The UAE is participating
in worldwide observance of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities,
which falls on the 3rd of December every year, under the theme “Sustainable
Development: The Promise of Technology”, where technology is key to helping to achieve the full and equal
participation of persons with disabilities, and this year's celebration comes
to consider this issue in the context of the Post-2015 Development Agenda.
This day is intended
to spread understanding of disability issues and the rights of persons with
special needs, and the gains from integration of these people in every aspect
of life the political, social, economic and cultural aspects of communities.
A billion people
with disabilities around the world are facing physical, social and conduct
barriers that exclude them from full and effective participation as equal
members of society.
The UAE was one of the
first States to care about persons with disabilities, and to provide them with
the care, attention and all their requirements, due to the wise leadership's
belief that this category of citizens deserves all the rights of living like every
other category of society, with issuing the Federal Law No. 29 of 2006 in respect of the
rights of people with special needs and which provided that " The special needs do not constitute
intrinsically an obstacle hindering from applying to enroll, join or enter any
educational institution whether governmental or private".
The Ministry of
Higher Education And Scientific Research works to support and assist persons
with special needs to receive its services to help in encouraging them to
enroll in institutions of higher education and complete their studies.
The Ministry has
provided through its website, a video chat service, to inquire about the
services provided by the Ministry through sign language, in cooperation with
the Zayed Higher Organization of Humanitarian Care where they have provided an employee to
the Customer Service Centre to communicate and respond to deaf customer’s
inquiries.
Higher education
institutions in the State are working to stand by persons with special needs,
providing them with a safe and healthy educational environment and all other
means to ensure the full participation of
students with disabilities to be like others, and to send strong messages to
the international community that disability is no obstacle in their way, but a
strong incentive to fight for their desired goal.
UAE University
recently organized a lecture entitled "The Challenges Faced by People with
Disabilities and How to Overcome Them" in cooperation with the Al Ain Center
for Care and Rehabilitation which coincided with celebrations of the As part of World Sight Day,
and explain how the cooperation between the Centre and the University in
conducting projects and research into facilitating a normal life for special
needs groups. This includes the latest developments in the white cane that is
now equipped with a vibrating sensor that protects the blind in case of any
dangerous obstacles in front of them, in addition to a helmet to protect the
head in the event of a fall.
Zayed University
also hosted the Fourth International Annual White Cane Day organized by the Office of Accessibility
in the University for two days, the activities included workshops to educate students on how to
help their colleagues with visual disabilities and way to use assistive devices
and also sign language was taught to students in both Arabic and English to
facilitate communication between themselves and their colleagues with visual disabilities.
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