Summary

The overall objective is to fully reform the national disability determination system for more just, equal, and easier access to rights to all kinds of cash benefits and services for persons with disabilities, in line with the national positive legislation and ratified UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD). The aim of the reform is to develop new legal framework and uniform criteria for disability assessment and determination in line with the human-rights approach to disability, as well as to set up a single specialized entity for disability assessment and determination. The project is recognized as a priority area by Program of Economic Reforms (2021-2023). It is EU funded initiative, implemented by UNDP in partnership with relevant ministries, relevant state institutions and civil society organizations representing persons with disabilities (OPDs). 

Background

Current system of disability assessment and determination in Montenegro is highly complex, uncoordinated, and based on the prevailing and outdated medical model, with more than 35 commissions operating within five sectors. Each sector has its own commissions and eligibility criteria. This often leads to discrimination in the process of determining eligibility to certain benefits and entitlements and exclusion of people with disabilities. 

This complex reforming venture includes five sectors: social protection, employment, pension, war veterans and education. Eligibility to all the disability entitlements for about 50,000 citizens and their families directly depends on the design of disability assessment and determination system (various cash transfers and social services, disability pensions, employment and professional rehabilitation, education entitlements, various subsidies, etc).

Ongoing reform will introduce a new human-rights based methodology and legal framework for disability assessment and status determination, that will be applied by a new single national entity for disability assessment. The reform will be enforced through technical assistance for development of a new legal and institutional disability determination framework, capacity building of all line sectors and their professionals and civil servants and raising public awareness among specific target groups and general population. The comprehensive assessment of an individual will be designed to provide information on the support necessary to bridge barriers and therefore ensure the exercise of rights in line with positive legislation and UN CRPD. Also, data collected through assessment and determination will be compiled into a first national e-registry of people with disabilities, and used to inform policymaking, service planning and budgeting.

Project Outcome

To achieve the specific objective of the project, the following results are foreseen:    

• Development and adoption of the new legal framework and methodology for disability assessment and determination for all sectors in line with human rights-based approach to disability and UN CRPD;

• Institutional rightsizing and optimization – by termination of current more than 30 commissions, establishing and building capacities of a single national specialized entity for disability determination;

• Established a first national e-registry of persons with disabilities.