IMPROVE THE QULITY OF LIFE OF VULNERABLE GROUPS
13.09.2010.
Delegation of European Union in Republic of Serbia within the program EXCHANGE 3 approved funds to the City Municipality of Palilula in amount of 12 millions RSD for implementation of project “Increasing municipality capacities for improving the quality of live of vulnerable groups”. Ceremonial singing of contracts will be done in Belgrade at September 24th with 29 cities and municipalities in Serbia that were chosen within first invitation for municipal projects. By the words of president of Municipality, Prof. Dr. Igor Novakovic, this is great recognition and support to project team and management of City Municipality of Palilula in realizing of Strategy of Development of Municipality. Otherwise, project will be at the same time implementing and in Bulgarian city Kyustendil within exchange of experience and examples of good practice in region.

On territory of City Municipality of Palilula lives large number of people who need some kind of social welfare. Almost every 14th resident of Palilula is older than 70 years. According to official statistic 5061 person falls in this category. Number of users of services of some kind of social welfare is 2245, while the number of children with a specific type of disability is 23. Just this category includes by Strategy for the reduction of poverty in the most vulnerable categories, that need any kind of psycho-social and economical help. Problems that we will face during the implementation of projects – highlights Prof. Dr. Igor Novakovic, president of City Municipality of Palilula are: help to the family and individual to achieve minimal social security through free legal assistance; creating the conditions for independent living of disabled persons through support in the house, information about job opportunities, create a favorable environment for disabled persons, help to the old people who can not care for themselves by constant care in the field through mobile teams that will visit elderly and infirm persons, care of children without parental care, especially to the children with disabilities  who are in specially difficult situation. There is and support for families in risk groups as it is Roma population, refugees and displaced persons, which is very numerous in the territory of municipality. Then, prevention of domestic violence and help to a victims of violence. These are the key issues that will be seen and solved in one year project activities.

Project will be focused specially on old and infirm  persons, as and on disabled persons, then social vulnerable, that because of their economic status do not have equal rights. On territory of Palilula Municipality are registered 1125 social-vulnerable persons with difficulties. This is the persons who can not to take care of themselves, people who are immobile, real week and depends on others` help. From 5061 elderly people (over 70 years old) 487 is from surrounding villages of Palilula Municipality. It is work inactive people that can not provide for themselves basic means of subsistence, poorly mobile and generally little physically active.

Program EXCHANGE 3 which is financed by European Union, managed by Delegation of European Union in Serbia, and implemented by Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities represents continue of action and measures that has been started within the program EXCHANGE 1 and EXCHANGE 2 and it is directed on introduction of EU models in functioning and improving the capacity and efficiency of local self government in Serbia.
City of Nis is convincingly  the poorest from “four big cities” in Serbia, and two of out of five Nis municipalities, Pantelej and Palilula, is included in ten the poorest municipalities in state according to the official data of Republic Bureau of Statistics. In overall bad socio economical situation on territory of Palilula Municipality according to the data from Statistical Yearbook of City of Nis, on Palilula lives 73610 residents, while from this number only 12612 is employed.