Abu Dhabi: Physical disabilities can never prevent one from achieving success is the message that Aisha Al Zaabi strives to convey to the UAE and the wider world if elected as a Federal National Council (FNC) member.
Currently an employee at the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce, the physically challenged Aisha intends to look after the woman, the child and the elderly, with an emphasis on those with special needs.
“I am a married woman with children and I believe that I was able to keep a fine balance between my personal life and work.”
“I am setting myself as an example to inspire other women with special needs to do so too. I am a firm believer that nothing is impossible; if there is a will, there will always be a way,” Aisha told Gulf News on the first day of her campaign leading up to the FNC elections on October 3.
Striving to push the boundaries of women with special needs and position them as core pillars of society as well as make sure they are involved in helping the country maintain its progress, Aisha is hoping to alter people’s ‘biased’ perception of those with special needs.
“We are capable of producing so much but we need to be given the chance to do so. I feel people with special needs are always isolated from the rest of the society. There needs to be a bit of integration between citizens and those with certain disabilities, who should not doubt for a second that they are not capable of giving due to their inevitable disabilities.”
Apart from societal integration, another issue Aisha aims to look after is parking spaces across the country.
“While there are a number of parking spaces across the country, I still struggle to find one from time to time. I think the main issue is that several drivers still park their cars in areas designated for special needs people, even if they don’t have the elderly or those with certain disabilities with them in the vehicle.”
“Security guards should work to monitor these parking lots and ensure they are only being used when people with special needs are present.”
Family disputes
The presence of families forms society’s basic foundation, according to Aisha, and is a central aspect that she aims to meticulously review.
“We often hear about some tragic family disputes, from divorce rates to children’s drug addiction. If elected, I’ll make sure of contacting courts and the designated familial bodies across the UAE to escalate these issues to them.”
“Given that I am also a writer and have several connections at publications across the UAE, I plan to publish articles about these people and bring their issues to life to ensure that something is being done about that.”
Importance of Arabic language
“The UAE is both an Islamic and Arab country. However, the Arabic language here is slowly fading away. The most common method of interacting with people is English and it should not be this way.”
Readjusting schools’ curricula to ensure that Arabic classes are being taught and seeing that students are also being instructed in Arabic, especially during their primary years to instil a strong Arabic foundation, are some of her solutions to address this issue.
The field of psychology
Many people tend to underestimate the significance of the field of psychology, even though it is quite a big deal in other parts of the world, Aisha said.
“The issue of depression for instance is rather prevalent and could lead to a person’s death. I want to make sure that this field becomes more available in universities and also introduce it further at hospitals across the UAE to make sure that there are qualified doctors who can help potential patients recover.”
With a country that continues to evolve at such a fast pace and with its increasing population, psychological issues will always be on the rise, which Aisha aims to gradually rectify if elected.
Political campaign
As far as her political campaign is concerned, Aisha will spend up to Dh40,000 for a start. Distributing brochures, business cards and posters as well as placing advertisements on newspapers will be the candidate’s first phase of political campaigning.
Taking part in prominent TV shows broadcast in the UAE such as Abu Dhabi TV’s Oloum Al Dar show is also another priority for her to achieve adequate exposure.
“In cases when I feel like I am still not very known to the public, I will look to boost this amount to Dh120,000 — Dh150,000 to organise more press conferences and gatherings.”
Aisha used to previously freelance for Arabic publications such as Al Bayan and Al Ittihad, where she published a number of articles pertaining to societal issues.
Maisoon Mubarak is a trainee at Gulf News
