"Open Door" Meeting at the Fethiye Association for the Deaf: Concerns Were Heard Firsthand
Association President Can Gündüz said that, at a meeting attended by officials from the District Governor’s Office Open Door Unit, the members’ concerns and requests were conveyed to the relevant departments.
This article was translated automatically from Turkish. Türkçe orijinal ›
The Fethiye Association for the Deaf held an informational meeting to address the requests and concerns of people with disabilities. Officials from the Fethiye District Governor’s Office Open Door Unit also attended the meeting.
Association President Can Gündüz noted that members’ opinions, wishes, and requests were listened to individually during the meeting. Gündüz emphasized that such meetings are important because they bring the concerns of people with disabilities directly to the relevant authorities.
Open Door Office Services Were Explained
During the meeting, officials from the District Governor’s Office Open Door Unit provided information on initiatives that could be undertaken for people with disabilities. Services offered by the Ministry of the Interior and the District Governor’s Office were conveyed to the participants.
Open Door units operate within district governor’s offices to receive citizens’ requests and complaints on-site and forward them to the relevant agencies. Applications can be tracked through a single point of contact.
“It is very important to us that our concerns are heard”
Gündüz thanked the officials who attended the meeting, saying, “First of all, we extend our heartfelt thanks to our District Governor and the Open Door Office. It is very valuable to us that they take the issues of people with disabilities seriously and listen to them.”
The association president noted that the meeting was productive in terms of conveying the challenges faced by people with disabilities to the relevant authorities and providing information on the resolution processes.
People with hearing impairments face the most difficulties in the areas of communication and access to information in their daily lives. The presence of staff who know sign language in public institutions is crucial for ensuring that official procedures can be carried out without the need for an interpreter.
Associations serve as a bridge for people with disabilities in accessing public services. When requests from members are compiled collectively, institutions can evaluate the issues holistically rather than on a case-by-case basis. It was stated that this approach was also followed at the meeting in Fethiye.
The “Open Door” initiative has been implemented in district governor’s offices and provincial governor’s offices since 2018. Applications can be submitted both in person at physical offices and through an online system, and each request is assigned a tracking number. Applications for social assistance, accessibility, and employment for people with disabilities can also be submitted through this channel.
You can follow other developments regarding Fethiye on our local news page.
