TEHRAN – Launched in 2023 by the United Nations Iran, the program for persons with disabilities, materialized through the joint efforts of World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), has been greatly successful in improving their quality of life.

To improve inclusive service delivery, 410 professionals and frontline workers in Early Childhood Education, mental health, emergency response, and UN agencies were trained using a Disability Inclusion Training Package. This initiative strengthened their ability to provide inclusive and effective support.

For the first time in Iran, an earthquake drill was conducted in a special school for children with mobility impairments. Additionally, newly developed guidelines introduced tailored disaster preparedness strategies for children with autism, hearing impairments, and physical disabilities, setting a new standard for inclusive risk reduction.

Building on prior efforts and in 2021, the United Nations established isolation rooms in 30 facilities across 13 provinces, developed 13 risk reduction guidelines, and trained 150 caregivers, ultimately benefiting over 7,000 older persons and people with disabilities. In 2024, a study conducted by the United Nations showed that the interventions have had significant positive impacts on outbreak preparedness, reduced infections, improved care, and lowered costs. 

To promote independence and mobility, 1,099 persons with severe disabilities from low-income households in Sistan and Baluchestan—including 32 percent women and 18 percent refugees—received essential Assistive Technologies such as wheelchairs, walkers, and blind canes. Additionally, they gained access to Aids for Daily Living, including portable toilet seats and transfer boards, improving their daily functionality and quality of life.

To enhance learning opportunities, a Braille Embosser was procured for the Ministry of Education and Special Education Organization, ensuring 2,500 students with visual impairments could access inclusive educational materials. This intervention addressed 30 percent of the total national need.

Economic empowerment remained a key focus, with 135 women with disabilities in Kerman and Kohkiluyeh Boyer Ahmad receiving vocational training. Among them, 20 women participated in specialized e-commerce training through an innovative UN-led partnership with the Technical and Vocational Training Organization and the private sector, expanding their employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.

Impacts of sanctions on persons with disabilities

Speaking at the 17th Session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), Ali-Mohammad Qaderi, the former head of the State Welfare Organization, said Iran will make every effort to enhance and expand the necessary services for persons with disabilities in accordance with the framework of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The conference was held from June 12 to 13, 2024, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

“This is notwithstanding the fact that the cruel sanctions imposed by the United States and many Western countries on the Islamic Republic of Iran have significantly increased the prime costs of rehabilitation items and specialized services, and affected the economic capabilities of individuals receiving such services,” he said.

“Respecting persons with disabilities and striving to create equal opportunities for them has always been integral to our religious and national teachings, as well as the programs of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

One of the most significant measures we have undertaken to support the rights of persons with disabilities is the enactment of the Law on Protecting the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,” the official stressed.

MT/MG