‘Empowerment’ of People of Determination begins at home

A senior government official has emphasised the influential role of the determined encouraging strength of the family and home, not only on the unleash of the potential of the People of Determination (PoD); but more significantly, for the realisation of man’s long-aspired for “equity” amidst wide-ranging differences and barriers.

Ministry of Family Assistant Undersecretary for the Empowerment of People of Determination and Senior Citizens Hessa Abdulrahman Tahlak said: “It all starts at home. A solid empowering family where everything comes together.

“In the UAE, we call them People of Determination because they have the determination. We do not consider them as People with Disabilities because they can do it, especially when we do not forget them and provide them with all they need like support and opportunities,” Tahlak added, after she welcomed Gulf Today at the “living room” of the two-year-old government office, participating in the Oct.19 to 21 “AccessAbilities Expo 2026” on Monday.

Under the patronage of Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Holding, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports, and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirate Airline and Group, “AccessAbilities Expo 2026” is at the Zabeel Halls 4 to 5 of the Dubai World Trade Centre. The theme is “Integrating Communities, Enabling Lives.”

According to Tahlak, the relevance of the family and the home, in shaping the necessary open-mindedness of each and all, towards one another, particularly concerning the vulnerable, such as the elderly and the PODs, was the reason for the “home” pavilion of the MoF at the exhibition.

She later on pointed at the lone painting at the “living room” while she explained the mission and vision, including all the functions and services, available to both the locals and expatriate residents: “We have certain programmes only for locals. We have also for all expatriates across the UAE.”

Tahlak defined PoDs “from the government perspective” as “people who fall under 21 categories of disability, internationally recognised, under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.”

Since the foundation of the MoF from the Ministry of Community Development Authority in 2024, five of the 21 on MoF list that Tahlak mentioned are the vision-impaired and the blind, the hearing impaired and the deaf, people on the autism spectrum, people with Down Syndrome, and the wheelchair-bound due to physical disabilities.

Several portals, referring to the Rights of Persons with Disablities, state that 21 include dwarfism (height of 4’10” or less due to medical/genetic causes), mental illness (substantial disorder of thought mood or perception), Cerebral Palsy, Thalassaemia, and Haemophilia.

On the other hand, Tahlak stressed that all PoDs across nationalities would be able to avail of privileges and benefits, by way of an MoF-issued “PoD card,” secured “by registering themselves over the website,” of the Ministry of Family Alusra/Ministry of Family Services Page, using their respective UAE Pass Account. She added that PoDs, through the exhibition, could apply for jobs.

The “home” has its dedicated section for this: “I am inviting them to visit us. If ever they do not have any curriculum vitae, they are going to be assisted in this area as well.”

This, as the “home” has other dedicated rooms for the portfolio of innovative projects, smart solutions, immersive interactive experiences; initiatives that focus on the early detection of autism spectrum disorder in children, vocational rehabilitation, the development of creative and practical skills, and labour market readiness.

Tahlak enumerated “awareness, engagement, and empowerment,” when asked on the core of the MoF and the UAE Government concerning the PoDs.

Citing the huge crowd late on Monday morning, Tahlak said that by way of massive awareness, the society comes to know and act upon the fundamental and possible emerging services and support for the consequent empowering productive mainstreaming of all PoDs worldwide.

“In order to develop a place, a nation and a world that is suitable and which includes everyone, we have to provide each person opportunities like employment and such as education and training, which begin within the family and the home. That is equity,” said Tahlak.