Workshop on Employment Problems of Disabled People and Solution Suggestions from CHP

The second of the employment workshops organized by the CHP was held in Istanbul with the title of “Employment Problems of the Disabled and Suggestions for Solutions”. The written statement from the CHP is as follows: “The series of workshops that CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu wanted to be held to discuss employment problems and develop concrete solution proposals continues. Vice President for Social Policies Prof. Dr. The first of the workshops, planned to be held in 11 different sectors and fields in total, with the cooperation of Yüksel Taşkın and the Deputy Chairman of the Trade Unions, Artisans and Non-Governmental Organizations Veli Ağbaba, will be held in Adana on 16 June with the title of “Employment Problems in Agriculture and Solution Suggestions”. had been carried out. In this context, CHP organized its second workshop in Istanbul to develop solutions to the problems experienced in the employment of the disabled.

Kadıköy A large number of representatives of non-governmental organizations, employers, experts, activists, deputy mayors and council members, and disabled commission members of provincial and district organizations came together at the “Workshop on Employment Problems of the Disabled and Solution Suggestions” hosted by the Municipality. CHP Istanbul Deputy Mahmut Tanal, CHP Kütahya Deputy Ali Fazıl Kasap and CHP Muğla Deputy Süleyman Girgin also attended the meeting. In the workshop, which was held under the coordination of CHP Istanbul Provincial Administration's Vice President for Disabled People, Sevgi Özdemir, the problems experienced in the employment of disabled people and solutions were discussed.

Employment problems in the public and private sectors were discussed at the workshop.

Mesut Halıcı, Director of Disabled Persons affiliated to the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Social Services Department, who took the floor in the framework presentations made in the first part of the workshop, summarized the employment projects they have done for the disabled and made employment-increasing suggestions. Ankara Provincial Disabled Assembly President Veysi Sayın summarized the sources of the problems experienced in the public and private sectors in his detailed presentation and shared concrete solution suggestions. Mentioning the employment data in the public and private sectors, Mr. Sayın underlined that these figures are far from meeting the needs. He drew attention to the fact that the employment of women with disabilities could not exceed one-fourth of men in the public sector. Turkish Disabled Association Vice President Dr. Özer Güvenç, on the other hand, expressed the problems faced by the disabled in their education and working processes, and questioned common concepts and approaches by drawing attention to the social dimensions of disability, not medical.

Taşkın: One of the indicators of the civilized society is the employment of the disabled.

Speaking at the workshop, CHP Deputy Chairman for Social Policies Prof. Dr. Yüksel Taşkın said, “Today, the employment rate in the workable population of the society is around 50 percent, while the employment of the disabled who can work is around 22 percent. One of the two basic indicators of a civilized society is the employment of the disabled. Another indicator is the employment of women in proportion to their numbers. As CHP, our goal is to increase this employment rate," he said. Drawing attention to the problems of disabled people waiting to be appointed in the public sector, Taşkın said, “Although a small number of disabled people are employed, their rights are offered by the government as if it were a blessing. In the CHP government, we will fill the quotas in the public sector and we will implement policies that will make it possible to go beyond the understanding of "punish and get rid of" in the private sector. Taşkın also said that they will prevent disabled individuals from being employed in areas below their own education and equipment.

Işık: Employment demands of people with disabilities are seen as fantasy

In the second part of the workshop, participants from different fields and sectors made evaluations about employment problems. Nazik Işık, Chairman of İzmir City Commission, who spoke at the workshop, said in summary: We need new social policies for today and for the future. With the increase in unemployment rates, especially in the period of COVID-19, the employment demands of disadvantaged groups and disabled people are seen as a fantasy. The government is trying to place the system of social policies on “victimization” instead of international conventions, universal value system and rights-based approach. These are unacceptable. In order to propose concrete solutions, an employability inventory should be drawn up, especially for those who experience multiple disadvantages. We say that there is a need for disability employment policies, but this cannot be considered separately from general employment policies. The understanding that ignores the disabled needs to be abandoned. I believe that it would be beneficial to carry out studies such as the Employment Office for the Disabled.

Özdemir: The workshop will be our roadmap

The coordinator of the workshop, CHP Istanbul Provincial Administration Deputy Chairperson for Disabled Sevgi Özdemir, regarding the content of the workshop, said, “In the workshop where unemployment and employment problems and their solutions were discussed, the participants discussed the problems in different fields such as education, transportation, accessibility, discrimination, mobbing, care services together. stressed the need for While our 'Barrier-Free Life' activities continue in 39 districts under the leadership of CHP Istanbul Provincial Chair, Ms. Canan Kaftancıoğlu, the suggestions shared at the workshop mean a roadmap for us. Disabled individuals; In order to be able to support their own lives and their dependents with their own earnings, they want to be employed in accordance with disability rates, without being stuck with transportation problems or disabled quotas. They want to continue their lives in social and cultural life, without being separated, with the principle of equality.” used the phrases.

Concrete suggestions made at the employment workshops will be reported and presented to CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. It is expected that CHP Chairman Kılıçdaroğlu will share his employment proposals specific to different sectors with the public at the “Employment Convention for a Producing Turkey”, which is planned to be held in September in İzmir.