Hamdan bin Mohammed launches "My community.. A city for everyone" initiative

Dubai: Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has launched "My community... a city for everyone" initiative, said the Media Office of the Government of Dubai "The new initiative comes in line with backing the current efforts of Dubai to empower people with disabilities within an overarching framework that contributes to enhancing the effectiveness of existing projects and initiatives, and developing more initiatives of such sort in accordance with a vision that aims to maximise the participation and integration of this category in the community, and to create new opportunities through which to overcome all the obstacles that may stand in the way of positively engaging and integrating this segment in their social environment as individuals who possess productive and creative capabilities." "Sheikh Hamdan directed all government departments, institutions and bodies in Dubai to take immediate necessary measures that would lead to concrete and tangible steps to support previous and present positive efforts in Dubai in this regard. Sheikh Hamdan also directed all government bodies to augment the new initiative and its objectives, hoping that the initiative will receive the support of all spectrums of society and be given a great deal of attention that highlights the extent of awareness of the importance of integrating people with disabilities in the society and extending to them all aspects of support to enable them to carry out their roles as individuals who are able to bring about positive change in their environment, and confirm their ability to participate in the society as people who can do good to themselves and their homeland." "The Dubai Crown Prince affirmed that disability cannot be considered a reason to withhold the disabled to positively participate, as this withholding is often a result of "mental" barrier which prevents those surrounding the disabled to recognise their own abilities, a barrier that has nothing to do with reality. Sheikh Hamdan also stressed the keenness of Dubai to overcome various obstacles which may be a reason to deny people with disabilities the opportunity to participate in the process of building of their homeland, pointing out to the fact that a considerable number of people with disabilities have been endowed by God special potential, will and determination to excel so as to distinguish them from others in a lot of areas. Sheikh Hamdan said: "We are keen to provide various aspects of care to people with disabilities and we are committed to do so in various ways; we are working to create the best environment that is supportive to them because they are an integral part of the fabric of society. We are working hard to give them a full opportunity to release their energies and to demonstrate their ability to giving, ability which is not bordered by physical disability. Our role lies in creating alternatives and solutions that enable them to exercise their normal life and to facilitate their access to all services." He added, "It is our duty to provide people with disabilities a full opportunity to employ the talents and capabilities God graced them with in what is useful to them and to their community. Enabling all segments of society is a goal which receives our utmost attention until everybody is turned into a positive and productive force; we are keen to give equal opportunities for all and we want all members of society to be positive partners in the development process. We look forward to a developmental effort which involves all groups and sectors and which is based on societal participation that does not exclude any category nor does it deprive anyone of the honour and privilege of contributing to nation-building and safeguarding of its gains. Within the framework of "My community.. A city for everyone" initiative", Sheikh Hamdan instructed the immediate drafting of a law to protect the disabled individuals in Dubai and the launch of a hotline to report any sign of discrimination, abuse, negligence or exploitation against any person with special need. The hotline should also provide information on services for people with disabilities and places where these services can be reached." "He also directed all relevant services bodies in both public and private sectors to immediately begin finding ways to serve people with disabilities to bypass mobility disability and other kinds of disabilities by providing qualified staff and experienced trainers who are aware of the best ways to provide service for people with disabilities to facilitate their access to those services easily and simply. Sheikh Hamdan also gave his instructions to the services bodies to develop training programmes for their employees to train them on "sign language " in a comprehensive manner to ensure easy provision of services to the deaf and the dumb , in addition to providing guides printed in " Braille " of all major services and make them available to people with visual disabilities." "My community ... A city for everyone " initiative was developed by the Secretariat of the Dubai Executive Council team in collaboration with the Community Development Authority following directives and follow- up from Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The initiative is aimed at launching a set of laws and legislative frameworks and initiatives that contribute to the enhancement of services infrastructure that provides access to all the facilities and benefit from all the services, provide excellent health care to people with disabilities, as well as supportive social services, and create a broad societal awareness that contributes to integrating people with disabilities and confirms their participation in community development. – Emirates News Agency, WAM