People with disabilities spoke directly with employers and public institutions about work and personal choice at Maria’s World Foundation’s conference in Sofia on 7 October 2026. The event, “20 Years On: From Rights on Paper to Independent Living”, brought their experiences into discussions about the changes needed to make recognised rights work in everyday life.
The forum marked 20 years since the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was adopted and 14 since Bulgaria’s ratification. It focused on work, community living and personal choice.
Viktor Hristov from the foundation’s Svetove day centre asked Fantastico what skills are needed to work in its stores. The company reported that three people with intellectual disabilities were taking part in work placements and expressed a wish to involve more. Its vice president, Valentina Bozheva, highlighted the duty of employers to adapt roles to individual abilities.
At policy level, Deputy Labour and Social Policy Minister Nadya Klisurska emphasised support tailored to each person’s needs and improvements to individual needs assessments.
Ombudswoman Velislava Delcheva called for stronger incentives for employers, adapted workplaces and reform of guardianship through supported decision-making. Her contribution connected employment and an income of one’s own with the freedom to make decisions about one’s life.
The discussion addressed the gap between legislation and everyday support. Speaking to Bulgarian National Radio, the foundation’s director, Miryana Siriyski, stressed that existing laws must work in practice. She pointed to the need for schools, social services and employment offices to coordinate their support. For employers, the examples offered practical ways to adapt work.
The conference also built on preparatory work. At an employment-focused Independent Living Laboratory on 24 September, people with intellectual disabilities, families, employers and institutions discussed how successful workplace examples could become more widely used practices.
The organisers’ planned follow-up includes the development of a Roadmap for Independent Living and fostering an informal “Employers for Independent Living” network.
