How community support is transforming life for people with disabilities in Serbia

SVILAJNAC, Serbia – In the morning, while the soft smells of breakfast and the first coffee still drift through the air, Andreja Avramović, 18, who has an intellectual disability, locks the door of his small flat. In his pocket are keys and work gloves — symbols of something that until recently felt out of reach: independent living.

“Since I started living on my own, I can organize my day and get things done,” he said. “Starting work meant a great deal. I have my own income, I can help my mother, and I have enough for myself. It’s genuinely easier.”

Andreja works at the municipal public utility company in the central Serbian town of Svilajnac. He graduated from the Agricultural School’s horticulture technician stream. Today, he lives independently, relies on himself — and knows that the community stands behind him.

Across town, Jelica Dragašević, Secretary of the Association for Cerebral and Childhood Paralysis of the Municipality of Svilajnac, leafs through a workshop notebook: brief lines, questions and ideas born of conversations with persons with intellectual disabilities, their parents and friends.

“I took part directly in the workshops,” Jelica says. “What makes me happiest is that we sat together — members, families, friends — and everyone had the space to say what they needed. When you truly listen, the picture changes: you see what is urgent, what is feasible, and who can support whom.”

These two personal stories are at the heart of what is happening in Svilajnac under the “Building the Future” project, supported by the Global Disability Fund – an effort to ensure that improving the quality of life of persons with disabilities, especially persons with intellectual disabilities, moves from principles to everyday life.

From rights on paper to life in the community

The Government of Serbia has been a leader in advancing disability inclusion,  ratifying the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and adopting the national Strategy for Improving the Position of Persons with Disabilities. The five-year plan, adopted in January 2025 with UNFPA support, defines a series of measures aimed at improving the quality of life and ensuring the equal participation of persons with disabilities in all spheres of social life.

However, putting these policies into practice remains a challenge. The right of persons with disabilities to live with dignity and autonomy in their community is still too often obstructed by prejudice, stigmas and outdated practices.

“Generational isolation and discrimination are sometimes so embedded in everyday life that neither persons facing them nor their parents recognise them,” says Lidija Milanović, senior expert at IDEAS, one of UNFPA’s local partners. “That is why it is vital that the community sees, hears and includes – and that ‘support’ is not synonymous with an institution, but with life in the neighbourhood.”

This is precisely where the “Building the Future” project comes in: Svilajnac, together with the southern city of Pirot, is strengthening local capacities so that public policies, budgets and services are tailored, targeted and data-driven to respond to real needs. 

Step by step

In order to understand what a community truly needs, those in charge begin by listening to its members. Interactive preparatory workshops were held in Svilajnac, involving eighteen experts from institutions and organizations supporting disability inclusion. During these sessions, they mapped community needs, existing services, and service gaps affecting daily life.

Mentoring sessions were provided throughout the process to support all participants, including local self-government representatives, civil society members, persons with disabilities, and their families and caregivers. The goal was to help them turn their insights into concrete proposals for new or improved community services. At the municipality’s request, a questionnaire for parents was also distributed to capture their perspectives and contribute to the assessment.

“We have involved the Centre for Social Work, the Family Support Centre, the Red Cross, healthcare institutions and the municipality,” explained Monika Petronijević, a member of the Municipal Council. “But most important is that persons with disabilities themselves have actively taken part. That brought clarity: we now know exactly which services are realistically needed.

What is already changing

For Jelica, from the Association for Cerebral and Childhood Paralysis, this is not a checklist but the face of a community: “When families see that someone is listening and that something is happening, they start to move on their own. All the families we invited to speak accepted, including members with intellectual disabilities. That is trust. And trust changes everything.”

The longer-term effects will come when, based on the assessment findings, new community-based services are introduced as alternatives to institutional care: personal assistance, supported housing and other flexible forms of care. These changes are also being instilled through the knowledge and practices of the local government, ensuring they do not disappear when the project ends.

For people with disabilities in Svilajnac and Pirot, the foundations of a more inclusive future are already taking shape. They can be seen in simple moments, like Andreja proudly carrying his jingling keys in his pocket, or planning a day on his own terms. They can also be seen through the community stepping forward to actively support the needs of people with disabilities and create a sense of belonging for everyone. Together, they send a powerful message: the right to independent living is not a distant ideal, but an achievable everyday reality for all. 

This activity is part of the joint UN programme “Strengthening Rights, Equality and Inclusive Actions,” which is being implemented by UNFPA in partnership with UNDP and UN Women, with the support of the Global Fund for Persons with Disabilities. The programme focuses on improving the lives of people with disabilities through better legislation, inclusive policies, and improved access to services.