People with disabilities in Greece: Lack of services, support, insecurity, and anger

This year “is proven to be worse than 2024 for people with disabilities (AmeA) in Greece,” president of the National Confederation of People with Disabilities Ioannis Vardakastanis said at a press conference on Monday. He presented the results of the 1st Regular Barometer of Rights by the Confederation’s observatory for people with disabilities and/or chronic or rare conditions.

The national survey was conducted from October 7 to November 3 in a sample of 2,716 individuals with disabilities, chronic and/or rare conditions.

Some of the survey’s results are the following:

– 4 in 10 people (39.5%) with disabilities are either somewhat or not at all informed about their rights, while the information is carried out by related associations rather than public or relevant agencies.

– In contacts with public services, 6 in 10 people believe the officials they spoke to are not adequately trained to serve AmeA on the basis of equality.

– 75% believe that they are not adequately protected by laws and justice when facing violations of their rights.

– In terms of work, over 6 in 10 participants aged 25-44 have never worked, while over 50% have worked in the past but are currently unemployed.

– 72% lack supportive technology to use the web, and 51% of those who need mobility assistance aids do not have them.

– In terms of income, one-fourth of those queried live in households with a total monthly income of up to 600 euros. Of these, 50% earn up to 385 euros per month, while 25% earn 0 (zero) to 230 euros.

Overall, the presenters said, the survey showed that people with disabilities who belong to lower-income classes cannot meet the expenses needed to manage their state of health, while the dominant feelings of all those surveyed include insecurity, frustration, uncertainty, fear, stress, anger, sadness, loneliness, rejection, and injustice.

The report highlighted “deep institutional shortfalls and lack of action”, while people with disabilities experience “systematic discrimination and disparagement, expressing a lack of confidence in the implementation of laws and justice,” Vardakastanis said.

PS Today, Wednesday, government and opposition politicians expressed their support to people with disabilities. Oh! it’s just the International Day…