SUSTENTO
Accessibility tools
SUSTENTO is the only umbrella organisation in Latvia that brings together 55 organisations of people with disabilities, thus forming a direct representation of more than 50 000 people with disabilities and/or chronic illnesses.The organisation was founded in 2002 to bring as many associations as possible together to strive for the rights and needs of people with disabilities to be respected in our country.
SUSTENTO is the only organisation representing the Latvian non-governmental sector in disability policy in the European Union, promoting respect for human rights in accordance with international law.
Activities:
Cooperates with public authorities (Parliament, Ministry of Welfare, etc.) .Cooperate with the more prominent and larger international NGO associations.
Organise educational seminars and discussions.
A training centre to develop a better understanding of disability issues among professionals and other stakeholders.
Empowering everyone to participate in national decision-making processes, drafting laws.
The establishment of a patients’ rights advocacy body – the Patients’ Information and Rights Protection Centre.
Participates in other organisations’ projects.
Participate in and organise meetings with the media.
Publish a monthly newspaper for people with disabilities.
International Activities
SUSTENTO has many years of experience in the European Union to promote and influence disability policy in Latvia:
– (European Disability Forum (EDF)) member of the European Disability Forum since 2002.
– Since 2004, representation on the EDF Board and on the Committee of Women with Disabilities.
– Full member of the World Disability Movement since 2004 (Disabled People’s International).
– Since 2005, full member of the European Patient Forum (European Patient Forum).
– Member of the European Network for Accessible Tourism since 2005.
– Gunta Anča, Chairwoman of the SUSTENTO Board since 2013, is Secretary General of EDF.
Regular work is carried out in all European organisations: participation in meetings, assemblies, conferences, working groups, seminars, exchange trips. International experience has also been gained at events in Kazakhstan, Germany, Belgium, Lithuania, Estonia, Israel, Tajikistan, Greece, Spain.

