Accessibility, jobs and social inclusion challenge the disabled
by Yusuf Ziya Durmuş
ISTANBULDec 03, 2014 - 12:00 am GMT+3
by Yusuf Ziya Durmuş
Dec 03, 2014 12:00 am
Disabled citizens in Turkey yearn for a daily life of full accessibility, steady employment and better public perception -three aspects of life that remain major concerns despite reforms
Turkey's disabled community, which comprises about 6.9 percent of the population, will mark International Day of Persons With Disabilities on Dec. 3, and demand full accessibility and better employment, requests that have not been fully met. The public's view of the disabled as "different" rather than people with equal rights also worries the disabled.
The government has adopted a series of regulations to facilitate the lives of the disabled. New zoning regulations implemented in June ensure that zoning plans for cities and towns must include proper accessibility for disabled citizens. Last month, in a landmark move, the Parliament approved a new law that makes it compulsory for public buses operating in cities to be accessible for the disabled. The disabled face challenges in most cities where sidewalks and mass transit systems have not been modified for accessibility.
Turkey, which signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, implemented a comprehensive legislation package in 2005 to address the problems of the disabled. The legislation obliges the state to develop social policies for the rights of the disabled and against their abuse. More importantly, it obliges municipalities to provide full accessibility for the disabled on roads and public transportation. However, accessibility options such as the installation of ramps on sidewalks are still not widely implemented. In other cases, the disabled complain that some motorists park their cars on the modified sidewalks, drawing attention to another problem the disabled face: a0n insensitive public. From non-disabled motorists occupying parking spaces for the disabled to bus drivers skipping bus stops when they see wheelchair-bound passengers so they do not have to lower the ramp - such acts by the public frustrate and humiliate the disabled.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Family and Social Policies Ministry Deputy Undersecretary, Gazi Alataş, said there was almost no public building "without any shortcomings in terms of accessibility."
The country also adopted regulations to increase the employment quota for the disabled and introduced monthly benefits for families with disabled members cared for at home. The disabled are also provided free passes on public transit.
Through a state-run employment agency, Turkey also provides free loans for disabled entrepreneurs and projects involving mass employment of the disabled. The government earmarked over TL 4 billion ($1.8 billion) in the 2014 budget for public services to the disabled.
Speaking to the Daily Sabah, Ali Şahin, a senior official from the Foundation for The Physically Handicapped (FEV) and a lawmaker from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), notes that the implementation of a series of legislative measures helped to advance employment opportunities for the disabled. Private companies with more than 50 employees are obliged to have at least 3 percent of their staff composed of people with disabilities. Şahin said Turkey provides a significant level of employment for the disabled compared to European countries. He points to criticism towards the public sector for the low level of employment for the disabled. "The government responded to this by employing about 30,000 disabled citizens in the past couple of years. Disabled citizens have the opportunity to take an exam in order to be hired as a civil servant. Certainly, public sector employment may have its shortcomings in terms of employment of the disabled but non-disabled people face the same problem, such as teachers awaiting appointment. So, this is a common problem rather than maltreatment of the disabled. What is important is that the disabled citizens have more opportunities now," Şahin said.
The FEV has undertaken several projects for the employment of disabled citizens. One of them focuses on introducing people with disabilities to private companies. "The project aims to provide the kind of environment for handicapped people in which they can prove their efficiency," Şahin said. Applicants are first interviewed by the foundation's staff who analyze their skills and discuss their ambitions. Then, they are directed to companies looking for prospective employees with the applicant's skills. Thus, rather than randomly hiring a disabled person simply to comply with the demand to fill the quota of employed disabled individuals, companies benefit from having the right person for the job. "Companies took a major interest in the project and now have more confidence in the disabled who were wrongly regarded as individuals unable to join the workforce," Şahin said. The foundation has so far provided employment for about 4,000 disabled citizens as part of the project. FEV also creates job opportunities for mentally disabled citizens whose job options remain scarce. "Those people are fully dependent on their families for their care. Naturally, families are concerned about what might happen to their mentally disabled children when both parents die. To address this, we helped facilitate the employment of mentally disabled people by a restaurant chain. Mentally disabled people who participated in the project underwent a two-month training program and they proved to be efficient employees for that restaurant," he said.
Şahin said that the biggest challenge for the disabled is public perception. "A common and erroneous impression is that the disabled are citizens who cannot produce, who cannot work. These people do not want mercy or sympathy. They want people to trust them and to give them an opportunity," Şahin said, and added that the disabled can achieve a lot if they are given the means and opportunity, citing the examples of renowned scientist Stephen Hawking and Turkish musician Aşık Veysel.
Salih Kılıç, head of the Life Without Obstacles and Social Services Foundation (TEYVAK), a non-governmental organization for the disabled, said the number of the disabled in Turkey is close to 8.5 million with the addition of people who were left disabled by accidents. Speaking to the Daily Sabah, Kılıç hailed the state's efforts for the disabled, but cautiously adds that they are not completely sufficient yet. Listing the demands of the disabled, Kılıç said they first and foremost wanted "social and economic assurance. They want to be accepted by the public. They want their rights under Article 65 of the Constitution," referring to the article for educational rights, one of the main concerns particularly for the disabled children. Kılıç said that disabled citizens also appealed to the private sector for greater compliance with the employment quota. "They want to be able to work in environments suitable for the disabled, namely, accessibility in the workplace," Kılıç added.
Another concern for the disabled is having their wages cut due to time taken for treatment at public hospitals. As their medical condition requires frequent hospital visits in some cases, having healthcare expenses subtracted from their wages is a challenge for the disabled.
Kılıç also noted that although new social security law is a positive move for the community, disabled citizens, especially younger ones, request an
amendment in the classification of a disabled person which excludes those with minor disabilities from social security benefits.
Above all, accessibility and social inclusion is what matters for the disabled most, according to Kılıç. "Regulations to improve their lives should be more compliant with international standards," he said. He believes that changing public perception and helping people with disabilities to gain access to education such as lifelong learning classes would largely improve the quality of life for the disabled.
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