President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has approved the law to protect the rights of people with special needs.
The law, the first of its kind in the UAE, not only provides equal opportunities to people with disabilities, but has also removed barriers that prevented them from leading a decent life.
While the law is in place, what is needed now is a change in attitude in society to make people with special needs feel a part of the mainstream and help them realise their dreams.
One school in Dubai, Al Rabe'ei Nursery, has admitted five children with Down's Syndrome. This is a step to gauge how well these children are able to integrate with other pupils. This may be just a first, little step, but is certainly a giant leap forward in changing attitudes.
