The island is “significantly exposed,” as it does not allocate sufficient resources for social policy towards people with disabilities, according to EU data, the Cyprus paraplegic organisation (Opak) said in a statement on Wednesday.

Within the context of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3, Opak pointed out that the EU average allocated for social policies towards the community is 2.1 per cent of GDP, while in Cyprus that amount is only 0.6 per cent of GDP.

While the country’s economy is “fortunately thriving, people with disabilities, who face a high cost of living due to their disability, are not benefiting.”

Opak called for the community’s unrestricted access to health services, from which the members continue to be isolated.

According to the organisation, this isolation constitutes a human rights violation, especially for members facing the most severe forms of mobility disability.

Opak condemned the lack of accessibility to the general health system (Gesy), calling it “a blow to a resource-rich system”.

It emphasised that targeted social benefits were not an expense but an investment in a fairer society, highlighting ongoing efforts to improve accessibility and opportunities for the social integration of people with disabilities.

“The state must be supportive and stand by our side, not against us, shutting the doors of opportunity,” the statement concluded.

Parties across the island expressed their support for Opak.

Disy, in its Wednesday statement, said it consistently supported every effort by the community and contributed to strengthening the institutions and structures that provide substantial support to people with disabilities and their families.

It called for the “modernisation of relevant legislation with transparency and consultation with bodies representing people with disabilities”.

Dipa pledged to demand unified legislation and substantial support for the community, acknowledging decades of fragmentation and exclusion.

“Those people do not need occasional statements, but a solid framework of rights that supports them every day,” Dipa added.

Following closely, Alma spoke about the increased risk of poverty faced by people with disabilities, considering that access to work is significantly limited or unpaid.

“The community does not need charity, but accessibility, equality and respect,” Alma said.