A bill to legally protect people with disabilities has been proposed by the ministry of labor and social welfare and will be sent to the Majlis for approval in the coming days. Minister of Labor Ali Rabei said the bill has been debated in the Majlis Social Committee and addresses issues like employment, housing and care for mothers with disabled children.
‘’Iran Technical & Vocational Training Organization is now obliged to train the disabled and Imam Reza Mehr Fund is committed to granting loans to them,’’ the minister said on the occasion of the International Day of People With Disabilities( Dec. 3).’’ The Qur’an inspires us to especially care for the disabled and this was long before Western laws to support the disabled were enacted,’’ he said quoted by ILNA.
Rabei noted that the government is considering a 3% quota in jobs for the physically challenged. Although there has been significant improvement in their care, the existing conditions leave a lot to be desired. ‘’Presently, the family-based rehabilitation program covers 6,000 people,” he said.
There are approximately 3 million disabled people in the country and if other minor and age-related disabilities are taken into account, the disabled population will account for 10%,’’ said Rabei.
Preventive Care
The minister said some forms of disability are birth defects and some due to genetic causes – which can be prevented through research and studies. However, it should be noted that every year 300,000 people incur disabilities in road traffic accidents.
He added that ‘’mental disabilities’’ also need to be tackled through social support and strengthening family ties. ‘’We should infuse our communities with a cheerful air and ensure we are the top protagonists of the rights of persons with disabilities,’’ Rabei maintained. Home care for the disabled is also on the agenda with many people volunteering to go to a disabled person’s home to provide rehabilitation services.
Spinal Cord Hospital
A special hospital for spinal cord injuries will soon start work in Tehran and three more will operate in provinces with a high rate of spinal cord injuries, the minister said. ‘’For the elderly too, we are encouraging home care through their family members.’’ The long-awaited equipment for the disabled is ready to be supplied, he added.
Rabei said disability insurance (DI) has so far been for health care purposes and hoped this would shift toward preventive care benefits so that instances of disability would be reduced. A top priority for the government is the food security program, which has so far covered 8 million people and is being expanded so that in President Rouhani’s words, ‘’no table will be empty of food.’’
