Labor Ministry ties disability pay increase to 2026 budget approval

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq’s Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs said the planned increase in allowances for full-time caregivers and the opening of new coverage for people with disabilities depend on approval of the 2026 budget. Zekra Abdulrahim, head of the ministry’s Authority for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs, said the payment increase tables have been updated with data from the Finance Ministry. She said the issuance of MasterCard cards for people with a disability rate of 75 percent and above has been completed. Abdulrahim added that new applications will also be opened if funding is made available. The number of people receiving support from full-time caregivers in Baghdad and other cities has reached 388,000, she said. The authority is also continuing correspondence with local governments over allocating 5 percent of public land and housing projects for people with disabilities. Abdulrahim said work is under way on the ID card system and employment files. She added that 906 unemployed people with disabilities have so far registered with job offices, while data updates continue for public- and private-sector employment.