descoperi pas cu pas povestea celor doi copii.

Vă mulţumesc dragi prieteni şi vă aştept alături de noi!”

Mădălina TURZA, preşedinte CEDCD

Mai multe detalii aici: https://www.facebook.com/LeiasiDavid/

„Leia şi David” este o campanie a Centrului European pentru Drepturile Copiilor cu Dizabilităţi dezvoltată în cadrul Proiectului DESCHIDEŢI ŞCOLILE SPECIALE – Paşi către echitate în educaţie, finanţat de Open Society Foundations, Human Rights Initiative

*Campanie ilustrată de Dan Ungureanu.

martie 7, 2016
Seminar adresat magistraţilor – „Dreptul la educație al copiilor cu dizabilități în România din perspectiva Convenției ONU pentru Drepturile Persoanelor cu Dizabilități”.

Centrul European pentru Drepturile Copiilor cu Dizabilități (CEDCD) organizează vineri, 18 martie 2016, începând cu ora 10.00 Seminarul adresat magistraţilor cu tema „Dreptul la educație al copiilor cu dizabilități în România din perspectiva Convenției ONU pentru Drepturile Persoanelor cu Dizabilități”.

În ultimii ani, la nivelul organizației noastre s-a constatat o creștere semnificativă a numărului de cazuri ale părinților/reprezentanților legali ai copiilor cu cerințe educaționale speciale care reclamă tipologii din cele mai variate de încălcări ale dreptului la educație față de această categorie de persoane vulnerabile. Independent de opțiunea acestora de a-și exercita dreptul de a acționa în instanță persoanele/instituțiile responsabile de încălcarea acestui drept, este fără îndoială că anumite noțiuni specifice precum educație incluzivă, acces substanțial și acces formal la educație ori educație de calitate ridică o serie de dificultăți de interpretare în cazul copiilor cu dizabilități și, implicit, de aplicare a acestora în deplină concordanță cu instrumentele internaționale relevante la care România este parte.

Pornind de la cazuistica CEDCD și de la principalele reglementări internaționale și naționale în domeniu, evenimentul se adresează magistraților cu competențe în soluționarea cauzelor având ca obiect nerespectarea dreptului la educație al copiilor cu dizabilități și își propune să contribuie, cu argumente obiective, la o înțelegere unitară a standardelor și garanțiilor prevăzute în special de Convenția ONU pentru Drepturile Persoanelor cu Dizabilități.

Seminarul se va desfasura la Hotel Radisson Blu, Calea Victoriei, nr. 63-81, Sector 1, Bucuresti, Sala STEROPE, începând cu ora 9.30.

Magistraţii interesaţi sunt rugaţi să confirme participarea până marţi, 14 martie 2016, prin poșta electronică la adresa de email legal@cedcd.ro, sau prin fax la nr. 021.795.24.65.

Vă mulţumim!

martie 6, 2016
Launch of the web platform www.educatieincluziva.info

Bucharest, February 16^th, 2016 – The European Centre for the Rights of Children with Disabilities (CEDCD) releases today the resources and promotion of inclusive education platform – www.educatieincluziva.info, developed through the project “Open the Special Schools – Steps towards equity in education”, financed by Open Society Foundations – Human Rights Initiative.

The platform www.educatieincluziva.info is the first instrument in Romania dedicated to the promotion of inclusive education on a national level, which includes theoretical, legal and practical information about inclusive education. The meaning of inclusive education, which are the main legislative benchmarks regulating inclusive education, a series of resources useful for parents and teachers in view of promoting and implementing inclusive measures in education.

Inclusive education is a vast concept, which not only is it addressed to children/people with disabilities, but also refers to every student category, regardless of their disability type, ethnicity, social membership or vulnerable category.

Inclusive education is not compatible with segregation, involving the isolation of students on different criteria in special schools.

Inclusive education consists of ensuring optimal learning conditions adapted to the needs of each student in an inclusive environment, under equitable conditions, respectively in mass-schools with adequate support if necessary.

Romania has the obligation to implement the inclusive education and to make a phased transition from a segregated system to an inclusive one through the international legislation our country is part in. From the perspective of disability, by ratifying the UN “Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities” (Law no. 221/2010), 24^th article, Romania assumed to implement inclusive education.

The platform www.educatieincluziva.info also contains a section dedicated to Romanian special schools. Here, parents and interested people can find relevant information about special schools, resulted from the first national research initiated by CEDCD about the Romanian special education system, resulting in the study “Isolated Among Us – Dimensions of children with special educational needs’ participation in the Romanian educational system”, a platform of evaluation of the special schools designed for the parents of children with disabilities, testimonials from parents and a section dedicated to independent reports about special schools based on information collected from parents.

The section destined to special schools represents an initiative of transparency of special schools and of providing and gathering information on this subject in order to give parents the opportunity to make an informed decision when choosing the type of school their child will go to.

“It is still deeply buried in Romanian people’s minds the idea that <<specialized institutions>>, more specifically special schools, represent the best solution for children with disabilities. This is due to the fact that most people believe that children in special schools benefit from specialists, adapted methods and technologies. Unfortunately, the reality looks different. In most of the cases, special schools have no specialists, no innovative methods, no adequate therapies, being only some kind of places to store children. Many times, serious abuses are added, such as sedation or physical, psychological or emotional aggression (see Tileagd school in Bihor).

But beyond the lack of quality and resources, the separation of children is principally wrong and discriminatory. Never will a child who spent 10 years in a special school where he did no more than coloring be able to live independently in the society. This has been proved in Western Europe and the United States, where due to inclusive education, the majority of adults with disabilities are independent people and social contributors.” States Mădălina TURZA, CEDCD President.

Additionally, the www.educatieincluziva.info platform represents a speaking-tube of the Alliance for Inclusive Education, which gathers all the nongovernmental organizations and individuals supporting and promoting inclusive education.

Contact:

Mădălina TURZA

Email: madalina.turza@cedcd.ro

Mob: 0737545955

Fax: 021/7952465

februarie 16, 2016
Lansare Platformă www.educatieincluziva.info

Bucureşti, 16 februarie 2016. Centrul European pentru Drepturile Copiilor cu Dizabilităţi (CEDCD) lansează astăzi platforma de resurse şi promovare a educaţiei incluzive – www.educatieincluziva.info, platformă dezvoltată în cadrul Proiectului „Deschideţi Şcolile Speciale – Paşi către echitate în educaţie”, finanţat de Open Society Foundations – Human Rights Inistiative.

Platforma educatieincluziva.info este primul instrument din România destinat promovării educaţiei incluzive la nivel naţional, care cuprinde informaţii teoretice, juridice şi practice despre educaţia incluzivă. Ce înseamnă educaţia incluzivă, care sunt principalele repere legislative care reglementează educaţia incluzivă, o serie de resurse utile pentru părinţi şi profesori pentru promovarea şi implementarea unor măsuri incluzive în educaţie.

Educaţia incluzivă este un concept larg, care nu face referire strict la copiii/persoanele cu dizabilităţi, ci vizează toate categoriile de elevi, indiferent de condiţia de dizabilitate, etnie, apartenenţă la un grup social sau categorie vulnerabilă.

Educaţia incluzivă este incompatibilă cu segregarea, adică cu izolarea elevilor pe diferite criterii în şcoli speciale.

Educaţia incluzivă înseamnă asigurarea condiţiilor optime de învăţare, adaptate nevoilor fiecărui elev într-un mediu incluziv, în condiţii de echitate, respectiv în şcolile de masă cu suport adecvat acolo unde situaţia o impune.

România are obligaţia de a implementa educaţia incluzivă şi de a realiza o trecere etapizată de la sistemul segregat de educaţie la cel incluziv prin prisma legislaţiei internaţionale la care este parte. Din perspectiva dizabilităţii, prin ratificarea Convenţiei ONU pentru Drepturile Persoanelor cu Dizabilităţi (Legea 221/2010), art. 24, România şi-a asumat implementarea educaţiei incluzive.

Platforma educatieincluziva.info cuprinde şi o secţiune dedicată şcolilor speciale din România. Aici părinţii şi cei interesaţi pot descoperi informaţii relevante despre şcolile speciale rezultate din prima cercetare naţională dreulată de CEDCD despre sistemul de educaţie specială din România în studiul Izolaţi printre Noi – Dimensiuni ale participării copiilor cu cerinţe educaţionale speciale la sistemul naţional de educaţie[1], o platformă de evaluare a şcolilor speciale destinată părinţilor de copii cu dizabilităţi, testimoniale ale părinţilor şi o rubrică destinată rapoartelor independente despre şcolile speciale realizate pe baza informaţiilor colectate de la părinţi.

Secţiunea destinată şcolilor speciale este un demers de transparentizare a şcolilor speciale şi de oferire şi colectare de informaţii pe această temă cu scopul de a oferi părinţilor posibilitatea unei alegeri informate atunci cand decid tipul de şcoală pe care îl aleg pentru copilul lor.

„Există încă foarte puternic înrădăcinat în mintea oamenilor din România, inclusiv a celor de bună credinţă, ideea că o – instituţie specializată -, respectiv o şcoală specială- este cea mai bună soluţie pentru copiii cu dizabilităţi. Asta pentru că marea majoritate a oamenilor îşi imaginează că în şcolile speciale copiii beneficiază de specialişti şi metode adaptate şi tehnologii speciale. Realitatea însă, este cu totul alta. În marea majoritate a cazurilor şcolile speciale sunt doar locuri de depozitat copiii, fără specialişti, fără metode inovatoare, fără terapii adecvate. La acestea de multe ori se adaugă cazuri grave de abuzuri, sedări, agresiuni fizice, psihice şi emoţionale – a se vedea şcoala Tileagd din Bihor.

Dincolo însă de absenţa calităţii şi a resurselor, separarea copiilor este din principu greşită şi discriminatorie. Niciodată un copil care a stat 10 ani într-o şcoală specială în care cel mult a colorat sau bricolat ceva, nu va putea trai independent în societate. Acest lucru este dovedit în ţările din Europa occidentală şi Statele Unite, unde datorită educaţiei incluzive, adulţii cu dizabilităţi, în marea lor majoritate sunt pesoane independente şi contributori sociali”, declară Mădălina TURZA, presşedinte CEDCD.

În egală măsură, Platforma educatieincluziva.info reprezintă o portavoce a Alianţei pentru Educaţie Incluzivă, care va reuni organizaţiile nonguvernamentale şi persoanele fizice care susţin şi promovează educaţia incluzivă.

Persoană de contact:

Madalina TURZA

Email: madalina.turza@cedcd.ro

Mob: 0737545955

Fax: 021/7952465

[1] M. Turza, G. Duminică, Ed. Rentrop&Straton, Bucureşti, 2015

februarie 16, 2016
The Results of the meeting between CEDCD representatives and Adrian Curaj, Minister of Education

Tuesday, February 9^th, 2016, a CEDCD delegation, consisting of President Mădălina Turza and Counseling and Trainees Program Coordinator, Ms. Andrada Antofie, attended a work meeting with the Minister of National Education and Scientific Research (MENCS), Mr. Adrian Curaj.

This meeting represents a premiere in terms of the evolution of the relations between CEDCD and MENCS, despite the countless efforts made by our organization to set up a meeting with education ministers last 5 years.

Considering the extremely dramatic situation of the education of children with disabilities, CEDCD requested a meeting with the education minister aiming to bring to his attention the principal malfunctions of the system concerning the education of the children with disabilities, but also a series of possible solutions for the start of the inclusion process, as it is established by the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, ratified by Romania through Law no. 221/2010.

In the meeting, on behalf of MENCS, also participated Ms. Liana Mitran and Ms. Cristina Anisie.

The main subjects discussed were:

1. The actual situation of children’ with disabilities education, with emphasis on special schools

The CEDCD representative exposed the statistic situation of special education system, raised the problem of the lack of adequate training of teachers, the insufficiency of therapists, the lack of adapted services for the needs of children with disabilities, the lack of transparency in special schools, but also reminded of the international legal rules in force referring to inclusive education and the direct recommendations of various international rapporteurs concerning the start of the inclusion process. Moreover, CEDCD representative greeted the founding of the Inclusion Department at MENCS and developed the idea of starting a phased inclusion program, which includes the establishment of pilot inclusive schools and the gradual transition to an inclusive educational system. Additionally, the MENCS representatives were informed about the founding of the Alliance for Inclusive Education, which expresses its willingness to cooperate with MENCS in this process.

MENCS representatives acknowledged the serious problems concerning the special educational system, developed the topic of data collection, the possibility of a partnership agreement with the College of Psychologists to facilitate the teachers training concerning the management of children with disabilities and the possibility of developing inclusive education pilot schools.

2. The possibility of a cooperation agreement between CEDCD and MENCS

Due to the existence of numerous intimations regarding abuses and mistreatment of children in special schools, the CEDCD representative proposed a collaboration with MENCS in order to achieve a monitoring program of special schools in terms of respecting the rights of children with disabilities, according to the “Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities”, art. 15-2, art. 16-3, art. 33-3, ratified by Romania through Law no. 221/2010.

The MENCS representatives outlined the difficulty of achieving such an agreement.

3. The Tileagd case

The CEDCD representative presented the situation of two students in CSEI Tileagd, dating back to 2014, the children being constantly mistreated and abused, facts sustained by medical certificates and brought to the attention of competent authorities, including MENCS.

MEETING CONCLUSIONS

1. Once operationalized the Inclusion Department, a “Plan for Policy Implementation” will be developed with direct reference to national and international legislation/politics about inclusion, by consulting the main non-governmental actors in the domain, consequently CEDCD will be making proposals in this regard.

2. Exploring the possibilities of a CEDCD-MENCS partnership and recommending the special schools to collaborate with CEDCD.

3. Solving the Tileagd case from the point of view of MENCS competence and verifying the steps taken by the Control Corps.

4. The need for more transparency in the special education area and regarding the future inclusive measures, which will be available on MENCS’s website.

Contact:

Mădălina TURZA

Email: madalina.turza@cedcd.ro

Mob: 0737545955

Fax: 021/7952465

februarie 11, 2016