The United Nations General Assembly declared 1981 the International Year of Persons with Disabilities. The states that signed the convention are obliged to ensure the participation of persons with disabilities in social life and their protection against discrimination and to make the services offered to society accessible to persons with disabilities.
What Does the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Cover?
There are difficulties in enjoying the fundamental rights of persons with disabilities. The education rate of disabled individuals is approximately 64% for individuals over 25. The rate of individuals with high school graduates among disabled individuals is reported as only 2%. It is proved by the data that the disabled are not at the desired level for accessibility.
Due to inadequate policies and standards, the needs of people with disabilities are not considered. Existing approaches are not suitable for people with disabilities. For example, according to the Education for All Partnership Report, which was prepared by reviewing 28 countries, it was revealed that 18 countries took little or no action for children with disabilities. In addition to the gap and lack of incentives in education policies, the lack of support for family and child is also a big problem.
World Health Survey data from 51 countries report that people with disabilities find the skills of their healthcare providers inadequate to meet their needs. People with disabilities who said they were four times more likely to be mistreated also reported that they were nearly three times more likely to be denied the necessary health care.
Beliefs and prejudices create barriers to education, employment, health care, and social inclusion. For example, the attitudes of teachers, school administrators, other children, and even family members affect the inclusion of children with disabilities in regular schools. In addition, employers' misconceptions that people with disabilities are less productive than those without disabilities limit employment opportunities.
What is the situation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Turkey?
Turkey became a party to the convention in 2008. The Disability and Development in Turkey Report of the Last 10 Years documented the development process of the rights of the disabled from 2002-2013. The Ministry of Family and Social Policies established the General Directorate of Services for the Disabled and Elderly to continue the development of the living conditions of individuals with disabilities. Working conditions for disabled civil servants have been rescheduled. A new exam called the Public Personnel Selection Examination (EKPSS) had been established so that the disabled could compete with other individuals fairly.
What is the Status of Disabled Employees in Turkey?
While the number of disabled people working as civil servants in the disabled quota was 5,777 in 2002, this figure was determined as 32,021 in 2013. Measures and incentives to improve the employment of the disabled in the private sector were adopted. Thus, it is aimed to increase the employment rate of disabled people in the private sector. In this way, the number of employees has grown over the years. The "Protected Workplaces Project" carried out by the General Directorate of Services for the Disabled and Elderly and the General Directorate of the Turkish Employment Agency is aimed to create exceptional environments for individuals with disabilities who have difficulties in everyday working environments. With the "Entrepreneurs Know No Barriers" project, carried out in partnership with the Ministry of Family and Social Policies and the Ministry of Science, Industry, and Technology, disabled individuals were assisted in maintaining their own lives. At the same time, the monthly salary rates given to people with severe disabilities were increased between 200% and 300%. At the same time, individuals with disabilities have been granted the right to early retirement.
What is being done against social prejudices?
After the studies carried out for the psychological improvement of the approach to disabled people in Turkey, rights for the disabled were also established in the legal legislation.
One of the developments that seem important is the law numbered 6462. With the newly introduced law, prejudiced words about the disabled in Turkey are prohibited.
Author:
Çağın Ergün
Source: