Savez paraplegicara i kvadriplegicara - SPIKS

The Union of Persons with Paraplegia and Quadriplegia of Serbia is a network organization that brings together 28 associations of persons with spinal cord injury from Serbia. It was established in 1991. Its primary objective is to represent the interests of persons with spinal cord injury, encourage the establishment of new associations and exchange of information and experiences. The mission of the Union is to create equal opportunities for persons with disabilities providing them and their organizations active involvement in community life, as well. The vision of The Union is a society of equal opportunities and active and involved persons with disabilities and organizations of persons with disabilities in the society based on respect for human rights. Main aims and objectives 1. Coordinating the activities of associations and unions; 2. Monitoring of the implementation of existing regulations; 3. Advocacy - working on amendments, proposing a new regulatory decision making process dealing with certain solutions on behalf of the Union in partnership with other national organizations of persons with disabilities; 4. Providing relevant information to association members on basic civil and human rights of persons with disabilities in order to promote, protect and represent them; creating an accessible environment and preventing discrimination based on disability. 5. Developing cooperation with similar national and international organizations; 6. Encouraging members to organize sports activities in order to promote sport, preservation and rehabilitation of mental and physical abilities of membership 7. Keeping and updating records of people with injured spinal cord. The Union was the holder of the following projects: ’Support Programme for wheelchair users’’ ‘’My accessible city’’ "From law to inclusion’’ "I do not stand, but I exist" At the beginning of 2015, thanks to the support of colleagues from Slovenia,the Union has started with a solo pilot project "I’m still driving." It is an attempt to prevent accidents. Persons with disability who hold lectures have different injuries resulting from a car accident. Therefore, they address young and future drivers pointing out safety regulatiuons and obligations for driving through a colorful presentation. The National Traffic Safety Agency of the Republic Serbia supports this project. With our partners from Slovenia last we had participated in the project Erasmus+ last year. We are active participants in the formation of a Balkan network of independent persons with disabilities Southeastern Europe, which is implemented through a regional project EIDHR (European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights) from 2012 to 2015. Since May 2015 The Union is member of ESCIF – European Spinal Cord Injury Federation.