UAE: Jasour – News Desk
A special adviser on international disability rights at the US Department of State has made it her mission to be the voice of people with disabilities at high-level international forums, from the G7 summits to Asia and Africa.
Diplomat Sara Minkara, who lost her sight at age seven, wants more people representing governments around the world, companies, and environmental and human rights groups to be aware of the potential and needs of people with disabilities, so that inclusion is never an afterthought.
She says artificial intelligence can open up a world of opportunities for disabled people and organizations can benefit from their contributions.
Born in Lebanon, she was in the UAE recently to speak at a series of inclusion conferences in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
“We need to really bring disability into spaces that have not thought about us, about disability before,” she told The National. “Those are the areas we’ve been targeting, how do we make sure that disability is part of every lens.”
She wants people to move past the approach that people with disabilities need “charity” and must be protected. Ms. Minkara also hopes to change the perception that accessibility is merely a compliance.
Ms Minkara has travelled extensively and her team works with countries to support the rights of the 1.3 billion people with disabilities globally.
Artificial intelligence should be used to enable more people with disabilities to avail opportunities and services such a job recruitment sites and online shopping platforms, she said.
Her team promotes disability rights and initiatives to develop inclusive education, accessible technology and employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
“I continuously ask to ensure you approach things from the lens of the person with a disability,” she said. “We have value to contribute. We are people like anyone else. We can be contributors to the AI world, to the innovation world.”
