New York, Muharram 23, 1440, Oct 3, 2018, SPA -- The Kingdom of Saudi Affairs reaffirmed the efforts to improve the level of services provided for people with disabilities, in order to ensure the well-being of all segments of society, accordingly, the needs of people with special needs have emerged as a top priority in formulating the policies of the 10th Development Plan (2015-2019). This came in the Kingdom's speech delivered by the member of the Kingdom's Permanent Mission to the United Nations, First Secretary Noura Al-Jabreen, during the working meetings of the Social, Human and Cultural Committee, of the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly. Saudi Arabia values the approach adopted by the Secretary-General of United Nations, in his report, entitled Action Plan for the Integration of Volunteerism into Sustainable Development Plan 2030. In this regard, the Kingdom has developed policies to stimulate volunteer ethics and develop social solidarity programs, she said, adding that these policies included a number of programs that encourage the spirit of giving and volunteering, such as the Neighborhood Centers Program, which seek to activate the social, developmental and voluntary role of the individual and the community with attention to the family. With regard to the care of persons with disabilities, the Kingdom's delegation welcomed the conclusions and recommendations of the Secretary-General, in the Comprehensive Development Report for Persons with Disabilities, the actions to be taken to increase disability mainstreaming in development, advancement of persons with disabilities, she stated. The Kingdom expressed belief in the important role of the social position, in which families live in improved education outcomes and achieving sustainable development goals, she pointed out. On the other hand, she indicated that the Ministry of Education has initiated an initiative to promote a culture of partnership, in society, and to promote school participation with the family and society. Family Affairs Council in the Kingdom is working to strengthen the status and role of the family, in society, within efforts to integrate family policies into national frameworks for sustainable development. The Council's mission is pipelined through its role in establishing the role of government agencies, achieving their goals, and coordinating them, in order to form a common vision for the family, she reasserted. In addition, there are the Quality of Life program, which aims to improve the quality of life in the Kingdom, which has been launched through the development of lifestyles, improved infrastructure and by activating the participation of individuals, in leisure, sports and cultural activities, she concluded. -- SPA 20:52 LOCAL TIME 17:52 GMT 0032 www.spa.gov.sa/w760310