Dubai: Dubai has all the ingredients to succeed in transforming the UAE into a disability-friendly city by 2020, a World Bank official said during the launch of the Dubai Inclusive Development Forum 2015 in Dubai on Sunday.
The two-day forum, which was launched here under the patronage of Shaikh Mansour Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Higher Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, aims to bring together international and local expertise to share experiences and discuss integrating people with disabilities in society.
Charlotte McClain-Nhlapo, Global Disability Adviser at the World Bank Group, said, “Inclusive planning requires us to step back and assess the current gaps in transport education, jobs and political participation. It also requires that people with disabilities be included in surveys and data collection as having a people with disabilities data base is vital.”
She also said all buildings should be designed to be easily accessed by people with disability and people with disabilities should be involved in policy making as they can be the champions of their own cause.
“Dubai has all the ingredients to succeed [become disability-friendly by 2020], the political will, resources and vision,” she said.
Establishing the city as a fully inclusive, disability-friendly city by 2020 is the objective of the ‘My Community’ initiative launched by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, in 2013.
Delivering his keynote speech, Abdullah Al Shaibani, secretary-general of the Executive Council of Dubai and vice-chairman of the Higher Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, said Dubai believes persons with disabilities will participate in the development and building of the future of the emirate.
“All government entities should cooperate to support this important segment of the society by working on the development of policies to provide all the needs that help them achieve their objectives and ensure the normal practice of their daily lives.”
Aisha Miran, assistant secretary-general of Strategy Management and Governance Sector at the General Secretariat of the Executive Council of Dubai, said at the forum their will be discussions on how to develop the policies related to persons with disabilities in Dubai.
“Throughout the stages of development of policies and programmes, we seek to involve persons with disabilities in the government work task forces formed for this purpose that are meeting today to discuss the ambitious programmes set,” she said.
Other speakers at the forum included Victor Calise, Commissioner at the New York City Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, who presented the experience of New York and the methods of achievement of inclusive development in a major cosmopolitan city.
Dr Ivor Ambrose, managing girector of the European Network for Accessible Tourism, shared his experiences on inclusive and sustainable development in the tourism plans of the city.
