The project focuses on social inclusion and status improvement of mentally challenged individuals in Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially aiming to bolster their economic opportunities and the ability to exercise their rights as citizens. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, people with mental disabilities are often targets of discrimination and prejudices which negatively impacts their position on the job market. It is difficult for these individuals to find and keep employment and coupled with insufficient support from state authorities they are more prone to poverty and social exclusion. The project sets out to help mentally-challenged people through the implementation of an integrated activity package that includes, for example, piloting and expanding of approach of the supported employment, activities aimed at generating income and acceleration program for businesses which are employing people with disabilities, mediation of professional training and internships for the disabled, workshops for businesses or advocacy efforts when enforcing changes on strategic- and political-level with the aim to familiarize the public with said problematics.

The main implementer of the project Člověk v tísni (People in Need) will work in collaboration with local partners – Nešto Više and ProReha – who have considerable experience in the field of employment of people with disabilities. The project is in accordance with the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good health and well-being), SDG 5 (Gender equality), SDG 10 (Reduced inequalities) and SDG 16 (Peace, justice and strong institutions).