The Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the UN, Ambassador Andreas Hadjichrysanthou, represented on 16 June 2022, the Republic of Cyprus at the 15th Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, held at the United Nations Headquarters.
In his intervention, Mr. Hadjichrysanthou pointed out that persons with disabilities continue to face barriers to full and effective participation in all sectors of society, making them one of the most vulnerable social groups that continue to be at risk of exclusion. The experience of the pandemic, he noted, has shown us that additional drastic measures and reforms are needed in all areas for persons with disabilities, particularly in the areas of assistive technology, work and employment and risk situations.
Among the actions that Cyprus is implementing aimed at improving the quality of life of persons with disabilities, Hatzichrysanthou added, is the provision of new social services in the community to support the independent living of persons with intellectual disabilities or A new law on the creation of social enterprises and the design of tools and mechanisms to support persons with disabilities to become employees or owners of social enterprises in the open market has also been approved. He added that the provision of rehabilitation services through the national system is being expanded to enhance early intervention for children with disabilities while measures to improve accessibility to coastal facilities, archaeological sites and museums, etc. continue. At the same time, a new law is being drafted to replace the existing legislation on special education aimed at a modern education system for all students.
Referring to Article 27 of the Convention, he noted that the Republic of Cyprus has put in place a number of measures to support the access of persons with disabilities to the open labour market. Among other things, there were specially trained Employment Advisers who gave priority to persons with disabilities in interviews for vacancies and administered programmes funded by the European Social Fund giving incentives to private sector employers to hire persons with disabilities. Other programmes include small unit subsidies for self-employment, subsidies for supported employment schemes and a quota system for employment in the wider public sector. In addition, he added, the Republic of Cyprus is promoting an initiative for a new legal framework for social enterprises on a horizontal basis for all vulnerable groups.
Referring to the field of technology, the Permanent Representative added that the Department of Social Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities implements the Programme for the Provision of Financial Assistance to Persons with Disabilities for the Purchase of Technical Equipment, Instruments and other aids, under which they have the opportunity to purchase equipment that will facilitate their life, either at home or at work.
In conclusion, the Permanent Representative stressed that the Republic of Cyprus is in favour of further measures and reforms, as well as cooperation between states, in order to expand its actions to achieve the full and equal exercise of the rights of persons with disabilities and the full implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
For the full text of Mr. Hadjichrysanthou's intervention click here.
(EK)
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