Cairo: Jasour – News Desk
Supporting and empowering people with disabilities, and placed it at the forefront of its concerns, especially since they are an integral part of the fabric of society and a basic partner in the development process.
It has worked to provide a supportive environment that enhances their social integration in various fields, while working to update the legislative and regulatory frameworks to guarantee their rights to obtain opportunities and services in a decent manner, in addition to interest in developing the infrastructure of many facilities in a manner that suits their needs, in addition to launching training programs and national initiatives to enable them to engage in the labor market.
As well as diversifying aspects of cooperation with civil society institutions to provide various forms of support to them, in order to preserve the cohesion of society and its ability to achieve a comprehensive renaissance, which was reflected in the vision of international institutions for Egypt’s efforts in this file.
The Cabinet’s Media Center published a report that included infographics highlighting the Egyptian state’s ongoing efforts to support, empower and integrate people with special needs into society, coinciding with the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which falls on December 3 of each year.
The report reviewed the most prominent measures to enhance the rights of persons with disabilities, explaining that Egypt was one of the first countries to sign the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2007. The 2014 Constitution also included a number of articles to regulate the rights of persons with disabilities, so that the state is committed to guaranteeing their rights in health, economic, social, political, cultural, recreational, sports and educational fields.
Sisi declares 2018 the year of people with disabilities. The report referred to the President’s declaration of 2018 as the Year of Persons with Disabilities, which witnessed the approval of the Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in order to protect their rights and integrate them into society, as well as the establishment of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities in 2019 with the aim of protecting, promoting and developing the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities stipulated in the constitution.
According to the report, the Fund for Supporting Persons with Disabilities (Able Differently) was established in 2020, and works to provide support and care in all aspects of life for persons with disabilities.
The report showed the most prominent services provided to people with disabilities, which included allocating more than 8.6 billion pounds in annual support for people with disabilities through the “Karama” program, benefiting 1.2 million people, while 57.8 thousand job seekers with disabilities were appointed in the private sector from 2014 until now.
The services also included, according to the report, issuing 1.2 million integrated services cards to help obtain the services, facilities and benefits assigned to their holders, while more than 13,000 people with disabilities benefited from the Ataa Fund, in the areas of equal educational opportunities and economic empowerment.
At the infrastructure level, 14 railway stations and 35 metro stations were equipped to suit people with disabilities, and 587 deaf and hard of hearing students were integrated into 13 universities with the support of 83 sign language interpreters at a cost of 2.9 million pounds annually.
The Cabinet report stated that grants worth 900 thousand pounds were provided annually to visually impaired students in 19 public universities.
ESCWA (United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia) has affirmed Egypt’s commitment to promoting the rehabilitation, protection, integration and participation of persons with disabilities in all aspects of life. This was evident in the amendments to the 2014 Constitution, the President’s declaration of 2018 as the Year of Persons with Disabilities, and the issuance of the Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
