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Ablebook Awarded at the 2024 Youth Awards for Social Inclusion

12 April 2024

With pride and joy, we announce the awarding of Ablebook at the Youth Awards 2024 of the Cyprus Youth Organization, in the category of “Elimination of Social Discrimination”. This award recognizes the commitment and dedication of Ablebook to promoting accessibility through technology. Ablebook was designed from the ground up with the goal of making life easier for people with disabilities, by providing a platform that is accessible and user-friendly for everyone. This distinction is the result of our team’s continuous effort to make society more accessible and inclusive for everyone, regardless of their different needs and abilities. Ablebook would like

The road to elections is full of obstacles for people with disabilities.

29 March 2024

Respecting the rights of people with disabilities starts with each one of us, and primarily with the state itself. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, among other things, addresses the issue of accessibility. While the word “accessibility” usually brings to mind sidewalks, ramps, etc., these days, our thoughts turn to polling stations and voting booths. Respect for persons with disabilities entails measures that allow every citizen to participate unhindered in electoral procedures. However, while in other countries there is the possibility of electronic voting, exercising the right using sign language, and ballots in Braille, in Cyprus we

Vacation Subsidy Scheme for Persons with Disabilities for 2024

28 March 2024

The Holiday Subsidy Scheme for People with Disabilities, approved by the Council of Ministers on 10/05/2022, for vacations to be taken within 2024, will operate for 2024, according to the Department of Social Integration of Persons with Disabilities (DSIPD). According to the department’s announcement, the application submission will start from March 11, 2024, and will last until November 30, 2024, or until the fund for this Scheme is exhausted. Interested parties can obtain the guide of the Holiday Subsidy Scheme for People with Disabilities as well as the application form from the department’s website: www.dmsw.gov.cy/dsid and from the Assessment Centers

Katerina Saranti: ‘I say it with pride that I belong to the disability movement

20 March 2024

In today’s episode of “When Life Gives You Lemons,” I host champion para-triathlete Katerina Saranti, who was born with a partial development of both tibias, as during embryonic development, her legs developed incompletely from the knees down. From infancy until the age of 18, she underwent dozens of surgical procedures. Katerina Saranti was born and raised in Rhodes, Greece, and from a young age, she had a passion for sports. In school, a gym teacher advised her to get exempt from Physical Education classes because it would lower her overall grade average. At the age of 17, after a trip

“The linkage of disability benefits with the Minimum Guaranteed Income creates distortions,” says the Commissioner for Administration.

14 March 2024

“Public services should reach reasonable solutions and avoid any inconvenience to citizens.” The linkage of the disability benefit with the minimum guaranteed income creates distortions,” notes Commissioner for Administration Maria Stylianou Lottides in her report, while also emphasizing that public services, particularly those dedicated to serving vulnerable population groups, should, within their discretion, seek reasonable solutions and avoid any inconvenience to citizens. Specifically, as reported, ‘XX, on July 28, 2022,

Government Willingness to Disconnect Disability Allowances from Guaranteed Minimum Income (GMI) – A New Policy Requested

11 March 2024

There is strong political will to shape special legislation for people with disabilities, aiming to disconnect allowances from the Guaranteed Minimum Income (GMI), stated Deputy Minister of Social Welfare Marilena Evangelou during the discussion on the matter in the Parliamentary Labor Committee. As Mrs. Evangelou mentioned, a first meeting has already taken place with the Cyprus Confederation of Disabled People’s Organizations (CCDPO), and consultations will continue in early March to address overall issues of social inclusion, rehabilitation, participation, as well as social benefits and services. She noted that this would involve modernizing legislation and that she personally considers the disconnecting

They will study the recognition of parents as caregivers of people with disabilities

4 March 2024

The state will study the proposal for recognizing parents as caregivers of children with disabilities, under conditions and specific criteria, according to the Minister of Labor, Giannis Panagiotou. Children with disabilities who are beneficiaries of the Minimum Guaranteed Income (MGI) and care allowance from the MGI are not entitled to declare their parents as caregivers. In most cases, one of the two parents does not work because they are responsible for caring for their child. Andreas Apostolou, MP of EDEK, submitted a question to the Ministry of Labor whether there is an intention to revise this regulation. In response, the

Episode 4: Michalis Pavlidis Shares His Story of Resilience and Athletic Dedication

1 March 2024

In the fourth episode of AbleTalks, we have the pleasure of hosting Michalis Pavlidis, an exceptional athlete and a role model of resilience and determination. Michalis was born in Limassol to refugee parents and had a passion for sports from a young age. He dedicated many years to track and field, specializing in hammer throwing and achieving numerous accolades at national and international levels. However, an accident at the age of 17 changed Michalis’s life. A car accident forced him to confront a serious traumatic situation, resulting in paralysis. Instead of giving up on his dream, though, Michalis found renewed

Cyprus’ Participation in the 62nd Session of the United Nations Commission for Social Development in New York

19 February 2024

The Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, Ms. Marilena Evangelou, participated in the 62nd Session of the United Nations Commission for Social Development (UN) in New York. The Deputy Minister emphasized, within the context of the National Statement of the Republic of Cyprus, the urgent actions and reforms that must be undertaken to achieve the implementation of the UN’s 2030 Agenda with fair, effective, and inclusive social policies. Reference was made to the broader social protection policies of Cyprus, such as, among others, the EEE, the Minimum Wage, the General Health System, the Long-term Care Services, as well as to the

Improvement of infrastructure for people with disabilities discussed by Vafeadis-Evangelou with KYSOA

14 February 2024

In an exchange of views on improving transportation infrastructure and mobility within and outside cities for people with disabilities, Minister of Transport, Communications and Works, Alexis Vafeadis, and Deputy Minister of Social Welfare and Social Insurance, Marilena Evangelou, met on Monday with representatives of the Cyprus Confederation of Organizations of the Disabled (KYSOA) at the Ministry of Transport. Following the meeting, Mr. Vafeadis stated that the problems faced by people with disabilities in their daily travels within cities, towns, and villages, as well as in their mobility both within and outside urban areas, were carefully listened to. “We consider today’s

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