Caring for people with disabilities is a critical issue facing societies both locally and globally. Almost every society has a percentage of people with disabilities who require care and support to adapt to life’s circumstances, given how their outlook on life is affected by their disability and the support they receive from others. Community participation is a civilized requirement in our current era, which presents many challenges. This underscores the vital role of institutions in improving the quality of life for people with disabilities, recognizing them as an integral part of society’s human capital. Article 10 defines a person with a disability as “any person who, according to a medical report issued by the Ministry of Health or hospitals in other government sectors, or according to an identification card issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, has one or more of the following permanent disabilities: visual impairment, hearing impairment, intellectual disability, physical disability, motor disability, learning disabilities, speech and language difficulties, behavioral disorders, emotional disorders, autism, or any other disability requiring some form of accommodations or support services.”
The article clarified that the intended meaning of facilitative arrangements and services is the engineering modifications and adaptation of working conditions and the work environment in accordance with the standards stipulated in Chapter Two of the Architectural Requirements Volume of the Saudi Building Code, and any of the arrangements outlined in the guidance table attached to the executive regulations, whenever necessary and required to enable a person with a disability to perform their job duties.
The Vision did not overlook people with disabilities, aiming to enable them to access educational and employment opportunities. Therefore, it is essential to provide distinguished operational services that achieve the objectives and enable them to participate effectively and constructively in society, as advocated by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. Accordingly, TMS Company clarified and highlighted the importance of transitional support services for people with disabilities, which should be developed and supervised by various entities. TMS provided advanced transition plans and operational methods and strategies, supplemented by various workshops to emphasize the importance of employing and empowering people with disabilities, thus activating community partnership and integrating them into Saudi society. It also emphasized the importance of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development’s efforts to empower people with disabilities and achieve the goals of “Muwaamah,” one of the programs affiliated with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development. The Social Initiative, launched in accordance with the Kingdom’s Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, aims to empower people with disabilities to access suitable employment opportunities. It also encourages private sector establishments to provide a work environment accessible to people with disabilities, adhering to specific standards and requirements that enable establishments to obtain the necessary licenses for their employment.
Its objectives include:
Raising awareness among establishments about the benefits of employing people with disabilities;
Utilizing the untapped skills and capabilities of people with disabilities; and, finally, providing a highly valuable accessibility certificate to companies that implement accessibility standards in the built environment and logistics services to support the employment of people with disabilities.
References:
(Al-Atrabi, 2020)
(Al-Rahili & Al-Sisi, 2019)