Employment impetus vital for special needs’ people

Strengthening the integration of the people of determination with the mainstream across the spectrum has been an ongoing priority for the UAE as it strives to create an environment of equality through full employment opportunities and robust social engagement, the Gulf News said.

"Boosting this endeavour is the federal resolution passed yesterday on the rights of people of determination to be provided employment that is on an equal footing with the rest of society.

"This emphasis on parity cannot be overstated as it is the provision with the maximum power to engineer a change in the employment prospects of individuals with special needs. Unless this aspect is given the urgency and commitment it demands, and every special needs person is employed with the ethical imperative of using their skills for the right outcome, the ground reality will not reflect the principles of the UAE’s vision for an all-round progressive society," the Dubai-based daily added.

It went on to say that what needs reiteration here is that the onus of achieving this goal is equally on the private sector, adding that "the resolution encourages the private sector to integrate people of determination in their companies, and wherever prudent, grant them exemptions and incentives to accelerate the progress of inclusiveness."

"In April last year, the UAE launched a national policy for empowering people with special needs with a sweeping ambit that includes health and rehabilitation, education, vocational rehabilitation and employment, social protection and family empowerment, public life, culture and sports. It is now the responsibility of all stakeholders to ensure that this policy finds actualisation in practice and enables people with special needs, who are integral to society’s combined asset of human resources, to contribute to national development in their fullest capacity," concluded the English language daily.

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