Persons with an intellectual disability often face limitations when it comes to claiming their rights. With this in mind, and following pressure from many parents of “mentally handicapped individuals”, in 1989 special legislation was approved in Cyprus, namely, the 117/89 “Law for the Mentally Retarded”. This law designates the “Committee for the Protection of the Rights of People with a Mental Handicap” as the appropriate authority for advocating and promoting the rights of people with an intellectual disability on the island. The Committee’s name was amended by the Law 11(I)/2018 and is now renamed “Committee for the Protection of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities”.

In order to ensure that the law is as effective as possible and at the same time remains up to date with contemporary policies and practices, the Ministry of Labour, Welfare and Social Insurance is in the process of evaluating an amendment to the law based  on the implementation of the U.N Convention for the Rights of People with Disabilities.