“من در حال سفر به کشور جدیدی هستم”

“I am currently traveling to a new country.”
Conversation with Ali Kalai

Milad Zowidawi is an activist for the rights of individuals with disabilities and is a resident of Germany. He was previously a member of the Blind Association of Khuzestan. In 1390, Zowidawi also participated in the national team selection camp for blind football and after immigrating to Germany, he plays for a football team in Leipzig, Germany.

We sat down for a conversation with Mr. Zavidavi, who has been active in the field of disabilities in Iran for years. We talked about the problems faced by people with disabilities in Iran, the cultural attitudes towards this issue, and his own activities during his time in Iran. He emphasized the issue of employment for people with disabilities and said, “Strange things happen in this field and there is no reason for it.” Zavidavi introduced this issue of employment as the source of depression and mental problems for many people with disabilities.

The explanation of the peace talks with this activist for the rights of people with disabilities passes under your opinion:

In your opinion, what is the biggest problem that people with disabilities face in Iran?

When the word disability is heard, people think of the word problem. Any person can have a disability. One issue is that we sometimes forget that humanity comes before disability and this issue is often not seen. It can even be extended and said that any person with any problem can be considered disabled. This means that any person from political groups, ethnic minorities, religious groups, sexual orientations, etc. can be labeled as disabled. Disability is a very real and natural issue and one of the most fundamental issues is the problem of disregarding disabled individuals as human beings. This issue is not taken into consideration in various discussions.

The problems of disabled people are numerous. Job security for them is low. The issue of disability is a very significant and real one that cannot be simply dealt with emotionally. The problem here is that the issue of disability is not properly understood. As a blind person, the only difference between you and me, a sighted person, is that my eyes are closed and I cannot see. But there is also the issue of accessibility. In Europe, there are good routes and suitable roads with proper markings for the blind to walk on.

Every person is at risk of disability at any moment. Whether in a vehicle or not. For example, a high-ranking bank employee who suddenly becomes a member of the disabled community due to an accident. Therefore, the issue of disability may arise for anyone.

One major problem is the issue of employment. There is a law allocating 3% of job permits for people with disabilities, but it is not enforced. The taboos surrounding employment for people with disabilities are also a major problem. In Europe, a blind person is encouraged to choose specific fields in order to enter the job market. For example, they are asked to enter the field of physiotherapy. This is because physiotherapy involves touch, and a blind person’s sense of touch is strong. In Europe, it has been thought and concluded that blind people should be encouraged to pursue this path, but they do not remove barriers for employment in other fields and even prioritize and accommodate them.

For example, a wheelchair-bound person, if they cannot work as a cleaner, can easily issue cards at the entrance and exit kiosks for cars and people. But the problem here is that there is no attention to detail in these matters. Even if there is a law, it is not enforced and there is no guarantee of enforcement.

Another problem in the university entrance exam is that some people have no issues, but others have quotas. However, a disabled person, for example a blind person, has a problem and may not even have access to their textbooks until halfway through the year. Another issue is the timing of the exam. It puts a lot of pressure on the disabled, and for example, having the exam in two sessions is not even considered or discussed for the blind. I’m not saying that the blind need quotas, but those quotas prevent the blind from entering university. Even among the blind, there are single-digit rankings. This is a problem that no one pays attention to.

Another problem for people with disabilities is the lack of awareness about disabilities. One person told me that until I was six or seven years old, my family thought I was hitting my head against the wall due to a mental and psychological problem. This shows the extent of ignorance in some areas, where people are not aware that there are individuals who are born with visual impairments. This means that there are times when there is a problem with recognizing and identifying disabilities in Iran.

Another problem is the issue of depression among disabled individuals, which can be very distressing for them. Because this issue can be taboo, some disabled individuals may be afraid to speak up and express their feelings. Even in normal circumstances, society may assume a disabled individual, such as a blind person, to be a beggar; even if their appearance and situation may be better than other people. However, this depression can even lead to suicide. The issue of suicide among disabled individuals is also a significant problem that has not been addressed. Because in Iran, we are faced with the concealment of the issue of suicide.

Similarly, people with disabilities face various unrealistic, exaggerated, pitying, or even condescending attitudes that create difficulties for them. Furthermore, there is a lack of accurate information about people with disabilities in society and even among senior managers, which leads to inadequate service provision for them.

For years, it has been announced in Iran that efforts are being made to empower people with disabilities. In your opinion, how successful have these efforts been?

How far can we go with this? Because there is no accurate statistical system and that in itself is a problem. There is also a lot of financial abuse in disabled environments. Maybe the government will say that we have allocated a lot of budget for this issue and there are also a lot of charitable statistics. But there are also a lot of thefts and financial abuses. Because we are witnessing a lack of economic transparency in our country. That’s why we can’t present how far and how much. Considering the situation in Iran, disabled people generally believe they have a chance to progress. For example, a disabled person from a village goes to the Olympics and wins a medal or a visually impaired person becomes a university professor or another person becomes one of the top lawyers in Iran.

But in Iran, due to lack of proper follow-up on issues and lack of knowledge, these efforts do not bear fruit as much as they should. Honesty is also lacking. In this situation, accurate statistics are not given.

In these issues and problems that you mentioned, do you think the government has a greater share or the general culture?

It is a fact that the government has a larger share. If there is a will in the government, even if the public sphere does not accept it, the government can use force and use its legal power. In Iran, the cultural sphere cannot be separated from the government. Issues such as education and employment are also in the hands of the government. For example, in terms of employment, a person may know computers and languages but still not have a job.

Do you think that this person who has no job, employers do not hire him or the government does not assist them in finding employment?

Usually, there is no large employer who can hire people with disabilities. The employer in Iran is the government and usually the jobs that a disabled person takes on in Iran are with the government; such as teaching and the like.

Does this mean that the private sector does not have the possibility to employ people with disabilities, or that this employment is not being done?

This issue has not been transformed into culture, it has not been raised and is not present in society. It may be mentioned on television, but it is not implemented.

You were active in the Khuzestan Province Association for the Blind. In your opinion, to what extent do independent civil institutions have the freedom to promote and raise awareness about the rights of people with disabilities in Iran, and what obstacles do they face?

It depends on the field of activity. See, the issue of disability has not yet become political. This is both good and bad. It is bad because the issue is not important to anyone else. And it is good because not politicizing it prevents hindering activities. But because empowerment, for example for a blind person, leads to me being able to occupy a government position, and occupying a position in Iran means depriving others (due to issues like quotas).

But in the field of disabilities, generally, single stars perform activities. For example, in a city, there is a person who does such work. Or, for example, the active person is a cinema actor (like Katayoun Riahi) who covers a field. But these activities are usually individual and not systematic. This lack of systematic approach prevents collaboration and prevents abuse. The remaining problems of disability-related institutions are no different from the problems of institutions related to non-disabled individuals. As I mentioned before, people like me are just ordinary people, only with visual impairments. When a person is like everyone else, the problems of institutions are also like the problems of other institutions in society. Disability is a limitation for the individual, but not deprivation, and they can be empowered.

What is the position of people with disabilities in Iran in terms of sports in the world? Is this position due to government support or the importance of government institutions to the issue, or their own efforts?

Before answering your question, I want to say that a person with a disability should exercise to keep their body healthy. For example, a blind person’s back can become hunched because they may not realize how they are walking or sitting. They can also develop nervous tics and depression, which can be a burden for themselves and their community. It is true that everyone needs exercise, but for a person with a disability, it is a necessary and direct form of treatment. By exercising, a person with a disability can appear more similar to able-bodied individuals in society. This is important for their self-confidence and mental well-being. This issue is a universal one, and discussions about professional sports are brought up to encourage it.

In professional sports, a part of the issue is in the form of cultivating talent. This means that the individual is capable and can progress. However, in the section related to the Federation of Veterans and Disabled, the disabled also benefit from the services of the Veterans Foundation. The head of this federation is also a very influential and successful person. The federation has been able to obtain very good facilities and has a good status at the international level. Of course, Iran wants to be among the top 10 countries in the Paralympics. It should be noted that national teams in Iran are even more supported than countries like Germany.

The point here is that the disabled community in Iran has a very large upper class. In fact, it has a large upper class and a large lower class. This also leads to some dual perspectives. Among the disabled, there are both lawyers and university professors with great names, as well as individuals who may not even be able to feed themselves. This is also true in sports. If a person puts all their effort into it, they can reach a good position.

The point here is that disabled sports is like a gladiator game. Meaning, if you win a medal in the Paralympics, you will receive a very good reward; but if, for example, a visually impaired person breaks their leg in a sport and cannot perform, in addition to their previous disability, they must also solve the problem of a broken leg and endure their difficulties on their own. In fact, they are not supported at all.

But apart from the professional sports arena – where the same problems that exist in regular sports are also evident in disabled sports – there is also the issue of the lack of inclusive sports in Iran, which is a serious problem.

You were active in Iran’s NGOs for people with disabilities. What actions have you taken for people with disabilities and what actions could you have taken but didn’t?

One of the things we did was to get disabled people out of their homes and have them participate in recreational camps or society meetings. We also produced dynamic books with the help of disabled individuals. We had a music group and also pursued the issue of painting for the blind.

We tried to promote culture with the help of the municipality. The district municipality had suggested that we take on the responsibility of organizing large celebrations. For several years, it had become a trend in Ahvaz to invite singers to perform at events alongside the Karun River. The income from this contract was supposed to go to the community and not be given to a private contractor. However, with the change in system and our departure, along with the change in the head of the city council, employees, and the municipality system, this issue was completely forgotten. Because it was not written anywhere and was not a programmatic issue, it was left to individual discretion. When it becomes programmatic, the discussion of money and fame arises and this issue becomes more damaging.

One of the areas of activity in the discussion of culture is usually cultural promotion, and one of the main focuses is working on the issue of not having a sympathetic view towards the disabled.

Let me start and answer from the work that was done. You have a music group of visually impaired people and you are performing in one of the best spots in the city in front of thousands of spectators who are supposed to see their work and this group is also a complete and ready group for the concert. In the same program, a ten to twelve year old child with his special literature said that these are “blind and lame” and they can play the guitar and we don’t have it! In this regard, these actions have had their own impact. But the problem is the lack of continuity in these actions.

We also had an exhibition showcasing the abilities of people with disabilities, where we displayed world and Paralympic cups and medals. We also brought in blind psychologists who provided counseling services to the public. We also celebrate World Blind Days.

In my opinion, the problem with Iran is not cultural development because it is a topic that is discussed frequently. However, the issue is that beyond cultural development, results must be achieved. And when cultural development is happening but does not produce results, it can lead to depression. The result of empowering a disabled person should be that they are able to work and have their own income. When this issue is not resolved, when laws like the Disabled Rights Law are still on paper and not enforced, these actions will not produce results.

As you mentioned, one of the most important concerns for individuals with disabilities is employment. With the 3% quota specified for these individuals in the law, to what extent has this issue been facilitated?

The issue of employment is separate from the issue of education. It means that the problem is caused by the issue of empowerment. The point here is that you receive education, but not being able to implement the same 3% law leads you to a dead end and causes depression. The problem is that the laws related to people with disabilities do not have an executive guarantee. When the teacher training announced that a blind person cannot participate in their entrance exam, there is no reason for it. Even in the seminary, they prevented a blind person from studying there. This means that in the field of employment for people with disabilities, strange and inexplicable events sometimes occur without any reason.

Thank you for the time you have given to the peace line.