Self and Legal Advocacy
AKIM’s legal department is known for its unparalleled professionalism. Our legal team is specializing in the fields of disability legislation and rights of people with disabilities. They hold an exceptional experience in legal advocacy for rights, leading legislative amendments and litigation for realization of rights.
Self Advocacy
As part of the transition from a parent’s organization to the people and their families’ organization, AKIM establishes and operates local self-advocacy groups since 2012.
Participants learn about their social and legal rights, new skills to express their needs and desires and how to raise awareness for their rights in the community. In fact, two self-advocates, Mr. Bentzi Reuven and Ms. Riki Manor, are members of AKIM’s Board of Directors.
Conforming to AKIM’s value of equality, self-advocacy groups are established in both sectors of the Israeli society- the Jewish and the Arab. One great example is a recently established group in Maghar, a Druze and Arab local council in Israel’s Northern District. The group is composed of 15 adults with intellectual disabilities among them Muslims, Druze and Christians who live with their families. The leader of the group, Ms. Akbal Askala was elected in a democratic election by her peers and now represents them in the local Akim branch in Maghar.
In March 2018 AKIM Israel held the 2nd Self-advocates Professional Conference dedicated to issues of interest to the self-advocates themselves. Members of the groups always take active part in the conference’s steering committee and determine the key issues which will be addressed. Among other topics, in the latest conference participants discussed the issue of managing their money and learned of a new application that helps them achieve financial independence on a daily basis.
Legal Advice
Information about rights of people with intellectual disability is spread between different authorities, ministries and organizations. The legal department collects the information, follows changes and simplifies it in a comprehensive book of rights that covers all the rights available to the people and their families. The book is produced in Hebrew and Arabic and distributed free to families, practitioners, local authorities’ welfare departments and social workers and is also published on AKIM’s website.
legal representation
Individuals, families and legal guardians enjoy private and confidential meetings and receive legal advice and assistance to their particular case. This includes, among others, preparation of legal documents, documentation signing etc. this valuable service is provided free of charge regardless of economic status, faith, place of residence, gender or nationality. Over 500 families enjoy AKIM’s legal aid every year.
The Clinic
AKIM’s Clinic for the Rights of People with Intellectual Disability in A joint program of AKIM and the Herzliya Inter-Disciplinary Center. Law students attend a theoretical class taught by AKIM’s legal team. Simultaneously they respond to real life cases to realize rights of individuals and families. Students also travel to AKIM community housings and have private meetings with residents to explain about their rights and provide them tools to be their own self-advocates of their rights as well as their human and civic right such as the right for privacy, the right for dignity or the right to vote.
The Book Of Rights
Information about rights of people with intellectual disability is spread between different authorities, ministries and organizations. The legal department collects the information, follows changes and simplifies it in a comprehensive book of rights that covers all the rights available to the people and their families. The book is produced in Hebrew and Arabic and distributed free to families, practitioners, local authorities’ welfare departments and social workers and is also published on AKIM’s website
