Saudi Arabia is preparing a national strategy featuring 23 initiatives for people with disabilities The Ministry of Labor and Social Development will develop a national program for the diagnosis and classification of disabilities JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia is preparing a national strategy featuring 23 initiatives for people with disabilities, in addition to developing a national program for the diagnosis and classification of disabilities and creating of a unified national registry and statistics database. Tamader Al-Rammah, the deputy minister of labor and social development, told the 11th session of the UN Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) that the Kingdom has developed an initiative that promotes early intervention, expands the public schools’ integration program, provides professional training, and applies a comprehensive access program. “This year, a commission for supporting persons with disabilities has been established to act as an umbrella and reference body for keeping track of laws, regulations and policies concerning persons with disabilities, in addition to leading the implementation of action plans, empowerment plans, raising awareness and providing support and counseling,” she said. Al-Rammah added that the Kingdom has implemented many measures to provide social protection for persons with disabilities and encourage their full integration in society and the job market. “In 2000, the Disability Law was established to guarantee the rights of persons with disabilities, including protection, care and rehabilitation,” she said. “In 2008, Saudi Arabia has acceded to the CRPD and its optional protocol.” She added that the Kingdom’s vision, with its three pillars: A vibrant society, a prosperous economy and an ambitious homeland, was keen to empower people with disabilities and provide them with suitable job opportunities, an education that guarantees their independence, and all the tools they need to help them succeed. Al-Rammah explained that many institutions support the rights of persons with disabilities and offer help. “The ministry supervises 38 centers for comprehensive rehabilitation across the Kingdom,” she said, “There are also 44 specialized associations and 347 day-care centers to serve all age groups and disabilities.” She added that the King Salman Award for Disability Research was introduced to promote scientific research to address disabilities and reduce their impact. Al-Rammah also pointed out that the National Transformation Program (NTP) 2020 aims to ensure the full integration of people with disabilities in the job market. This includes the establishment of the Mowaamah program, which aims to provide suitable work environments for disabled people, according to international standards, to support their economic independence and integration into society.