Minister of Labor and Social Security Sadık Gardiyanoğlu met with representatives of the Cyprus Turkish Association of Orthopedically Handicapped, headed by Günay Kibrit.
Kibrit briefed Minister Gardiyanoğlu on the project “Empowering Disabled Individuals: Protecting the Rights of Disabled Individuals by Removing Barriers to Employment,” financed by the European Union (EU), and presented a dossier outlining the project’s objectives.
Informing that the project will run for 30 months, Kibrit stated that in accordance with the local text of Law 64/1993 “Protection, Rehabilitation, and Employment of Persons with Disabilities,” public institutions, municipalities, and private enterprises are obliged to employ at least one disabled individual for every 25 non-disabled employees. He also mentioned that comprehensive research will be conducted among disabled individuals, and based on the scientific data obtained, barriers to the employment rights of disabled individuals will be identified.
“We are in the midst of conducting a comprehensive study on disabled employment, covering 20 public sector entities, 50 private sector organizations, and all local governments,” said Kibrit, expressing their intention to consult with the Ministry of Labor and Social Security on what can be done within the project. He sought support from Minister Gardiyanoğlu.
Kibrit also noted that they have established a platform with the participation of 11 civil society organizations working on disability rights, and they will determine a roadmap based on the results of the research.
In his remarks, Minister Sadık Gardiyanoğlu emphasized that individuals with special needs are the most sensitive issue for the Ministry of Labor and Social Security and expressed their readiness to provide all necessary support to increase disabled employment in the workforce.
Recalling that during the UBP-DP-YDP Government era, 30 disabled individuals were employed in the public sector, Gardiyanoğlu stated that, following Prime Minister Ünal Üstel’s directive, an additional 20 disabled individuals will be employed in the public sector.
Gardiyanoğlu added that they are always ready to work in solidarity with relevant stakeholder organizations based on the results of the research.
