The Provincial Federation of Associations of People with Physical and Organic Disabilities of Seville (COCEMFE Seville) has convened the third meeting with 15 local towns in rural areas of Seville, with less than 20,000 inhabitants, which have a large representation of people with disabilities in their populations, to create alliances and promote the access of this group to new technologies and the wide range of training and resources at transnational level, in order to improve the lives of these people and eliminate the existing digital divide in these areas.
During the meeting held today online, the representative of the Provincial Council for Social Cohesion and Equality, Rocío Sutil Domínguez, thanked the Federation for the work it has been doing to help people with disabilities, and for making resources available to these towns and villages. Also present were the El Madroño Town Council Equality Officer, Rosario Gutiérrez Cazorla; the Councillor for Social Services and Welfare of the Town Council of Las Navas de la Concepción, Ángeles Gutiérrez Ramírez; the Councillor for Social Services, Health, Equality and Education of the Town Council of El Pedroso, Trinidad Sánchez Murillo; the Councillor for Social Welfare, Health, Children and Training, General Services and Housing of the Town Council of Pruna, Aránzazu Pérez Perales; the Councillor for Human Resources, Sports and Youth of the Town Council of La Puebla de los Infantes, Monserrat Cabanillas Martínez; the Councillor for Equality and Disability of El Real de la Jara Town Council, Cristina Trigo Marqués; the Coordinator of Social Services of El Ronquillo Town Council, Mercedes Peralias Alfonso; the Councillor for Social Welfare and Youth of Villamanrique de la Condesa Town Council, María José Charro Sáez; the Councillor for Personnel and Internal Affairs, Food Bank, Welfare and Equality of Villanueva del Río y Minas Town Council, Josefa Vizuete Cinta; and the Mayor of Villanueva de San Juan Town Council, José Reyes Verdugo.
The president of COCEMFE Seville, Juan José Lara, has invited the representatives of the different governments to collaborate in the EU-RUDISNET programme. This is an initiative developed by the NGO together with five other countries (Italy, Turkey, Slovenia, Lithuania and Germany) and aims to create a European network to increase self-confidence and empowerment, as well as to practice inclusion in rural areas, training in mentoring and leadership of people with disabilities in rural areas of Europe. All this, facilitating access to the Internet for people with disabilities living in rural areas and advancing in new technologies.
During the meeting, the absence of associations in these areas was highlighted, as well as the inactivity of those that exist.
The Federation will hold individual meetings with each town council to establish lines of action and activities in each of the villages, to analyse the social reality of each municipality and make life in rural areas inclusive. An objective that requires joint work and alliances between local governments, village disability associations and the Federation.
The programme ‘Network for the Social Inclusion of People with Disabilities in Rural Areas of the European Union (EU-RUDISNET)’ is co-funded by Erasmus+ of the European Union.
