Kuwait: Jasour – News Desk
The Conference and Exhibition on “Integrating Special Needs into Sustainable Development Goals” under the “New Kuwait 2035” vision concluded successfully. The event was organized by the Global Training Gateway (a non-profit organization) in collaboration with the General Secretariat of the Supreme Council for Planning and Development, the Public Authority for Special Needs Affairs, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and UNICEF.
The conference focused on two main themes: “Step-by-Step Educational Inclusion” and “Empowering Women with Special Needs.” It brought together 41 entities from government, academia, the private sector, and civil society organizations, along with experts from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar over three days with morning and evening sessions.
Hosted by Kuwait University, the conference highlighted the challenges and opportunities in integrating special needs individuals into general education schools alongside their non-special needs peers, as well as empowering women with special needs and ensuring their active role in society.
In her opening speech, Professor Kafaya Al-Alban, founder of the Global Training Gateway, emphasized that this conference is part of efforts to support inclusive education and promote a sustainable educational environment that offers equal opportunities for special needs individuals in line with Kuwaiti laws and international standards.
Dr. Jassim Al-Hamdan, Dean of Student Affairs at Kuwait University, noted that the university has graduated numerous special needs students who are now an integral part of both government and private institutions. This reflects Kuwait University’s commitment since the establishment of a dedicated department for supporting special needs students within the Student Affairs Deanery in 1995.
The conference included panel discussions and workshops featuring academics, specialists, and individuals with special needs, alongside civil society organizations related to the conference’s main themes and representatives from private schools and kindergartens. The goal was to showcase best practices in educational and social inclusion, as well as to highlight challenges and proposed solutions for effective integration
Prior to the conference, a two-day workshop on “Orientation and Mobility Skills” was conducted by Dr. Radi Al-Shabaan from Saudi Arabia, specializing in educating, training, and rehabilitating individuals with visual impairments to support their independent living.
During the conference days, two workshops on “Augmentative and Alternative Communication Methods” were presented by Dr. Maryam Al-Arifan, a specialist in communication disorders from Kuwait University, to assist non-verbal individuals due to injury or disability in communicating with their surroundings using modern manual and technological means.
Nadia Al-Mahmellan, Assistant Secretary-General for Planning Affairs at the Supreme Council for Planning and Development, stressed that integrating special needs individuals is one of the key sustainable development goals, highlighting that empowering them is not only an ethical or legal obligation but a genuine investment in building more inclusive and just societies.
Dr. Khaled Mahdi, former Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Planning and Development and a faculty member at Kuwait University, affirmed that integrating and empowering special needs individuals requires integrated efforts from both government and private institutions. He called for the development of infrastructure and engineering designs in facilities to meet the needs of special needs individuals, ensuring a fully equipped environment for them.
This event represents a significant opportunity to exchange expertise among relevant entities and to enhance efforts to empower special needs individuals, aligning with Kuwait’s vision for a more inclusive and sustainable future.
