Activists march in Istanbul for disability rights and more accessibility

Thousands of activists marched in Istanbul in support of the right to education and healthcare for people with disabilities, while urging for more publicly accessible spaces on Nov. 30, ahead of the International Day of People with Disabilities, held annually on Dec. 3.

Some 44 NGOs representing a wide spectrum of civil society attended the demonstration, at which participants stressed that ensuring respect for disabled people in their social lives was not a privilege, but rather one of their basic rights.

"What disables us are not our physical or psychological conditions, but practices and attitudes that treat us as if we do not exist. We don't want any privileges; we want equality and justice, which are guaranteed by human rights conventions and the Constitution," said Turhan Hançerli, a spokesperson for the Turkish Disabled Association, in a public statement.

"The right to live independently is one of our fundamental rights," he added.

65 pct of Turkish disabled people illiterate

The legislation ensuring access to education, health services and labor has many shortcomings, while accessibility for disabled people in public spaces is another concern. Disabled activists often denounce the danger of walking in the streets or the difficulties they face when using public transportation, criticizing the lack of foresight by urban planners and local administrators.

During the march, activists carried banners reading "We want to be on the streets," "We don't ask for alms, but for jobs," demanding participation in public life.

Although disabled people face many obstacles in every aspect of their lives, one of their biggest problems is education, Hançerli said.

Only 7 percent of young disabled people...