On December 3, World Day of Persons with Disabilities, President of the Health Tourism Council Dr. Ahmet Savaşan, He pointed out that one of the most important indicators of modernity is to facilitate the access of individuals with special needs to education, social and economic life like all other individuals in society and to feel happy in society and emphasized that the purpose of this special day is to promote the rights and welfare of individuals with disabilities in all areas of society; to increase awareness of the situation of people with disabilities in all areas of political, social, economic and cultural life.

“MAKING IT BETTER FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES: TOWARDS AN ACCESSIBLE AND SUSTAINABLE POST-CORONAVIRUS WORLD”

The 2020 World Day of Persons with Disabilities theme is “Making it better for people with disabilities: Towards an accessible and sustainable Post-COVID-19 World”. Ahmet Savaşan, pointed out that people with disabilities, who are already struggling with chronic diseases and experiencing various difficulties in accessing adequate health services due to their economic vulnerability, are also negatively affected by the pandemic process.

PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO BE AFFECTED BY THE DISEASE...

Savaşan said, “People with disabilities already experience difficulties in access to services and resources and accessibility during the daily functioning of society. When these individuals are infected, they are more affected by the disease compared to any individual without a disability. Because the chances of social distancing are very low for people with disabilities who depend on other people to meet their basic needs. There are also individuals who have difficulty in accessing audio and visual media warnings on issues such as protection from the virus and recognizing symptoms due to their disabilities. Due to inequality of opportunity, people with disabilities, who have high vulnerabilities even under normal conditions in society, are at risk of being affected by the disease much more during the pandemic. It is of utmost importance that the new government to be established takes the necessary steps by taking these realities into consideration.”.

NO NEED TO REINVENT SWEDEN!

Emphasizing that disability policies should progress at the same pace as other policies in Northern Cyprus Ahmet Savaşan, Reminding that the Swedish government brought a new perspective to the disability policy in the 2000s with the slogan ’from patient to citizen“, he 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 as well.”.

THE UN CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES MUST BE RESPECTED...

Emphasizing that the real problem in the TRNC is that the disabled have not been seen as equal citizens until today Ahmet Savaşan, 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 any discrimination, exclusion or restriction based on disability in the full exercise or enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field on an equal basis with others, in line with the Universal ‘United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities’.

‘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.” Ahmet Savaşan, 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 the politicians who will fulfill the legal requirements to eliminate the problems faced by our disabled people, and all individuals and institutions that develop awareness and support on this issue on behalf of myself and our council.”.