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Rabat – Morocco’s new government plans to provide lifetime financial assistance for Moroccans with disabilities, according to the new government roadmap approved by the house of representatives last week.
The Akhannouch-led government is aiming to “improve the conditions of public space accessibility and social services for people with disabilities,” says the roadmap.
The plan highlights the government’s ambition to encourage local authorities to review their means of public transport to ensure accessibility for people with limited abilities.
Also detailed in the plan are policies to encourage remote learning and teleworking for disabled Moroccans, with a focus on digitalization for those with limited mobility. This part of the government’s plan includes reinforcing teacher training to accomodate children with special needs.
Additionally, the Akhannouch government aims to provide the elderly, the most likely to suffer from disabilities, with a “social income of dignity” to guarantee direct financial assistance with daily expenses and hefty medical bills.
For this goal, the government says it will create a new fund to help people over the age 65, with an estimated sum of MAD 400 ($44.16) to be paid to them by the fourth quarter of 2022. This amount will gradually increase in 2023 and 2024, eventually reaching MAD 1,000 ($110.41) in 2026.
The government is also committing to expanding the circle of beneficiaries of social protection to all people with disabilities, by guaranteeing them free compulsory health insurance.
In addition to direct financial aid, the new government is also planning to boost financial assistance to associations and NGOs working to help the disabled starting in 2022.
These associations will be required to offer services to people with disabilities, including social and medical support, day care centers and schools, training and professional integration, and access to public services, according to specifications drawn up by the State.
The government stated in its plan it will allocate an annual budget of MAD 500 million ($55.20 million) to such entities.
According to the 2014 census, Morocco has approximately 1.7 million people with disabilities, making up an approximate about 5% of the Moroccan population.
More than 680,000 of them suffer from visual impairments, with an approximate 400,000 struggling hearing impairments, while about 950,000 have difficulty walking and climbing stairs.
