President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, "With the 2030 Barrier-Free Vision Document we have prepared, we aim to ensure that our persons with disabilities can use their potential at the highest level." said.

The "Placement of Citizens with Disabilities in Public Institutions" Ceremony was held at Beştepe Millet Congress and Culture Centre with the participation of President Recep Tayyip ERDOĞAN and Minister of Family and Social Services Derya Yanık. The ceremony started with the music concert of the Saray Barrier-Free Care and Rehabilitation Centre choir. Afterwards, the video titled "Journey to Life" prepared by the Ministry of Family and Social Services was screened.

In his speech at the ceremony, President ERDOĞAN stated that he is pleased to be at the Public Personnel with Disabilities Appointment Ceremony, which he sees as a manifestation of the ancient tradition of "let people live so that the state can live" and the "social state" principle as stated in the Constitution.

Wishing that the jobs and places of duty of the 2 thousand 927 people to be appointed will be beneficial, ERDOĞAN stated that the number of civil servants with disabilities in the public sector will reach 66 thousand with this appointment. Reminding that there were only 5,777 civil servants with disabilities in the public sector when they came to the government, ERDOĞAN said that with the appointments they have made so far, they have enabled persons with disabilities to both participate in life and turn into individuals who produce useful works for the society with them.

Congratulating Turgay KARAKAŞ, who made a speech on behalf of the persons with disabilities working in the public sector at the ceremony, ERDOĞAN noted that he served in a very important field.

Pointing out that the number of workers with disabilities in the public sector has approached 127 thousand in this process, ERDOĞAN said: "Thus, the total number of workers with disabilities employed in the public sector in the last 19 years has reached the limit of 192 thousand. Finally, 3 percent disability employment for the personnel working in 4-B, that is, contracted status in public institutions. We have opened up employment opportunities for 12 thousand citizens with disabilities by bringing the obligation." Reminding that they saved the persons with disabilities who want to be civil servants from this problem by removing the application fee for the Public Personnel with Disabilities Selection Examination, ERDOĞAN emphasized that the visibility of persons with disabilities in the private sector and their own initiatives is increasing.

Stating that now, like every citizen, citizens with disabilities can take their place in business life and reach good positions by demonstrating their skills, knowledge and efforts, Erdoğan said that they have provided grant support of up to 65 thousand liras to 3 thousand 200 citizens with disabilities to establish their own opportunities.

ERDOĞAN said: " Like many troubles we have experienced in the past, we have quickly forgotten what conditions, what difficulties, what deprivations, and what conscience-wrenching images the citizens with disabilities lead their lives in. In this country, there were people with disabilities who were condemned to live in the most remote corner of their homes, behind a locked door, without any human means. In this country, there were people with disabilities who were tied to a place with a chain or rope and were never allowed to interfere with life, even inside their own house. In this country, there were people with disabilities who were despised when they went out on the street and were subjected to very ill-treatment. We have experienced periods when the presence of a person with disabilities in any family means that the life of that family becomes dark. We have experienced periods when families, who already have difficulties in making a living, taking care of their homes and meeting their needs, were crushed under the burden of individuals with disabilities. When we came to the government, we found our people with disabilities, like all parts of our country, in the negligence, troubles and expectations of many years, and we immediately got to work."

Stating that they took measures to eliminate the financial burden of individuals with disabilities on their families, ERDOĞAN said that they ensured that they could receive the services they need with their own families, without the need for persons with disabilities to be closed to nursing homes or similar places.

Reminding that they have implemented applications such as home care support, home care assistance, day life centres, hope homes, ERDOĞAN said: "As of the end of last year, the number of persons with disabilities receiving home care assistance has reached 535 thousand 700. The number of students with disabilities receiving inclusive education in schools is from 58 thousand to 320 thousand. The number of persons with disabilities studying in special education classes has also increased from 7 thousand to 50 thousand."

"We are witnessing in the field of sports"

ERDOĞAN stated that the Students with Disabilities Coordination Centre was established, which serves nearly 50 thousand higher education students in all universities, and said: " We have not only provided education, we have ensured the creation of mechanisms that will enable persons with disabilities to access services in all areas of life. We made arrangements to facilitate accessibility in many places from transportation vehicles to buildings. We facilitated and encouraged the participation of persons with disabilities in life through the support we provided and the free transportation applications we implemented. We witness the best examples of how persons with disabilities can achieve great success in the field of sports. Our athletes with disabilities, who have won medals after medals in international competitions, are proudly waving our flag and making us happy. As we see persons with disabilities who embrace life with determination, enthusiasm and love in the cities we visit, we realize once again how right our work is. Now, with the 2030 Barrier-Free Vision Document we have prepared, we aim to carry all these efforts forward and to ensure that persons with disabilities can use their potential at the highest level."

Pointing out that there are turning points in the histories of countries and nations that gave direction to their centuries-old marches, Erdoğan noted that Turkey also experienced many turning points in this way in Anatolia, which is its millennial homeland.

President ERDOĞAN continued as follows: " Now we are in the preparations for a new historical move based on our presence in Anatolia, the 99 years of experience of our Republic and the strong infrastructure we have brought to our country in the last 20 years.”

"Turkey is getting rewarded for its preparations"

Emphasizing that while the world balances were upset by the global health crisis and the economic shocks it unleashed, President ERDOĞAN emphasized that Türkiye's preparations paid off through investment, employment, production, export and current surplus growth, and pointed out that there were also problems.

Saying: "As a country that has faced many attacks from tutelage to coups, from terrorism to economic traps, no one should doubt that we will overcome these difficulties." President ERDOĞAN continued his speech as follows: " We cannot allow some cyclical issues, especially the cost of living, to detach us from our main goals, our main vision. We are implementing our program, which we have prepared with the aim of building a great and powerful Türkiye, step by step. If you notice, the interest debate has dropped significantly from the agenda. Likewise, the exchange rate stabilized. Now it's time to bring inflation down to single digits again. The primary purpose of our economy program is not to leave our people unemployed, without food, without income. That is to strengthen employment."

"Turkey has entered the strongest period of its history in the economy"

Stating that there is no problem in industry, production and logistics, and that the tourism and construction season will open with the spring, so that the employment rate will continue to increase rapidly, President ERDOĞAN said: "Do not look at those who are trying to upset the morale of the nation, weaken their hope and instill pessimism by constantly writing disaster scenarios."

Pointing out that Turkey has entered the strongest period of its history in the economy, President ERDOĞAN said: " With the summer months, we will begin to see the positive effects of this picture together, and we will enter 2023 with a political and economic power befitting the 100th anniversary of our Republic. Let no one doubt it. As long as we protect our unity, solidarity and brotherhood. Rest assured it is very easy.” President ERDOĞAN thanked those who contributed to the services provided to persons with disabilities and congratulated those who were appointed.

"The number of students studying in special education classes has reached 49,194"

In her speech, Minister Derya YANIK stated that persons with disabilities will enter a different world in service to Turkey by participating in employment and production in line with their education and abilities. He stated that he never made peace with the mentality that says he has never allowed the massacres of persons with disabilities, the elderly, women, and ethnic and religious massacres, which have been experienced in other parts of the world under the influence of immoral utopias.

Emphasizing that they attach importance to the implementation of services and works on the basis of social rights, inclusivity and dignity, Yanık said, "Türkish Disability Act and legislative amendments that came into force in 2005 have clearly demonstrated our difference in understanding in this area. It has been determined as our basic principle to ensure the full and equal participation of our citizens with disabilities in life and to facilitate them to be a natural part of social life. In this context, one of the most sensitive issues we focus on is that the right to education, which is one of the fundamental rights of every citizen, is 'usable' for our citizens with disabilities."

Minister YANIK stated that they have implemented practices that will minimize the inequality of opportunity with individualized education and support programs in schools, and as a result of the studies, the number of students studying in special education classes has reached 49 thousand 194 by the end of 2021, while it was 6 thousand 912 in 2002. Emphasizing that they try to show the same sensitivity to students with disabilities in higher education, Yanık said that the number of Students with Disabilities Coordination Centres established in 2006 with a regulation reached 207 as of January 2021.

Pointing out that the spatial accessibility of schools is one of the most fundamental conditions of the right to education, and that independent and safe access to workplaces, open spaces and public transport is the right and need of every disabled person, Yanık said that the works they started with the goal of 100% accessibility, and underlined that they have taken use of information and communication technologies to a higher level with activities aimed. Pointing out that the declaration of 2020 as the "Year of Accessibility" by President Recep Tayyip ERDOĞAN has accelerated the work, YANIK stated that the most important document revealed by this transformative vision is the 2030 Disability Vision Document announced by President ERDOĞAN on December 3, International Day of Persons with Disabilities. .

"The number of civil servants with disabilities employed in the public sector with new appointments will exceed 66 thousand"

Minister YANIK pointed out that the vision document, which sets the roadmap until 2030, is part of the goal of an inclusive, equitable, sustainable and more prosperous Türkiye, and continued as follows: " According to current data, individuals with disabilities, who make up 12.3 percent of our population, are important both as a potential for our country and as a mirror of our understanding of the social state. With the appointment of 2,927 of our citizens as civil servants, we demonstrate that we maintain our determination in this regard. With the new appointments, the number of civil servants with disabilities employed in the public sector will exceed 66 thousand. Under the leadership of our President, we have increased the number of civil servants with disabilities 10 times during this 20-year service period. We have tripled the number of workers with disabilities. This situation is a sign of our desire to see all our citizens in employment in the development of our country, it is an expression that we do not see any obstacles in front of the service and in fact you do not. In addition, it is of particular importance that our citizens with disabilities acquire the qualifications to respond to their employment demands. In this context, we also carry out our efforts to direct persons with disabilities to more qualified jobs with integrative new generation employment models. Giving the right to be appointed to career professions in the employment of persons with disabilities in the public is one of the strong steps of this."

"We are diversifying home care models"

Minister YANIK stated that working in a job is not only a means of earning an income for citizens with disabilities, but also stands out with self-confidence and personality development, socialization and social reputation gains, as in every part of the society.

Pointing out that with the Protected Employment Model implemented in 2006, they also provide employment opportunities for citizens with mental and intellectual disabilities, who are the most disadvantaged group, and informed that 108 persons with mental and intellectual disabilities are employed in 13 protected workplaces in Turkey. Indicating that as the Ministry, they continue their family-oriented work in all services, as well as in areas related to persons with disabilities, Yanık said that they have diversified their home care models to care for persons with disabilities in conditions where age or disability does not allow them to participate in production.

Later, when a citizen in the hall asked for disability salaries, YANIK said, "We are working on all of them." Explaining that the Ministry carries out home health service program, home care support program, home care pension, home-type social service organizations and community mental health centres and supportive day care services, Yanık said that they will continue to be with citizens with disabilities while taking all these steps one by one,” She stressed that they will move forward with determination. Stating for citizens with disabilities, "We are aware that you expect more disability quotas in the public sector." YANIK said:

" I do not count the collective meetings that I and my friends have held regularly on that day of citizens with disabilities and after, with all groups who have requested and wanted to meet with us, and with civil society organizations with persons with disabilities, since we took office, we listen to each of you individually and receive requests and problems. We are sincerely working on our work in this regard in line with the instructions of our President and in line with the vision he has drawn for us. I am extremely happy to see this. Since we came from a society that 20 years ago did not take persons with disabilities out on the streets and was almost ashamed of having persons with disabilities (you are the closest witnesses of this), today we have come to be a society with persons with disabilities on the street, in social life, in employment, at every point, and today it is more socialization, more I am very happy that there are requests to participate in life and to benefit from the opportunities provided by a more prosperous society. I would like to express my gratitude to our President for providing this, for the 20 years we have left behind."

Minister YANIK pointed out that they come together with citizens with disabilities on every occasion and said: " But I want to express this sincerely. Your demands, your complaints, your criticisms, your comments are those that shed light on our work. We are aware of the problems, we are aware of the demands and evolving needs. At this point, please give us some time and continue to trust.”

After the speeches, the painting titled "Lighthouse" by Hamide COŞKUN and Aysel KÜRKÇÜ, who stayed at Saray Barrier-Free Care and Rehabilitation Centre, was presented to President Erdoğan. Later, President Erdoğan and Minister of Family and Social Services Derya YANIK pressed the button and appointed persons with disabilities. President ERDOĞAN counted some of the appointed names and conveyed his "good luck" wishes. Thus, persons with disabilities were appointed to 88 public institutions and organizations, 2 thousand 927 vacancies in 44 different titles and classes in 81 provinces, 62 of them primary education, 727 secondary education, 603 associate degree, 1,535 undergraduate graduates.