24/04/2026
The conference titled 30 Years of Fighting for Human Rights – From Institutions to Community will take place on 14 October 2026 at Hotel Terme (Topliška cesta 35, 8250 Brežice). It is being organised as part of the project Centre for Managing DeInstitutionalisation (CUDI), and will simultaneously mark the 30th anniversary of the Social Protection Institute of the Republic of Slovenia.
The event will be dedicated to the importance of persistent efforts to ensure and protect human rights, with the process of deinstitutionalisation playing a key role in this regard. Through the establishment of multidisciplinary teams in the field of deinstitutionalisation, we find ourselves at a turning point in realising the rights of persons with disabilities.
The opening remarks will be followed by a panel discussion titled “Human Rights Under Scrutiny – Violence, Accountability, and Deinstitutionalisation,”
This will be followed by parallel section discussions addressing the topics of employment, housing, violence, guardianship, and peer support as central themes both in the process of deinstitutionalisation and in the realisation and protection of the human rights of persons with disabilities. The discussions will feature the experiences and perspectives of service users and staff from the multidisciplinary teams – including peer support workers.
The topics of the parallel sections are:
- The Right to Economic Independence
- The Right to Safety, Physical and Mental Integrity
- The Right to Home and Living in the Community
- The Right to Decide About One’s Own Life
- Mechanisms for Exercising the Right to a Voice
CONFERENCE TOPICS
Panel: Human Rights Under Scrutiny – Violence, Accountability, and Deinstitutionalisation
The panel will provide a concise overview of the state of the rights of people with disabilities in Slovenia, highlight the supervisory role of the state in their realisation and protection, and draw attention to human rights violations in institutional settings. Speakers will also address the importance of the effective use of European funds for deinstitutionalisation processes and the role of advocacy as one of the key mechanisms for protecting the rights of people with disabilities.
Translation from Slovenian into English and vice versa is provided.
PARALLEL SESSIONS – Part 1
Each session will consist of a short presentation followed by an interactive workshop focused on developing concrete proposals for improvement. Participants will be able to choose between the following key topics of deinstitutionalisation:
Session 1: The Right to Economic Independence
Predstavitev dela multidisciplinarnih timov na področju zaposlovanja ljudi z oviranostjo.
Session 2: The Right to Safety, Physical and Mental Integrity
Highlighting the harmfulness of institutional culture and the violence experienced by people living in institutions.
Translation from Slovenian into English and vice versa is provided.
Session 3: The Right to Home and Living in the Community
Presentation of the practices of multidisciplinary teams in addressing housing issues when supporting people transitioning from institutions.
Session 4: The Right to Decide About One’s Own Life
Emphasising the importance of introducing supported decision-making and the challenges of providing support to people under guardianship.
Session 5: Mechanisms for Exercising the Right to a Voice
Presentation of the work of peer support workers within multidisciplinary teams.
PARALLEL SESSIONS – Part 2: Action Planning
Participants will develop concrete solutions for more effective realisation and protection of human rights in the areas highlighted by the individual sessions (employment, housing, violence, guardianship, peer support).