Belangenvereniging van Kleine Mensen (BVKM)
Founded1973
FocusThe bvkm provides information about disability rights, medical issues, and practical matters for patients with skeletal dysplasia.
Location
Area served
Netherlands
Members
350 (July 2023)
Websitehttp://www.bvkm.nl/

The Belangenvereniging van Kleine Mensen (BVKM)(English: Interest Association of Little People) is the Dutch Patients' Organization for little people and patients with skeletal dysplasia.[1][2] The association focuses on individuals with one or more of the two hundred medical conditions falling under the category of dwarfism.[3] Most members have a demonstrable growth disorder and are shorter than 155 cm.[4][5] Volunteers are responsible for the organization.

Establishment

The BVKM was founded in December 1973 by Lenie Voorn (née Matton),[6] as a Dutch organization providing support and information to people of short stature and their families. Within a year and a half of its establishment, 500 little people had become members, and the association now had a social worker and a psychologist. It became clear that the challenges for little people were much larger than initially thought. Housing, clothing, public transportation, and job applications turned out to lead to many mental and practical problems.[7]

Goals

The main goal of the association is to provide support to little people so that they can take a full and equal place in society.[8][9][10]

Other goals of the association include:[8]

  • Advocating the common and individual interests of individuals meeting the requirements for membership (this advocacy occurs in the broadest sense and on a general basis)[11]
  • Maintaining contacts with government agencies and all other relevant institutions, companies, and individuals[12]
  • Attracting or requesting the cooperation of knowledgeable individuals
  • Maintaining contacts with similar institutions abroad

Activities

Members and directly involved individuals can receive information, get to know each other, and share experiences, with the association playing a supportive role.[13][14]
The association focuses on increasing general knowledge about various growth disorders, striving for equal treatment in society, and advocating for normalization that embraces diversity[12][15][16]

The Sports Committee organizes events in collaboration with entities such as the Dirk Kuyt Foundation and De Hoogstraat Rehabilitation.[17]

Collaborations

The association, as a patient organization for skeletal dysplasia, maintains close contact with institutions such as Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, UMCU, MUMC+, and LUMC.[18]

Partners

The BVKM collaborates with external parties, including:

  • Ieder(in)
  • Skeletal Dysplasias Alliance
  • United Nations. N/D. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
  • Dirk Kuyt Foundation

Sister associations

Sports associations

References

  1. ↑ VOORBEHOUDEN, INSERM US14-- ALLE RECHTEN. "Orphanet: BVKM Belangenvereniging van Kleine Mensen". www.orpha.net (in Dutch). Retrieved 2023-11-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ↑ "Growth Disorders: information about organizations". www.patientenfederatie.nl. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  3. ↑ "Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) | Erfelijkheid.nl". www.erfelijkheid.nl. Retrieved 2023-11-19.
  4. ↑ "Interest Association of Little People". Nuenen Helps (in Dutch). Retrieved 2023-11-20. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  5. ↑ "Achondroplasia | Erfelijkheid.nl". www.erfelijkheid.nl. Retrieved 2023-11-19.
  6. ↑ Association of Little People De tijd : newspaper for the Netherlands (3 November 1973)
  7. ↑ Little people often have big problems Nieuwsblad van het Noorden (21 January 1974)
  8. 1 2 "Social map Netherlands | Interest Association of Little People (BVKM)". landelijk.socialekaartnederland.nl. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  9. ↑ "'I consciously don't call myself a little man because I am not my limitation'". de Volkskrant. 1 March 2022. Retrieved 2023-11-19.
  10. ↑ Draftee is discriminated against for height Dagblad Trouw (7 December 1979)
  11. ↑ Zeldzaam, Zicht op. "Interest Association of Little People". Zicht op Zeldzaam (in Dutch). Retrieved 2023-11-21.
  12. 1 2 "We stand up against prejudices" by Marijke Hultzer. "De Telegraaf". Amsterdam, 2 June 1979, p. 19. Retrieved from Delpher on 21 November 2023, https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:011200356:mpeg21:p019
  13. ↑ "About SD Alliance". Skeletal Dysplasias Alliance. Retrieved 2023-11-19.
  14. ↑ "Speaker's Corner" about little people Leeuwarder Courant (1 December 1977)
  15. ↑ "Achondroplasia: big stigmas but not to belittle". Planet Health (in Dutch). 26 September 2023. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  16. ↑ Information about organizations Knowledgebank.patientenfederatie.nl
  17. ↑ "Skeletal Dysplasia in children". De Hoogstraat Rehabilitation (in Dutch). Retrieved 2023-11-19.
  18. ↑ Achondroplasia, Expertise Network. "University Medical Center Utrecht". Expertise Network Achondroplasia (in Dutch). Retrieved 2023-11-20.

Sources

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