Project offers more services to those with special needs

Abu Dhabi: People with special needs must be integrated into society whenever possible, and the community's duty towards them is to provide every means to enable them to be a contributing force in building the nation, a senior official said on Thursday.

"We all have a duty to give individuals with special needs a fair chance to prove themselves and contribute to building our nation," said Mohammad Al Hameli, deputy chairman of the board and secretary general of Zayed Higher Organisation for Humanitarian Care, Special Needs and Minors Affairs (ZHO)

Al Hameli was launching the second phase of the National Project for Inclusion, expanding services to people with special needs across the UAE.

International standards

Public and private organisations willing to participate in the programme will be asked to meet international standards to improve their services and accessibility to disabled people as part of a wide-ranging effort to assimilate people with special needs into society.

"Participating organisations will undergo a health check for their internal structure for environmental accessibility, the employment rate and other elements that reflect awareness of UAE strategic plans for the future," said Mariam Al Qubaisi, the head of the organisation's special needs section,

Mariam added the project was intended to raise awareness and understanding of people with special needs and help them participate equally with the rest of society.

"It is also meant to encourage organisations to help people with disabilities to improve their lifestyles and safeguard their human rights," she said.

The ZHO has managed to enrol a total of 34 special needs students in the last two years across government schools in the UAE and make sure close monitoring and follow-up by specially trained educators take place. Five other hearing-impaired students were sent abroad for study.

Job skills

Some of the services special needs students are currently offered at ZHO include vocational training, education and qualification services; management and investment of minor funds; social and psychological care; evaluation services, early intervention, physiotherapy, functional therapy; social and psychological care and total care for orphans.

The ZHO also helped recruit ten individuals with special needs, including seven women, in different organisations.

Mohammad Al Hosani, a visually impaired student at the UAE University, said people with disabilities battle stigma and a lack of services, "but the Inclusion Programme will make public buildings and services to accommodate wheelchairs, and students with special needs will be integrated into mainstream schools."

The ZHO have gone far in serving individuals with special needs across the UAE. Now they have their own curriculum and can depend on themselves in a lot of ways and classes have been reorganised to serve in the most comfortable possible way.

Promoting integration

Objectives of phase two of the National Project for Inclusion:

Achieve the comprehensive inclusion of individuals with special needs at all social, educational, health and environmental levels.

Ensure the principle of equal opportunities in all areas of life.

Reinforce institutional and individual partnerships for the benefit of the individual with special needs.

Promote respect for individual independence of individuals with special needs.

Ensure the rights and freedom of individuals with special needs, and determine their duties according to their capabilities and needs.