SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina – “When my son Denis was born with developmental disabilities, I quickly realized that families like ours were invisible to the system,” recalled Ines Kavalec. “There were no adapted services, no workplace flexibility, and no real understanding of what it means to care for a child like mine. It felt like we did not belong.”

Parents of children with disabilities face major challenges balancing work with the intensive care their children require. These difficulties are made worse by gaps in government services, cultural stigmas, and a lack of understanding from employers. 

“I had to quit my job to care for Denis, and for many years I could not find a position that allowed the flexibility I needed,” Ines said.

She also discovered that her experiences were common among other parents of children with disabilities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

So, Ines decided to turn these personal struggles into a drive for change.

She led a group of parents in founding the association Dajte nam šansu (“Give Us a Chance”), which advocates for disability-inclusive policies and increased support for families affected by disability. One of their greatest achievements is opening the “Denis” Day Centre in Sarajevo Canton, named after Ines’s son, who passed away in 2022 before it could be opened. The centre offers a welcoming space for about 30 children and adults with disabilities, providing them with educational and social activities.

Ines stressed that the centre’s mission is not only to support people with disabilities but also to push for more family-friendly policies that can help balance caregiving responsibilities within families, which tend to fall disproportionately on women. 

“Most divorces in families of children with disabilities occur because mothers carry the entire caregiving burden alone,” she explained. “Policies that enable flexible working hours, paid carers’ leave and family-friendly workplaces empower parents to keep working while caring for their children.”

However, significant gaps remain. “While labour laws allow parents to reduce work hours with pay, in practice, it is unclear who covers the difference. Nurseries and kindergartens are often not adapted to children with disabilities,” Ines noted. “These gaps limit opportunities and exclude many caregivers from the workforce.”

Despite these challenges, advocacy efforts like Ines’s have made an impact. “We have helped mothers return to work, gain financial independence and reduce family stress. This has preserved families and improved life for children and parents alike,” she said.

Benefits beyond the family 

Ines emphasized that caregivers are not social welfare cases but active contributors to society.

“When parents are supported and able to work, they contribute economically, socially and culturally,” she explained. “This strengthens communities and reduces strain on social welfare systems.”

UNFPA’s Expanding Choices programme champions gender-responsive family policies by working with governments and the private sector. Its research has found that investing in childcare support initiatives leads to a wide range of benefits for companies: higher productivity, lower absenteeism, and an increase in job applications, especially from women. This, in turn, helps create a more dynamic labour force and greater gender equality across society.

“We all deserve the chance to work, to thrive and to enrich our communities,” Ines said. “We and our children bring value and diversity that benefits everyone.”

Looking forward, Ines envisions workplaces across Bosnia and Herzegovina that offer flexibility, accessibility and genuine support for caregivers and persons with disabilities alike.

“Only then can no parent be forced to choose between earning a living and caring for their child,” she said.

With ongoing advocacy and partnerships, organizations like hers continue pushing for reforms, better services and more inclusive spaces. Their work shows how grassroots action and policy change can transform lives:

 

“Inclusion is about dignity and respect for every individual. When families thrive, society thrives.”