Overall  activities of IC “Lotos” are based on advocacy for human rights of persons with disabilities.

Participation in legislative and other strategic processes in the country

• Participation in creation of Poverty Reduction Strategy Document for B&H;
• Participation in creation of the Unique Policy for persons with disabilities in B&H;
• Influencing creation of favourable legal solutions which should result with equalization of opportunities for persons with disabilities (e.g. creation of Construction Law which sanctions performers/designers of public works in which architectural barriers are not excluded, etc.)
• Creation and participation in the work of persons with disabilities' organisations networks with the aim to address different issues of the interest for disability movement at all levels of authorities: municipal, cantonal, entity and state.

Designing and implementing educational activities

• Organization of trainings and other types of education for representatives of organizations of people with disabilities in accordance with different issues that are of interest for persons with disabilities;
• Organization of trainings and other types of education for representatives of public institutions and authorities and other representatives of civil society in order to be introduced with the issues of importance and interest to persons with disabilities and the ways of their implementing and involving in the mainstream of actual policies.

Organizing campaigns

• Organizing campaigns for raising awareness of all participants in public traffic about persons with disabilities as the equal participants in public traffic in 1997;
• Organizing campaign for promotion of the Year 2003 which was proclaimed by EU as the Year of persons with disabilities and for promotion of messages conveyed by that year to society;
• Organizing campaign for inclusion of UN Standard rules for equalization of opportunities of persons with disabilities in legislative framework of state policies;
• Organizing campaign for promotion of the importance of the UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities and promotion of the necessity for its signing and ratification by the Authorities of B&H.

Implementing different researches

Implementing different type of researches related to disability issues for the purpose of objective problem definition and proposal of solutions.

• Research on status of persons with disabilities in B&H society;
• Research on the attitudes of citizens towards persons with disabilities;
• Research on existence of the architectural barriers in different municipalities of the Federation entity of B&H;
• Researh on the employment status of persons with disabilities in B&H.

Organizing national and international meetings and conferences

• Organizing the first international conference on human rights of persons with disabilities in Tuzla 1999., in cooperation with Independent Living Center for persons with disabilities „Threshold“ Helsinki, Finland.
• Organizing 3 national conferences with the topic of “Unified voice of persons with disabilities” at which national policies towards persons with disabilities were discussed and directions for future actions and relations towards authorities' representatives were adopted.
• Organizing national conference on „Universal Design“ in Tuzla 2004.
• Organizing international conference “Step towards Europe” in partnership with the Centre for independent living Serbia and Catholic Relief Services (CRS), in Sarajevo in 2005., at which for the first time was discussed about creation of specific conditions within the field of disability which should be the integral part of general conditions for accession process of Southeast Europe countries to European Union.
• Organizing national conference in Sarajevo in 2005. in partnership with World Bank with the title “Disability and Poverty” at which was discussed the link between the causes and consequences of the disability and poverty.
• Organizing national conference in partnership with the European Disability Forum (EDF) called “National informative seminar” about status and capacities of disabled peoples' organizations in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the ways of cooperation and impact to creation of more favourable legislation in Sarajevo in 2006.
• Organizing second international conference “Steps towards Europe - rights of persons with disabilities and policies in Southeast Europe” in partnership with Centre for independent living Serbia and Handicap International, in Sarajevo in 2008. The conference was continuation and certain assessment of achievements since the first such conference took place in 2005. Conclusions for future directions for action of disability movement were adopted at the Conference in order to harmonize policies towards disability issues of the countries in Southeast Europe with the standards of European Union.
• Organizing national conference in Sarajevo at the end of 2008., with the title „Consultation about cooperation of disabled peoples' organization on improvement of the policy in the field of disability in Bosnia and Herzegovina“.

Publishing activities

In the past twelve years IC „Lotos“ developed publishing work which contributed to exchange of information and to improvement of disability movement in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as to the creation of very important and non existing up to that time analysis and documentation on different life aspects of persons with disabilities.

Among numerous publications of different contents which are either translated or independently edited there are:

• Brochures – „Assistance or how to assist persons with disabilities“; „UN Standard rules for equalization of opportunities for persons with disabilities“; „Managing disability on working place; „Universal design  – Resolutions and  declarations“; „Madrid Declaration“; etc.
• Books – „Universal design – Designing for people of all ages and abilities“; „No pity – Persons with disabilities – Forging a New Civil Rights Movement“; „DAA – Handbooks for capacity building of organizations of persons with disabilities”, etc.
• Study - „Feasibility Study for foundation of centres for professional rehabilitation of persons with disabilities in the region of Northeast Bosnia and Herzegovina“;
• Researches - „Equality – Right or Special Need – results of the survey on the status of persons with disabilities in Tuzla Canton and of the survey on the attitudes of other community members towards persons with disabilities“; „Disability and Poverty in Bosnia and Herzegovina – Results based on the Living Standards Measurement Survey”.

In addition to the mentioned publications, „Lotos“ regularly prepares, creates, designs and edits for already eleven (11) years Newsletter “INITIATIVE” which has been published quarterly and in techniques accessible for persons with disabilities. The content of “INITIATIVE” is varied, with texts that are of informative, legislative and consultative character to those of the entertaining character. “INITIATIVE” is being distributed to the readers at the entire area of Bosnia and Herzegovina and in less number of copies in all neighbouring countries of the same or similar language.

„Lotos“ has also activated its web site www.ic-lotos.org  providing information about its own activities and cooperation with other organizations and institutions, as well as information on activities and happenings within the disability movement in neighbouring countries, European Union countries and worldwide.

Projects

IC “Lotos” carries out all its activities through implementation of different projects  whereof  the following are among the most important ones:

•  „Universal design“, the project for introduction and promotion of the principles of universal design in aspects of life and for entire community; - Canadian Urban Institute (CUI);
• SHARE – SEE, regional project for strengthening the capacity of organizations of persons with disabilities in partnership with Handicap International, CIL Serbia, Polio Plus Macedonia and Association of students with handicap Belgrade; - International Trust Fund (ITF); DFID; EIDHR-EC;
• „Advocacy and Leadership“, project for acquiring knowledge and skills for the activists in the disability movement; in partnership with CIL Serbia, Catholic Relief Services (CRS); - Development Cooperation Ireland (DCI).
• „Coordination of the project for building of capacities of organizations of persons with disabilities and umbrella organizations for Bosnia and Herzegovina “; EDF-CARDS - EU,
• „Feasibility Study for foundation of Centres for professional rehabilitation of persons with disabilities in the region of Northeast Bosnia and Herzegovina“, EURED-European Commission;
•  „Universal values of the artistic expression of persons with disabilities“ – activities of promotion of artistic skills of persons with disabilities at the area of B&H; - Swiss Cultural Programme in B&H – PRO HELVETIA.

Organizing services

In its attempts to ensure equalization of opportunities for persons with disabilities in order to obtain education; to move independently; to communicate without disturbances and to have access to information, IC „Lotos” has enabled provision of the basic services for persons with disabilities in Tuzla Canton  and broader , like:

• Purchase and distribution of the necessary orthopaedic aids (wheelchairs, walking frames, crutches, etc.) for those persons who do not have any other possibility to purchase it or repair of the existing orthopaedic aid.
• Establishment of the service for continuous translation to sign language of the informative broadcast “News” at the local television broadcasting system;
• Raising educational level of persons with disabilities through organization of different thematic trainings which are of interests to persons with disabilities and which include: basic knowledge about importance and methods of modern technology utilization; knowledge about functioning and managing the organization of persons with disabilities; knowledge about importance of media and relations/communication with media, etc.;
• Printing books and scripts for students with sight impairments in Braille letters or recording/copying to electronic media;
• Provision of necessary information and advices in different fields like: legislative, technology, economic, social, family, health, etc.

On the basis of the present experiences and basic services that are provided for persons with disabilities, IC „Lotos“ plans in cooperation with local authorities, other organizations of persons with disabilities, international non governmental organizations and international donors, to create opportunities for development of more advanced types of services which will enable independent living of persons with disabilities and contribute to greater equalization of opportunities for persons with disabilities and significant improvement to the quality of life of persons with disabilities.

International cooperation

IC „Lotos“ through its actions over years has developed cooperation with many organizations out of Bosnia and Herzegovina, starting from its closest neighbours like Centre for Independent Living Serbia, than with Centre for Independent Living “Threshold” Finland, Disabled Peoples' International (DPI), European Disability Forum (EDF) and others. Representatives of IC „Lotos“  have participated in a numerous international  gatherings on disability issues like Eighth (8th) Session of Ad Hoc Committee on the Convention for human rights of persons with disabilities in New York, 2006, at which the Convention and its Optional Protocol were adopted.

Strategic aims

• Together with other organizations of persons with disabilities in B&H work on harmonization of legislative regulations with the standards of European Union and realization of the rights of persons with disabilities
• Full participation of women and men with disabilities in all segments of life.
• Persons with disabilities to be included in decision-making processes.
• Local and national policy that provide independence and social inclusion of persons with disabilities.
• Development of the system of services which support independent living of persons with disabilities and its presentation to the community.

Partners and Donors

IC „Lotos“ implements its actions through partnerships and/or financial support of different institutions, donor agencies and non governmental organizations both national or international ones.   some of many IC “Lotos” partners/donors so far were: Government of Tuzla Canton, Government of Great Britain, Government of Finland, Development Cooperation Ireland (DCI) European Commission, international agencies like Oxfam GB, CRS, Handicap International, etc.