Brunch with journalists is a part of X-Press sessions which are held every month in Human Rights House Sarajevo. They are attended by B&H journalists and representatives of various associations that represent minority and marginalized groups in B&H.

On 14th March the topic was “Blind and Persons with Impaired Vision in the Media Mirror”. Speaker Mr. Fikret Zuko, Executive Director of the Association of Blind  of Canton Sarajevo, spoke with journalists whether media sometimes turn a blind eye towards the blind people,  is there a space to improve the communication between journalists and the association, whether there is sometimes lax approach to the code of ethics by the journalists and what are the cases when associations expect too much from the press. 

According to the words of Mr. Zuko, if we look way back in history, persons with disabilities were firstly seen as category that should receive charity, then the medical approach came off where disability is defined as: “A physical or mental impairment, which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.”

However, now-a-days we have more social approach to persons with disabilities where it is taken into consideration the social context or environment in which a person is living, and the attitudes they may encounter – all of which can be as disabling as an individual impairment.

Mr. Zuko said that almost nothing can prevent a person with impaired vision to function when society is aware of the capacities of such persons and when it provides an adequate environment for them.

“We have voice calculator, voice thermometer, even the computer software which enables blind people to hear what other people see. You also have voice mobile cells, then a speech tool that recognizes colors etc. So if blind person has an adequate environment around oneself, then God nor society did not restrict blind that much to live their lives”, said Mr. Zuko.

Both, journalists and representatives of blind and persons with impaired vision, agreed that media needs more education regarding this group of citizens. They need to be familiarized with politically correct dictionary which will help them to be more sensitive toward this category of B&H citizens in their reporting.

“Blind people are not weird nor useless. They are what society makes of them”, Zuko added.

X-PRESS sessions are envisioned  as informal gatherings at breakfast, coffee, thematic video projections and analysis of actual cases of media reporting on marginalized and minority groups in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They are attended by BH journalists and members of NGOs that represent marginalized and minority groups from B&H. Mutual aim is equal and fair approach to media for all social groups

X-PRESS sessions are being realizing as of 2009. in Banja Luka and Sarajevo, and they will last for two and a half years.