On the International Day of "Autism"
"Memory of the nation" ... "The will makes the impossible" ... the UAE's approach to supporting people of determination
Children and their companions listen to an explanation about the establishment of the union in the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Hall.
The National Archives
One of the art workshops for children.
The National Archives
The new headquarters of the Al Ain Autism Center in Al Ain, which opened on November 15, 2020. «The National Archives»
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«Memory of the Nation»
A weekly page provided by "Emirates Today", in cooperation with the "National Archives" of the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, with the aim of introducing the way life in the Emirates before the federation, and during its early beginnings, and the great effort made by the founding fathers of the state for its establishment, and linking it to what the UAE leaders achieve Today, her children are among the achievements the world has witnessed.
The world celebrates, the day after tomorrow, the International Day for Autism Awareness, which falls on the second of April of each year, according to the declaration issued by the United Nations General Assembly in 2008, which is a celebration that the UAE used to participate in, by lighting its tourist attractions and buildings in blue. And organizing many activities aimed at raising awareness of this disease and how to deal with people with it.
Mohammed bin Rashed Al-Maktoom: - "What people of determination have achieved in various fields is evidence that determination and will make the impossible." |
Constant attention
Since its establishment, the UAE has taken care of people of determination of all types of disability, and this approach was set by the founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul, in his belief that people of determination are an important segment in the UAE society, and deserve all support, care and attention, and that all An individual who can contribute to the development of society, if an encouraging environment is provided for him, and the state and its leadership continue to follow this approach, so the policies of empowering people of determination and their active integration into society have become an integral part of the state's national strategies, such as the UAE vision 2021, Abu Dhabi economic vision 2030 and the strategic plan of the emirate Dubai 2021.
Specialized institutions
The late Sheikh Zayed baptized to provide the necessary care for people of determination through the establishment of specialized institutions. Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, President of the General Women's Union, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, and President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, in 1985 visited the Elderly Department And disabled children in Abu Dhabi Central Hospital, at that time, to see their conditions and needs, and after this visit, Her Highness submitted a request to the late Sheikh Zayed, to establish a specialized center for them, and in fact the Abu Dhabi Medical Rehabilitation Center was established on November 29, 1993, which was preparing The only center specialized in the field of rehabilitation and care, as it includes: a physiotherapy department, equipped with the latest international equipment, and includes: electrotherapy, therapeutic exercise therapy, and hydrotherapy.
The department deals with inpatients to the center and outpatients referred from other hospitals. The department’s staff provides consulting services for cases in many state hospitals.
In addition, a center was expanded to receive autism cases, and an appropriate program was set up to benefit patients by holding daily and weekly sessions, and in 2000 the department set up a training program for UAE citizens from the UAE University graduates, the Department of Special Education to qualify for work, as a speech pathologist to cover all parts of the country.
Over time, the number of centers and associations specialized in treating people of determination increased, and some of them specialized only in the field of care for people with autism spectrum.
National policy
In April 2017, the UAE government launched the National Policy for Empowering People of Determination with the aim of empowering them, and achieving effective participation and equal opportunities in an inclusive society that guarantees a decent life for them and their families.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced the launch of the name of People of Determination instead of the Disabled, and ordered the appointment of an official in all institutions and service agencies concerned with looking and working to facilitate, and approve customized services for People of Determination. Under the name of "People of Determination Services Officer".
His Highness also announced the establishment of the Advisory Council for People of Determination, whose membership includes members of the community concerned with providing advice and opinion, to achieve the goals of the national policy for empowering people of determination. On the achievement of achievements, and what the people of determination have achieved in various fields over the past years of achievements, is evidence that determination and will make the impossible, and push the person to face all circumstances and challenges steadfastly to reach the goals and objectives ».
Goals and axes
The national policy aims to empower people of determination through six main axes: the health and rehabilitation axis, which includes the provision of comprehensive health care, and a set of medical examinations in the pre, during and postpartum stages to prevent disability.
It also develops research and studies on disabilities, genetic syndromes, and rare diseases that cause disability, and launches a national program for early detection.
The education axis is based on two main pillars: developing an inclusive educational system in the fields of general, vocational and higher education, providing teachers and specialists in various disabilities and stages, and opening sub-specializations for the education of people of determination by universities and institutes.
The third axis is the vocational rehabilitation and employment axis, and it aims to provide vocational rehabilitation programs suitable for various disabilities and levels of severity, and to develop them in line with the requirements of the labor market, and to launch professional certification programs for them, in cooperation with various governmental and private agencies.
The accessibility axis focuses on the necessity of providing unified standards for buildings that take into account the needs of people of determination at the state level, setting up an implementation mechanism that includes penalties for violators, and launching an award for friendly buildings for people of determination.
As for the social protection and family empowerment axis, it is based on providing social security policies appropriate to the needs of people of determination, by adopting a unified classification in the country, harmonizing local legislation and federal law with the International Convention on the Rights of Persons of Determination, increasing the number of those registered in the Disabled Card, and linking the card to services. Health, educational, etc., linking them with identity and providing suitable housing.
While the theme of public life, culture and sports emphasizes the integration of people of determination in various cultural and social activities, by organizing competitions that ensure their participation in various cultural, sports and social fields.
Autism .. what is it?
Autism spectrum disorders are a group of complex disorders of brain development.
As defined by the World Health Organization, this umbrella term deals with conditions such as autism, childhood dissociation disorders and Asperger's syndrome.
These disorders are characterized by the individual's difficulties in interacting with and communicating with society.
Estimates drawn from the reviews indicate that 1 in 160 children develop autism spectrum disorder.
Determination makes the impossible
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said: “A person’s disability is his lack of progress, staying in his place, his inability to achieve achievements, and what people of determination have achieved in various fields, and over the past years, is evidence that determination and will make the impossible and push people to Confronting all circumstances and challenges firmly to reach the goals and objectives ».
2017
The UAE launched the National Policy for Empowering People of Determination, to achieve effective participation and equal opportunities.
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