President Erdoğan: Preparations for the second action plan have begun.

04.12.2025 16:01

President Erdoğan spoke at the World Disability Day Meeting. He stated that preparations have begun for the second National Action Plan on Disability Rights, which will cover the period of 2026-2028, saying, "We will share the details with the public soon. I hope that our new action plan will be beneficial for our country and our nation, especially for our disabled brothers and sisters."

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made statements at the World Disability Day Meeting for an Accessible Turkey Century held at the AK Party Congress Center. Erdoğan announced that preparations have begun for the second National Action Plan on Disability Rights, covering the period of 2026-2028, stating, "We will share the details with the public soon. I hope our new action plan will be beneficial for our country and our nation."

Highlights from Erdoğan's speech are as follows:

"My dear nation, esteemed disabled brothers and sisters, valued friends and companions in our cause, esteemed guests; I greet you with my heartfelt feelings, respect, and affection. I am very pleased to meet you at this meaningful program organized on the occasion of December 3rd, World Disability Day."

On behalf of our guests representing disabled brothers and sisters from all 81 provinces, I say to all our guests who honored our program, "Welcome, you have brought joy."

"I CONGRATULATE OUR DISABLED BROTHERS AND SISTERS ON WORLD DISABILITY DAY"

At the very beginning of my speech, I sincerely congratulate all our disabled brothers and sisters, friends, and elders around the world on World Disability Day.

I hope this important day brings blessings for our disabled brothers and sisters, their precious families, and all of our nation.

Through you, I send my greetings and love to all disabled individuals who never allow despair in their life journey, who always look to the future with confidence, and who serve as examples to all of us with their determination and perseverance.

I sincerely thank the AK Party Social Policies Management, which organized this valuable program, brought our hearts together, and enabled us to reunite with you.

I also congratulate the institutions and their managers, whose awards we will present shortly, wishing each of them success in their work and thanking them for their sensitivity to the issues of our disabled individuals.

"AS THE AK PARTY, WE HAVE A VERY GOOD REPORT CARD IN SOCIAL SERVICES"

I find it particularly important to emphasize this: Solving the problems of our disabled citizens and taking new steps in line with the demands and expectations of both them and their families is our top priority as a state. Continuously expanding the awareness base and effectively applying the principle of accessibility in all areas of life, including digital technologies, is also our fundamental responsibility.

However, all these efforts inherently require cooperation and coordination. I observe with great appreciation and satisfaction the increasing sensitivity in our society regarding this issue, with its central administration, local governments, academia, civil society, and the business world.

I express my gratitude to everyone who facilitates the work of our disabled citizens, enables their participation in social life and the workforce, and closely cares for these brothers and sisters. Both the government and the AK Party have a very good report card in the context of policies and activities directed towards social services, especially for the disabled. And we continue to support our efforts with the legal and administrative reforms we undertake.

We strongly advocate for the rights of our disabled brothers and sisters not only in our country but also on the international stage. We will continue our efforts in this direction.

"WE WILL CONTINUE TO FULFILL OUR RESPONSIBILITIES WITH A SPIRIT OF COMPLETE DEDICATION"

I must express this clearly and unequivocally: Undoubtedly, we are the community of a Prophet who said, "Facilitate, do not make difficult." We are a team that applies and strives to apply the services and works we present to our nation with this understanding.

Everything we do, we do sincerely, with love; we strive to reach our goals without deviating from the right path.

Despite all this, we may inadvertently make mistakes, have shortcomings, and flaws. But I want everyone, especially my disabled brothers and sisters, to know this: We will continue to work selflessly and sincerely until not a single disabled brother or sister remains whose broken heart is not mended, whose saddened spirit is not uplifted, and who is not provided with the necessary opportunities.

We will continue to serve our elderly, those in need, and the families of martyrs and veterans with great sensitivity, 24/7, providing them with every possible convenience. Just as we have done until now, we will continue to fulfill our responsibilities in the field of social services with a spirit of complete dedication. May God be our helper.

Esteemed guests, valued companions, there are truths in history that you cannot change, no matter what you do. No opposing environment, view, or school can ignore or deny these truths. One of them is this: Our most fundamental characteristic that distinguishes us from other nations of the world and is a hallmark of our national identity is our civilization philosophy centered on humanity, justice, and compassion. We embarked on campaigns with this philosophy to win hearts, enter souls, and spread justice, goodness, and beauty.

For a thousand years, from the Seljuks to today, just like in the famous metaphor of Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi, while we anchor one foot here in Anatolia, we have traveled the world, visiting 72 nations with the other. In almost every inch of our geography, we have not only built cities but also revived hearts.

"THE MAIN ELEMENT BEHIND OUR SUCCESSES IS THE VALUE WE ATTRIBUTE TO HUMANITY"

It must be known that for centuries, the center of our thought has always been humanity.

That is why, in our Ahi organization, with our hospitals, foundations, and educational institutions, we have meticulously focused on people, especially those in need. The concept of the individual, which only came to the agenda of the West during the Renaissance and Reformation periods, still constitutes the essence of our civilization values. We have always refrained from hurting hearts, and we have especially avoided it. Today, we act with the same sensitivity.

An important divan poet who lived centuries ago expresses our nation's attention to this issue with the following words: "Whoever touches the heart of the poor, May their heart be touched by God's grace."

Yes, dear brothers; this is exactly where we stand on the issue. Our current tradition of the social state is a continuation of our compassionate understanding of the state that has been refined over centuries. In this understanding, the participation of the sick and disabled in society has been encouraged, and they have been given significant responsibilities in both military and administrative bureaucracy, including in the critical matters discussed in the special chamber of the state. Both foundations and institutions providing education in this field have implemented a very meticulous training program for the disabled to acquire skills in arts and crafts. Many disabled individuals who have performed duties such as teaching, guardianship, and memorization have made significant contributions to both society and the state.

Especially Sultan II. Abdulhamid, that great sultan who was unjustly slandered by some, opened new schools from 1899 onwards for the disabled to receive a much higher quality education. Grand Vizier Kâmil Pasha and Minister of Education Münif Pasha also took very important initiatives in the establishment of these educational institutions during the reign of Sultan Abdulhamid Han. May they all rest in peace. May God be pleased with them.

I want to draw your attention to this point specifically. Look, the curriculum of these schools included not only music and painting but also subjects such as mathematics, geography, cosmography, and architecture. Disabled young people studying here stood out with their knowledge and found the opportunity to serve their homeland without being dependent on anyone. The glorious ancestors we are proud to be related to knew how to take these critical steps and instill these values in our nation centuries ago.

"WE HAVE DONE AND ARE DOING WHAT IS REQUIRED OF US IN SOCIAL SERVICES AND POLICIES"

Valuable guests; we are the heirs of such a perfect state, such a strong and rich tradition. Therefore, just as in all other areas, we must develop and implement our work in the field of social services in a way that honors this accumulation. Thank God, we have done and are doing what is required of us in social services and policies until today.

You are the closest witnesses to the sincere struggle we have given.

"WE HAVE TURNED A DREAM OF AN ACCESSIBLE TURKEY INTO A STATE POLICY BY REBUILDING THE SYSTEM"

When we took over the trust of the nation in 2002, the participation of our disabled citizens in social life was quite limited. There were serious problems and significant deficiencies in education, employment, and accessibility. Unfortunately, a modern system that secures the rights of disabled individuals had not been established. We pushed this picture away with the back of our hand, objected to this order, and did not accept it in any way.

By virtually rebuilding the system, we turned an accessible Turkey from a dream into a state policy.

We did this because we see our disabled citizens not as individuals who need to be protected, but as equal, dignified, productive, and strong individuals of this country.

In the last 23 years, we have taken very strong steps in this area and made significant breakthroughs. In 2005, we initiated a new era by enforcing the Law on the Disabled. By approving the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, of which we were one of the first signatories, we demonstrated a strong will on the international stage.

With the constitutional amendment we made in 2010, we explicitly prohibited discrimination against disabled citizens and secured disabled rights constitutionally. In 2013, we made urban land, sea, and rail transportation free for our elderly and disabled citizens with the free travel application we initiated. In the last 10 years, more than 10 million disabled citizens have benefited from our high-speed trains and mainline trains without paying any fees.

Additionally, we have improved the certification and inspection mechanisms in the field of accessibility more than ever before. We have issued a total of 3,992 accessibility certificates for public buildings, public transport vehicles, and open spaces. To raise awareness on this issue, we declared May 16, the last day of the Week of the Disabled, as National Accessibility Day this year.

I want to emphasize once again here: The education and employment of our disabled citizens is of great importance and priority for us. We have expanded our special education schools. We have established a solid infrastructure for our rehabilitation services. By establishing units for disabled students in our universities, we have increased inclusivity in higher education.

"IN 2002, 5,000 DISABLED CIVIL SERVANTS WERE EMPLOYED, TODAY 83,000"

We all know very well: One of the strongest tools for the equal and independent participation of disabled individuals in social life is undoubtedly employment. Thank God, we have passed a very successful test in creating job opportunities. In 2002, only 5,000 disabled civil servants were employed in the public sector. Today, this number has increased more than 15 times to reach 83,000.

With the incentives we provide to employers, we have supported the employment of our disabled brothers in the private sector as well. In the field of social support, we have achieved a complete revolution. We have developed social assistance and support services with a perspective that prioritizes human dignity. Ensuring that disabled citizens who need care continue their lives with their families and in their social environments is another priority for us. In 2002, only 5,000 people benefited from home care assistance, while today approximately 520,000 citizens benefit from this support, for which we make a monthly payment of 11,702 lira. In our day care centers, which have reached a number of 143 across our country, we carry out social, cultural, and sports activities in which disabled individuals actively participate."

We provide residential services to nearly 40,000 disabled citizens in a total of 437 care centers, 106 of which are affiliated with our Ministry and 331 belong to the private sector.

While we offer services in centers affiliated with our Ministry free of charge, we personally cover the payments for ninety-four point four percent of our citizens staying in private centers.

"PREPARATIONS FOR OUR SECOND ACTION PLAN COVERING THE YEARS 2026-2028 HAVE BEGUN"

Dear guests, another important issue we emphasize is the family-based early intervention system. As you know, it is vital for our children with developmental risks or disabilities to receive the services they need as early as possible with the earliest diagnosis. For this purpose, we provide comprehensive health, education, and social services for these children in the Early Childhood Development Centers we have launched in Ankara, Bursa, Kahramanmaraş, and Mersin. Together with their families, we decide on the steps we can take during the process, and then we set off together. In other words, our mothers and fathers, our families are at the very heart of this system. We will expand this practice to all 81 provinces, touching the lives of every child without leaving any of them behind.

Here, I would like to share this good news with you and our nation: With the Accessible Vision Document, we have transformed our disability policies into a comprehensive strategy; we have set sustainable goals in many areas, from education to employment, from technology to disaster management. We have successfully achieved a significant portion of these goals in our First National Action Plan for Disability Rights.

Preparations for our second action plan covering the years 2026-2028 have begun. We will share the details with the public soon. I wish our new action plan to be beneficial for our disabled brothers and sisters, as well as for our country and nation.

"YOU ARE EQUAL, STRONG, AND HONORABLE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTRY"

From here, I want to remind both you and all our disabled brothers and sisters who follow us through different platforms once again: You are equal, strong, and honorable citizens of this country. It is our duty to make your lives easier, to provide you with services at the highest standards, and to resolve your issues. For the state exists for this purpose. We are in these positions for this reason. Just as we have been by your side until now, we will continue to support you in the strongest way possible. Together, we will overcome the challenges. We will continue to be by your side.

"WE WILL MAKE THE 'CENTURY OF TURKEY' THE 'DISABILITY-FREE CENTURY OF TURKEY'"

We will make the Century of Turkey a Disability-Free Century of Turkey together with you. I pray that God is our helper and supporter. With these thoughts, I once again congratulate you and all my disabled brothers and sisters on December 3rd, World Disability Day.

I congratulate our institutions that have been awarded accessibility awards once again. I sincerely thank each guest who attended the program. I entrust you all to God with the hope of meeting again. Thank you, stay well, and take care of yourselves.