President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova received today parents of the Citizens’ Association for Treatment of People with Autism, ADHD and Asperger Syndrome “In My World”, on the occasion of 2 April – World Autism Awareness Day.
At the meeting, the parents stressed that they are still alone in the fight to improve the lives of their children. There is no systematic solution to the problems. The parent, as they say, has no support. There are very few personal assistants who help them, the heavy burden falls on them and that is why some of them do not work. At the same time, due to the lack of empathy, they face strange looks and stigmatization of their children every day. The most painful and frightening thing for them, they said, is when they think about who will take care of the child after their death.
Listening to the problems faced by parents, the President said that children are our most important thing, because, as she said, “I am convinced that every child can express itself the best if given a chance”.
She recognizes volunteering as one of the possible solutions to the problem. Following the example of the United States and many other countries, students, high school students and university students would receive points as volunteers that would be taken into account in the evaluation. “Giving something without asking for a favor in return is simply love”, is her belief.
Another major problem pointed out by parents is the lack of understanding and acceptance, which unfortunately is not discussed even within the family. Children should learn from kindergarten that some of their peers are different from them and accept them as such. Only in this way will inclusive awareness develop, parents say.
In this direction, the President advocated for creating an integral solution, which would include amendments not only to the laws on primary and secondary education, but also to other laws where a special section would be dedicated to children with disabilities. “These children need to participate in social life, not to be left on the margins of society”, she concluded. Space should be provided for Autism Center in Tetovo as soon as possible, given the already received Bulgarian donation.
The representatives of the association “In My World” indicated that the number of people with autism is growing rapidly, from 2000 until now, it has increased by 317%. Due to the lack of a national registry, according to EU and WHO statistics, it is assumed that there are 15 to 20,000 people with autism spectrum disorder in the country who are impatiently awaiting understanding and help.
