Our Minister of Family and Social Services Derya Yanık stating that Altındağ Municipality Barrier-Free Life Centre, whose foundation was laid, will be completed in approximately 6, 7 months, said: “Our centre, which includes many activity areas such as a game, sleeping and activity room, emotional relaxation garden, physiotherapy room, library, reading room, workshops, gym, dining hall, will have modern equipment to meet the needs of persons with disabilities.”

In her speech at the Groundbreaking Ceremony of Altındağ Municipality Barrier-Free Life Centre, Minister Yanık said that the groundbreaking ceremony, which revealed the strong cooperation of the ministry and local governments, pointed out how important it is to work together to overcome obstacles.

Stating that Türkiye has become an exemplary country to the world with the visionary policies it has developed in the field of social services in the last 20 years, Minister Yanık, said that with the National Action Plan on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, announced 3 days ago on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, another big step has been taken towards the goal of ensuring the full, effective and natural participation of persons with disabilities in social life.

Emphasizing that their aim is to protect the rights of persons with disabilities in every field such as education, health, employment, accessible environment, economy, care and rehabilitation services, Minister Yanık underlined that they aim to create a more livable world for everyone with all their efforts.

Pointing out that educational, social, cultural and sportive activities that increase participation in social life are carried out in the centres for persons with disabilities; Minister Yanık continued her words as follows:

“With this service model, we aim for persons with disabilities to become self-confident, productive and independent individuals. Altındağ Barrier-Free Life Centre, the foundation of which we laid here today with our esteemed mayor, will hopefully be brought to the service of persons with disabilities in the region in a very short time. In the centre, which will be completed in approximately 6, 7 months, we will present a rehabilitation centre of 3 thousand 450 square meters to Altındağ, one of the largest districts of Ankara. Our centre, which includes many activity areas such as a game, sleeping and activity room, emotional relaxation garden, physiotherapy room, library, reading room, workshops, gym, dining hall, will have modern equipment to meet the needs of persons with disabilities. When this project, the foundation of which we have laid today, is completed, life will hopefully become a little easier for persons with disabilities living in Altındağ and their families, and they will discover and experience a different side of life."

Minister Yanık emphasized that these centres will provide the opportunity for people who dedicate their lives to their relatives with disabilities to fulfill the other activities of daily life.

Pointing out that the Ministry is constantly updating its services by taking into account the needs, Yanık said, "Our families need a reliable centre where they can leave their relatives with disabilities, whom they care for from time to time for various reasons such as travel and health, even for a short time. As the Ministry, we host persons with disabilities in our institutions free of charge for 30 days in a year in order to meet this need. We offer our families the opportunity to leave their relatives in our institutions in cases such as weddings, funerals, and compulsory travel. We provide continuous residential care services to nearly 34 thousand persons with disabilities in 408 care centres across the country."

Reminding that they started home care allowance for persons with disabilities in 2006, Minister Yanık stated that 562 thousand 365 people benefited from the help they provided to those who care for their relatives with disabilities at home.

Stating that they continue to fulfill all the requirements of the social state principle in all kinds of titles, Minister Yanık continued as follows:

“In 2002, when we came to power, while 2,600 persons with disabilities were waiting in line for institutional care, currently we do not have a single person with disabilities waiting in line for care. We have also prepared our Active Living Centre Regulation for Persons with Disabilities in order to increase cooperation in providing services to persons with disabilities in the closest points, by public and private institutions and organizations. Hopefully, with this regulation that we will publish soon, our cooperation with our ministry and relevant stakeholders will increase, efficiency will be strengthened, and both quality and quantity will increase in service to persons with disabilities. This is the vision that our President has drawn for us, not to leave anyone behind. As a ministry, we are working tirelessly for this. We see these services as a requirement of the positive approach guaranteed by the Constitution. We see it as handing over the rights to their owners. By reducing the disadvantages of being with disabilities, we have set it as our main goal to use the potential of persons with disabilities in the development of our country.” 

After the speeches, Minister Yanık, by pressing the button with Altındağ Mayor Asım Balcı and the members of the protocol, laid the foundation of Altındağ Municipality Barrier-Free Life Centre.