Handicap Union of Kurdistan urges government to release overdue salaries

Shafaq News/ On Monday, the head of the Handicap Union of Kurdistan, Saman Hussein, drew attention to the "deplorable" living conditions faced by people with disabilities in the Kurdistan Region, calling on the government to release their overdue salaries.

In a press conference, Hussein stated, "More than 67,000 individuals with disabilities have not received their salaries for 65 days, amounting to approximately 11 billion Iraqi dinars (8,377,403 USD)."

Hussein pointed out that "the weekly revenues of Al-Sulaimaniyah Governorate alone surpass the total salaries of people with disabilities for two months, raising questions about the delay in disbursing these essential payments, especially when compared to the salaries of state officials, which exceed 8 million dinars, while the salary of a disabled person does not exceed 150,000 dinars (100 USD) per month."

Hussein urged the affluent and business community to "provide support and assistance to people with disabilities during these challenging times," emphasizing the need to "stand by this marginalized and neglected group."

Last July, Hussein announced that he would run in the Kurdistan Regional Parliament elections as an independent candidate in Al-Sulaymaniyah Governorate.

Hussein told Shafaq News Agency, "I will be the first representative of people with disabilities in the legislative councils of the Kurdistan Region and Iraq in general."

"People with disabilities endure terrible conditions due to a lack of representation in higher legislative institutions. That's why I decided to run to be their representative this time," he added.

Individuals with disabilities often stage protests and sit-ins in the Kurdistan Region, demanding better financial support and living conditions from the government. They allege discrimination in employment opportunities and argue that the social security benefits they receive are inadequate, particularly in light of their significant medical expenses.

The Region is home to more than 120,000 people with special needs.