Dubai is establishing an integrated system to improve the quality of life of people of determination

His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Supreme Committee for the Protection of the Rights of People of Determination, chaired the second meeting of the committee during the current year, which was held at the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, in the presence of committee members and representatives of a number of government agencies in Dubai.

His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum stressed that Dubai is establishing an integrated system to improve the quality of life of people of determination, through an integrated government work system that puts people at the heart of policies and services, and ensures the provision of a supportive and comprehensive environment that enables people of determination to access opportunities and services, and participate fully in the development process.

His Highness said: “Empowering people of determination is a shared responsibility, based on the integration of roles between government agencies and society, and translating policies into services and initiatives that have a direct impact on the lives of individuals and families. We work through the Supreme Committee to follow up on implementation, measure impact, and develop initiatives in line with Dubai’s aspirations to build a more comprehensive and sustainable society.”

The meeting witnessed presentations from member entities on the most prominent achievements, initiatives and proposals related to a number of vital axes, including services, inclusive education, inclusive employment, inclusive health, and ease of access, in a way that supports the committee’s efforts in following up on the implementation of initiatives and developing inclusive services for people of determination in Dubai.

During the meeting, the Community Development Authority in Dubai reviewed its efforts to enhance direct communication with people of determination in the Emirate of Dubai during the recent regional circumstances, as the authority completed 10,363 calls as part of a specific initiative aimed at checking on their conditions, monitoring their needs, and strengthening channels of communication with them, which reflects the readiness of the social services system and its ability to reach the target groups in various circumstances.

The completed communications included 693 communications with people of determination from the deaf and hard of hearing category through the Sanad visual communication application, and 9,670 communications with people of determination from various other disabilities.

Director General of the Community Development Authority in Dubai, Hessa bint Issa Buhumaid, said: “The initiative to communicate with people of determination in the Emirate of Dubai reflects the Authority’s approach to proactive work and ensuring that social services are close to members of society, especially in exceptional circumstances. Direct communication has been an important tool for reassurance, understanding needs, and enhancing trust between people of determination, their families, and the entities concerned with serving them.” She added: “Protecting the rights of people of determination begins with the ability to listen to them and reach them, then transfer “Their needs for more effective services and initiatives, and through the Supreme Committee for the Protection of the Rights of People of Determination, we continue to work with our partners to ensure that Dubai is an inclusive city in its services, environment, opportunities, and daily practices.”

The Knowledge and Human Development Authority gave a presentation on a number of initiatives aimed at enhancing the opportunities for students of determination to access more flexible and comprehensive educational paths, which included working to adopt reference options for international alternative curricula and paths appropriate to the context of Dubai, developing an integrated regulatory framework to authorize and ensure the quality of specialized programs offered to students of determination in learning environments, in addition to preparing a financial support and guidance program for parents of Emirati students, to facilitate access to alternative curricula, environments and paths, and enhance recognition of alternative paths. Alternative education and its outcomes at the national level.

Within the framework of inclusive health, Dubai Health gave a presentation on the most prominent health services for people of determination, which include prevention and early detection, through pre-marital genetic screening programs, pre-natal genetic screening, and early assessments to diagnose autism spectrum disorder, in addition to early intervention centers, and a number of specialized care and rehabilitation services.

At the academic level, Dubai Health offers a number of education and scientific research programs, most notably residency and fellowship programs that include specializations that support people of determination, in addition to preparing advanced research in genomics and neurodevelopmental development, which supports early diagnosis of diseases.

Dubai Health also contributed to supporting and financing research and treatment programs that support people of determination, by providing a number of scholarships and research in priority health fields, and implementing community programs aimed at empowering people of determination and their families, and promoting community health.

Within the Ease of Access theme, the Roads and Transport Authority reviewed the most prominent initiatives and procedures implemented to enhance people of determination’s access to transportation and parking services and facilities in Dubai, including allowing people of determination to use paid parking spaces for free, and installing awareness panels in the parking lots allocated to them explaining the value of the fine amounting to 1,000 dirhams, to reduce misuse, in addition to educating the public about the importance of obtaining permits and using the parking spaces designated for people of determination in an optimal manner, and technical linkage between Parkin and the Community Development Authority, to verify the effectiveness of the card. Sanad, before issuing the permit, also reviewed the initiative to install cameras to monitor the use of parking lots designated for people of determination, in a way that enhances the accuracy of procedures and ensures that the service reaches those who deserve it.

His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum toured the departments and offices of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority in Dubai, during which he was briefed on the progress of work and the most prominent initiatives and inclusive educational services provided to people of determination, and the Authority’s efforts to develop more comprehensive and flexible educational environments, in line with Dubai’s trends in enhancing the quality of life, consolidating the model of an inclusive and friendly city for all, and in line with the objectives of the Education Strategy 2033.

During the meeting, the committee reviewed the report on the developments of the work plan for the year 2026, which included developments in a number of main themes related to the development of the inclusive services system for people of determination in Dubai.

The report included developments in the efforts of the Dubai Government Human Resources Department in developing a policy and guide for inclusive employment procedures, implementing training and awareness programs to enhance the readiness of work environments, in addition to working on designing vocational rehabilitation programs for people of determination, and preparing for the People of Determination Forum in the Dubai government.

The report also referred to the efforts of Dubai Municipality in the area of ​​accessibility by enhancing the application of the Dubai Building Code, and working to prepare supportive legislation that ensures that buildings and facilities adhere to accessibility requirements, in addition to developing digital integration in cooperation with Google Maps to identify friendly sites for people of determination and uploading them on digital maps. The report also addressed Dubai’s trend towards adopting a more comprehensive model based on integrating people of determination into public facilities and community services, in line with the Dubai Parks 2040 strategy.

The meeting witnessed the signing of the Dubai Charter for the Emirati Sign Language for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing category, which constitutes an institutional commitment to promoting comprehensive communication, accessibility, and protecting the rights of the deaf and hard of hearing category, ensuring their equal participation in society, and in line with Dubai’s vision of building an inclusive and sustainable society.

The charter was signed by Dubai Police, Roads and Transport Authority, Community Development Authority, Dubai Municipality, Dubai Health, Knowledge and Human Development Authority, Dubai Government Human Resources Department, Dubai Sports Council, and Dubai Health, as confirmation of the integration of government efforts in developing more comprehensive services and practices for the deaf and hard of hearing category.

The meeting concluded by emphasizing the importance of continuing joint work between member agencies, and accelerating the implementation of approved initiatives and projects, which contributes to enhancing the quality of life of people of determination, developing more efficient and comprehensive services, and consolidating the Dubai model of protecting rights, empowering people, and building a cohesive society in which no one is excluded.

Mansour bin Mohammed:

• Empowering people of determination is a shared responsibility, based on integrating roles between government agencies and society, and translating policies into services and initiatives.