On Feb. 25 Handikos Mitrovica held its last meeting on the project “Depression in mothers of children with disabilities and in people with disabilities”.

The meeting was attended by woman psychologist from Diakone Kosova Gjevahire Balaj, Director of Mundësia NGO Hasime Tahiri, Director of the Human Rights Unit in the Municipality of Mitrovica Fitim Rama, Director of Handikos Mitrovica Myrvete Hasani, and also the mothers of children and young people with disabilities.

In the beginning Hasani stated that this initiative benefited 15 mothers and 12 young people. Further she explained that mothers and children were trained to better understand and face issues related to symptoms and depression behaviours, confronting and fighting stress, and the postnatal stage with a child with disabilities.

Balaj added that the idea of this initiative is for mothers to gather and share their concerns and emotions. The lack of society’s support for mothers of children with disabilities was also part of this discussion.

Whereas Tahiri added that a civic lobbying is required in order for health and education institutions to contract psychologists for the needs of the mothers’ of children with disabilities.

Rama complained that the Municipality of Mitrovica has a limited budget and cannot provide financial support, while announcing that also this year a public call will be launched for a modest financial support of NGOs focused in this particular field.

This initiative is supported by Kosovo’s Women Fund (KWF) of Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN), and is financed by Austrian Agency for Development (ADA).