Study visit to the User Association “Fenix” from Tuzla Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 18-19 September 2014

The Study visit to the User Association “Fenix”, financially supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), was held in Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina on 18-19 September 2014. The visit was organized by the Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Regional Health Development Center on Mental Health in South-eastern Europe, while hosted by the User Association “Fenix” from Tuzla.

 

This event brought together the representatives of the User Association “Organization for promotion and protection of the rights of persons with psychosocial disabilities“from the Republic of Moldova, the User Association “Fenix” from Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the representatives of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Moldova and the Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

 

The aim of the Study visit was that Users’ Associations in the SEE countries, in close cooperation with the respective health authorities, are capacitated to develop and implement initiatives to fight against stigmatization of persons with mental health disorders.

 

Bosnia and Herzegovina presents an example of good practice in the region regarding the User Associations, as in the number of formally established User Associations, so in their activities. One of them is the User Association "Fenix" from Tuzla, which was established in 2000 and proves its value in presenting experiences to the different stakeholders in the area of mental health, in Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as in the neighboring countries. Taking into account that User Association “Organization for promotion and protection of the rights of persons with psychosocial disabilities“ is first formally established User Association in  the Republic of Moldova, in January 2014, this Study visit was focus on learning from examples of good practice of the User Association “Fenix”.

 

Moreover, this Study visit provided opportunity for strengthening cooperation among Users Associations in the South-eastern Europe.