3 December International Day of Persons with Disabilities, President of the Health Tourism Council Dr. Ahmet Savaşan pointed out that the real problem of the disabled in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is that they have not been seen as equal citizens until today.
Emphasizing that the purpose of this special day is to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all areas of society; to increase awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in all areas of political, social, economic and cultural life, Ahmet Savaşan underlined that the theme of the 2019 World Day of Persons with Disabilities is “Ensuring the participation of persons with disabilities and their inclusion in the 2030 development agenda”.
Disability policies should move at the same pace as other policies!
Stating that the theme focuses on the empowerment of persons with disabilities in line with the 2030 plan and their equal conditions with all individuals, Savaşan emphasized that disability policies should progress at the same pace as other policies in Northern Cyprus.
No need to reinvent Sweden!
Stating that the Swedish government brought a new perspective to disability policy in the 2000s with the slogan ’from patient to citizen“, Savaşan said: ”As it is known, disability was seen as a “patient problem“ for many years all over the world. Sweden and a few other countries saw it as a problem of democracy and human rights and determined their policies as citizenship, equality and full participation. Although this perception has changed in developed countries, there are still a majority of countries that have not changed. The fact that this perception has not yet changed in our country is the biggest obstacle in front of the barriers. There is no need to reinvent Sweden. The correct and fruitful examples in the world should be examined and implemented in our country.”.
The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities must be respected
Emphasizing that the real problem in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is that the disabled have not been seen as equal citizens until today, Ahmet Savaşan said that in line with the Universal ‘United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities’, any discrimination based on disability in the exercise or enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field on a full and equal basis with others, He underlined the need to create a state structure in which information, education, training, health, transportation, rehabilitation, employment, social protection, funding systems, social policies and the necessary laws are in place and implemented to provide all necessary practices to eliminate exclusion or restriction. Savaşan also stated that the UBP-HP Government has given hope in this regard with the work it has initiated.
‘Individuals defined as ’disabled‘ should not be seen as ’obstacles'!
“It should be the common responsibility of all of us, especially politicians, to be the hands, arms, eyes and ears of those who are different from us, to make their lives easier, to make them feel good, to make them realize, to make them realize, to make them exist in social life,” said Ahmet Savaşan, adding that it is our greatest wish that individuals who are defined as ‘disabled’ due to legal obligations and legal requirements do not appear as ‘obstacles’ in life. On the occasion of the World Day of Persons with Disabilities, I wish a world where ‘disabled’ individuals are made more visible in society, their lives are more physically and emotionally facilitated, they have equal rights with other people without being marginalized; I would like to thank in advance on behalf of myself and our council to the politicians who will fulfill the legal requirements to eliminate the problems faced by our disabled people, to all individuals and institutions that develop awareness and support in this regard.”.
