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UAE Promoting the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Saturday, 04 September 2010 15:46

UAE (Dubai) - UAE efforts to enforce the Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities was reviewed at the third Conference of States Parties of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities held in New York from the 1 to 3 September.

Abdullah Rashid Al Suweidi, Director General of the Ministry of Social Affairs, who led the UAE delegation to the conference, said a round table was held to address the right to education and living in the community with speakers calling for implementing inclusive education model, and person-centred planning for community inclusion. The round table focused on articles (19) and (24).

Article 19 deals with living independently and being included in the community.

States Parties to the present Convention recognize the equal right of all persons with disabilities to live in the community, with choices equal to others, and shall take effective and appropriate measures to facilitate full enjoyment by persons with disabilities of this right and their full inclusion and participation in the community, including by ensuring that:
a) Persons with disabilities have the opportunity to choose their place of residence and where and with whom they live on an equal basis with others and are not obliged to live in a particular living arrangement;
b) Persons with disabilities have access to a range of in-home, residential and other community support services, including personal assistance necessary to support living and inclusion in the community, and to prevent isolation or segregation from the community;
c) Community services and facilities for the general population are available on an equal basis to persons with disabilities and are responsive to their needs.

Article 24 on education says States Parties recognize the right of persons with disabilities to education. With a view to realizing this right without discrimination and on the basis of equal opportunity, States Parties shall ensure an inclusive education system at all levels and lifelong learning directed to: The full development of human potential and sense of dignity and self-worth, and the strengthening of respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and human diversity; The development by persons with disabilities of their personality, talents and creativity, as well as their mental and physical abilities, to their fullest potential; Enabling persons with disabilities to participate effectively in a free society.

Spelling out the UAE efforts, he told the UN meeting that the Ministry had published a magazine to develop positive attitudes among children towards disabled persons and inculcate the culture of respect for these groups.

School children, he said were taught how to deal and respect disabled students in the classroom and daily life practices.

According to him, the Ministry also issued the disabled travel guide book to facilitate their movement at airports and another manual for civil defence for emergency evacuation.

''The government offered free health and educational services to the persons with disability who were also granted housing units to secure decent life to them,''he said, adding that the social insurance programme offers assistance worth Dh 14.5 million a year to 3,479 beneficiaries.

On education, he explained that 394 disabled students were integrated into regular classes while those infused into private classrooms stood at 1,398.

The third Conference of States Parties of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities called to equally include disabled persons in community life, health and education systems, and to effectively fill planning and execution gaps in Government strategies that often fell short of addressing their needs, especially in times of conflict or natural disaster.

The three-day event was convened under the theme of "Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities through the Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities".

In opening remarks, Sha Zukang, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, said persons with disabilities were most likely to be poor and lack access to equal social, health, education and employment services. There was a collective responsibility to address those inequalities, notably by signing and ratifying the Convention and its Optional Protocol. In the past year, the number of signatures and ratifications had more than doubled, with 146 signatories and 90 ratifications to date.

"These results represent remarkable progress in a short period of time," he said, adding that some States also had taken measures to implement the Convention, strengthening legislative frameworks or creating new legislation.

Navanethem Pillay, High Commissioner for Human Rights, in a video message said the meeting's agenda carried far-reaching implications for the well-being, participation, inclusion and personal growth of people with disabilities. .
(WAM)

Global Arab Network

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