“When I decided to move into the community, I faced a lot of resistance from the staff of the institution,” said Diana Zgherea, an advocate from Moldova. “They scared me that I would not survive in the community. For me, it was very difficult….I was afraid not to lose everything. But I wanted to change my life. That is why it is very important to tell our personal story to our peers and to other people at local, national, and global events.”

On June 13, 2019, Diana represented Keystone Moldova at a side event at the United Nations’ Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The side event Just Include Me: Making Social Inclusion and Good Health a Reality for All of Us was organized by the New South Wales Council for Intellectual Disability.

Keystone Human Services International was proud to co-sponsor the side event along with the International Disability Alliance, Inclusion International, WHO Collaborating Center on Family Medicine and Primary Care, and the Australian government. Diana joined panelists Alanna Julian, Project Officer for the Council for Intellectual Disability; Kory Earle, advocate representing People First Canada, and Professor Michael Kidd, Director of the WHO Collaborating Center on Family Medicine and Primary Care.

This side event explored the connection between social inclusion and health for people with disabilities. According to the WHO, people with disability seek more health care than people without disability and have greater unmet needs, especially people with intellectual disability and psychosocial disability, people from developing countries or remote areas, women and children, and cultural minorities.

“People with intellectual disabilities living in institutions are poorly informed about their health and treatment and are even denied the services they need,” said Diana. “As advocates, we must partner with the government and civil society organizations to promote social inclusion and good health so people with disabilities receive support according to their rights and will.”