Meet sets UAE national index for differently-abled

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The 5th meeting of the People of Determination Higher Committee held through visual technology and chaired by Hessa Bint Essa Buhumaid, Minister of Community Development, recommended the necessity of an integrated strategy to empower people of determination in various fields and set a "national index" to ensure the implementation of the initiatives in the strategy to be disseminated among all relevant authorities and establish a governance framework to follow up on the implementation of the strategy to ensure the compliance of the recommendations of the People of Determination Advisory Council.

The meeting reviewed the completion of the electronic access policy for the people of determination in a collaboration between the Ministry of Community Development, the Telecommunications & Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) as well as the development of the inclusive education policy within both public, private and higher education, in cooperation with the Ministry of Community Development.

Hessa Bint Essa Buhumaid discussed with the members of the People of Determination Higher Committee and representatives of ministries, departments and relevant authorities the proposal of including sign language in the general education curriculum; the meeting also discussed the licence of practising sign language interpreters with the Ministry of Justice.

Hessa Buhamaid reviewed the features of the electronic access policy, level of achievement and implementation plan, completion stages of the inclusive education policy, contents of the basic policy, and the education trends and basics in higher education for the people of determination students.

The meeting recommended to activate the ministerial decision concerning the approval of the UAE Universal Design Code and the commitment of all relevant authorities. The meeting also recommended that the adoption of the ministerial decision to transfer the follow up of the UAE Universal Design Code to the Ministry for qualified environment be activated by transforming follow-up to the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure based on the official correspondence of the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology.

The People of Determination Higher Committee was formed by the Cabinet Decision in 2019 to represent all relevant ministries, departments and authorities to provide services for these categories as part of the provision of the best comprehensive services fulfilling the needs of the people of determination under the supervision of the Ministry of Community Development, the official ministry for reviewing the provision of these services as adequately as possible.

The People of Determination Higher Committee is responsible for assessing and examining the current reality and challenges facing people of determination, proposing legislations, policies and initiatives, pursuing the implementation of national policy plans and initiatives to empower people of determination.