Labor Ministry Fails to Keep Promise on Disabled People

The employment tolls for Turkey’s disabled people within a quota disappointed disabled workers who started a hunger strike.  

Labor and Social Security Minister Faruk Çelik released a statement via twitter, saying that they have employed 1013 more workers with disabilities after reactions from NGOs that 3138 was insufficient. “In the end, we have employed 4151 workers with disabilities,” he wrote.  

On the other hand, disabled people urged authorities to climb the toll around 6,000 or 7,000. 

On April 27, 2014, it was announced that 3138 workers with disabilities would be employed within a central test test (EKPSS) - a procedure that was held for the second time in Turkey. 63,357 candidates applied the exam with a high school/community college/undergraduate degree. 

Between July 18 and 24, 4 disabled people initiated a hunger strike in downtown Ankara to urge the authorities to increase to quotas to 7,000, saying that the necessary toll must ideally be 23,000.

On the eve of July 24, Minister Çelik visited the activist, pledging that their demands will be met. The hunger strike ended after that promise. 

“They didn’t keep their promise"

“This increase shocked us,” disabled hunger strike activist Bestami Turhan told bianet. 

“We live in a country where people don’t keep their promise. I find no words to describe this. They said they would assign 6,000 people and now  it is only 4,000. We are shocked. What else can we say?” 

Disabled employment gap: 23,545 

There are estimably 8.5M disabled people in Turkey. According to Law No 657 on State Worker Employment, state officers must have a 3 percent quota allocated to disabled people. 

According to State Staff Administration, the employment gap for disabled people in June 2014 is 23,545. The number of employed disabled people is 34,088 with 7,473 women and 26,615 men. 

Promises not kept before 

Similarly, promises have been made to assign 20,000 workers with disabilities within Turkey’s first employment central test for disabled people (ÖMSS). While 60,000 candidates applied, only 11,000 were employed. (NV/BM)

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.