Sharjah: Sharjah has received its second certificate as a ‘Friendly City for Physically Disabled, Hearing Impairment’ from World Disability Union.
The recognition was accepted by Dr Tariq Sultan bin Khadem, member of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Sharjah and head of the Department of Human Resources in the presence of Jacqueline Edambom, vice president of Environmental Facilities for People with Disabilities at the United Nations (UN), on the sidelines of the Economic and Social Council meeting at the UN Headquarters in New York City, held from August 29 to September 7.
Sharjah had won the world title for the first time in November 2018. The emirate received its new achievement at the international level, after the headquarters of the International Federation of the Disabled in Sharjah unanimously won the membership of the Advisory Committee of the Economic and Social Council at the UN.
Bold step
Dr Bin Khadem hailed the recognition “as a historic achievement and bold step towards empowerment of physically disabled people in the emirate” under the leadership of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.
The recognition is a reflection of the efforts and initiatives of Sharjah’s leadership in supporting and caring for people with disabilities and an outcome of the initiatives to support and empower this important group of society, integrating them and granting them their full rights as equal stakeholders in the emirate’s progress.
Dr Bin Khadim pointed to the special services and facilities offered for people with disabilities by educational institutions in the emirate, including public and private schools and the University of Sharjah. The emirate also offers a number of rehabilitation courses for the physically disabled. He referred to the laws that ensure non-discrimination against persons with different abilities, whether at work or in social or economic settings.
