Rehabilitation program6, which is implemented in most provinces of Iran by the Welfare
Organization and its partners. Statistics also indicate that about 9,900 children are covered by
"Atieh Insurance" (supplementary insurance). Meanwhile, the same statistics show that the
Welfare Organization covers about 75,000 students with disabilities. Accurate statistics are not
readily available for uninsured children. On the other hand, Human Rights Watch estimated 1.5
million children with disabilities of school age.
Insufficient funding has been a major issue in implementing the law and programmes to ensure
that persons with disabilities, including children, access health care.7 Insurance companies and
responsible ministries have refused to add health care services due to the insufficient budget.8
Government programs have occasionally allocated financial aid and services to those with
disabilities, including monthly stipends and cost coverage of nurses and social service
employees, like social workers and homecare workers. However, these programs depend on the
yearly allocated budget which has not been consistent each year due to limited available funds.9
Since the adoption of the law, funding necessary for the full implementation of the law and
programmes has not been allocated10, causing them to be essentially ineffective to ensure access
to health care to persons with disabilities, including children. 11 Reports suggest that, as of
January 2021, only one-sixth of the funding required by the law has been funded.12 13 According
to Welfare Organizations’ officials, only 18.5 percent of the budget needed for persons with
disabilities is allocated in the new year’s budget.14 Programs and health care services that benefit
those with disabilities remain underfunded and insufficient. This insufficiency reduces the
impact of programs aimed at benefiting those with disabilities because it renders them practically
unreliable, as they do not receive consistent funding year to year, and fails to provide consistent
assistance to those with disabilities seeking access to health care, including children requiring
these services.
Recommendation Status:
This recommendation has been PARTIALLY implemented
6
The role of CBR is to promote, support and implement rehabilitation activities at the community level and facilitate referrals to
access more specialized rehabilitation services. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK310933/
7
< https://www.ilna.news/fa/tiny/news-844559 >
8
< http://www.chabokonline.com/fa/tiny/news-673 > and < https://www.asriran.com/001H1O >
9
For example the administration allocated an aid for families who has person with disabilities among their members: <
https://ana.press/fa/news/40/515487/ >
10
< http://www.kargarnews.ir/fa/pages/?cid=46810 >
11
< https://www.eghtesadonline.com/n/23Oa > and < http://www.pana.ir/news/973129 >
12
< http://www.salamatnews.com/news/276410/ > and < https://p.dw.com/p/3U1Wn > and < https://p.dw.com/p/3U9eu > and <
www.irna.ir/news/83661478/ >
13
< https://iqna.ir/00FvEC > and < www.khabaronline.ir/news/746840 > and < https://www.eghtesadonline.com/n/282a > and <
www.irna.ir/news/83502552/ >
14
< https://www.ilna.news/fa/tiny/news-844559 >
2