TEHRAN – The International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) is globally observed on December 3. “United in action to rescue and achieve the SDGs for, with and by persons with disabilities” is this year’s theme.

It focuses on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which was adopted by United Nations member states in 2015.

The SDGs are 17 goals that nations seek to achieve by 2030 in order to make the world a better and more equitable place for all.

It is essential that persons with disabilities participate in this effort and have a large role in what happens.

It also seeks to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic, and cultural life.

On this day, various organizations try to promote the rights, dignity, and well-being of persons with disabilities at every level of society.

Iran’s services to persons with disabilities

In this regard, the Health Insurance Organization has been offering 59 services to persons with disabilities, including 14 services in orthopedics, 6 services in occupational health, 9 services in hearing aids, 6 services in physiotherapy, 11 services in speech therapy, 6 services in rehabilitation, and seven services in optometry.

A total of 4,261 rehabilitation centers are parties to the health insurance contract, and persons with disabilities who are under welfare organization’s coverage and have registered their names in the health insurance systems can receive rehabilitation services with 70 percent insurance coverage.

People with disabilities should be supported

In 2022, President Ebrahim Raisi said not only the Welfare Organization, but all institutions have the mission to provide the ground for growth, prosperity, and employment of persons with disabilities.

People with disabilities should be supported. These people should not be pitied, but should have double respect because despite having physical defects, they are effective and efficient at all levels of society, and they should have equal social opportunities with others, he further highlighted.

He went on to state that all institutions have a mission to provide a basis for the growth and employment of disabled people; the streets, public places, and private buildings should be made accessible for the disabled.

Proper attention to people with disabilities in society should become a culture, and this requires media and cultural work. Also, the government and related organizations should pay special attention to this issue, he added.

He further called on the Ministry of Labor and the Welfare Organization to take measures on their employment and prosperity.