Skopje, 17 December 2024  

The National Bank has enhanced its activities to improve the life of persons with disabilities by facilitating the access to financial services.  For that purpose, the central bank has prepared Guidelines for greater inclusion of persons with disabilities as consumers in the banking sector, which include greater facilitation of access to locations and installation of digital platforms, involvement in the creation of banking products, as well as better information for these users of banking services.  The National Bank prepared and printed a Brochure for persons with low vision, which would contribute to their greater financial education and inform them of their rights. 

At the presentation of the Guidelines and the Brochure, held at the National Bank to the representatives of banks and competent institutions, the Governor Anita Angelovska Bezhoska issued a message to institutions and banks to jointly ensure integration and support to persons with disabilities in all aspects of life, including economics and finance.

“Even though banks recognize the need to adjust the use of services to the persons with disabilities, the National Bank survey in early 2024 showed that greater number of counters and ATM’s adjusted for persons with disabilities are needed, as well as access ramps to banking facilities.  It is also necessary to improve the legal framework in this area, i.e. to prepare internal acts that will ensure better access to financial services for the persons with disabilities.  The survey results show that banks seldom provide promotional materials for the persons with disabilities, specific loans for this group of citizens, as well as special programs for financial education of persons with disabilities. These data show that this is an area that requires our mutual engagement”, said the Governor Angelovska Bezhoska, asking banks to take the Guidelines into consideration and actively work to improve the accessibility of their services for persons with disabilities. 

In her presentation of the Guidelines and the Brochure, the Director of the Consumer Protection and Financial Education Department at the National Bank, Elizabeta Nedanovska, emphasized that by facilitating the access to financial services for persons with disabilities, their potential for economic independence and social integration will significantly increase. 

“We have conducted a survey on the accessibility to financial services for the people with disabilities within the MBA, which gave us an insight of the situation in the sector, hence the recommendations and action guidelines which will be implemented by each institution.  In addition, the MBA has established an Education Committee, which includes trainings for the employees for the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Enhancement of their Communication Skills”, said the Vice President of the Macedonian Banking Association, Bojan Stojanoski. 

“The inclusion of the persons with disabilities in the banking sector is not only an obligation, but also an opportunity for the baking institutions to show that they are leaders in innovation and social responsibility and inclusion.  Through such steps, we can create a more inclusive society with equal access to financial services for everyone.  Let’s make our banks available to all- because everyone deserves to be part of the economic life”, pointed out the President of the Commission for Prevention and Protection Against Discrimination, Limko Bejzaroski. 

According to the World Health Organization data, around 15% of the population suffers from certain type of disability and this people often struggle with poverty and unemployment.  Hence, the National Bank has taken activities in the past years to improve the accessibility to financial services for persons with disability, which was included as a requirement in the documents adopted by the National Bank, such as the National Strategy for Financial Education and Financial Inclusion and the Circular for protection of Consumers of Financial Services.  These efforts refer to the inclusion of the people with disabilities, following the international standards and regulations, such as the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities