Monitoring Group for Disability Rights 2

Background

It is not sufficiently monitored to what extent the legislation on disability rights is implemented in Turkey. Therefore, the complaints and suggestions cannot properly be justified and problems remain unsolved.

Project Goals

• In areas of education, health, employment and accessibility:
  • Activities such as applications for receiving information, research and media monitoring will be conducted in order to review the implementation of the legislation.
  • A comprehensive report will be prepared that will highlight the difference between practice and legislation.
  • Lobbying activities will be carried out with national/international reports.
  • Outcomes will be shared with public with a short video and various other communication strategies.

Project Results

• A video graphic and public service advertisement was prepared. The videos were watched almost 400 thousand times. The advertisements were broadcasted on different TV channels.
• Founded last year, the Monitoring Group for Disability came together for experience sharing. They also evaluated the data collected within the project.
• In order to see to what extent the legislation on disability rights is implemented, formal applications for information were made to almost 3,000 public institutions and offices. Besides, more than 3,000 news items were scanned. Finally, a comprehensive data on public services for persons with disabilities was collected in the fields of education, health, accessibility and work life.
• A comprehensive report was prepared including a remarkable amount of comparative information over the past two years and revealing the difference between the legislation on disability and its implementation.

Testimonials

"It is either direct or indirect discrimination when you find yourself unable to walk on a sidewalk which is not suitable for you and given a poor excuse that 'Our budget hasn’t allowed us to make necessary alterations'; or when your child cannot enroll in a school with the excuse 'I cannot bear the responsibility of a child with disabilities'; or when you are faced with exclusion disguised as a favor 'We would hire you if we could, but the workplace conditions are not suitable for you. We will still pay you but don’t come to work, you don’t need to'. The Monitoring Group for Disability Rights aims at 'mirroring the state' by emphasizing that the opportunities given to persons with disabilities are not a favor but the exercise of a human right.

"As the president of an association for six years, I used to think that association work was all about providing aid and socio-cultural activities. My perspective changed completely when I got to know TOHAD and became more aware of what they do in their pursuit of disability rights and advocacy. Thanks to the project, we started to advocate our rights as well-informed and well-equipped individuals with higher awareness."