June, 2009
THE NATIONAL
Op-Ed Piece
By Victor Santiago Pineda
"The development of man is the foundation on which a nation is built. This building cannot be considered complete without first developing the citizens, who are regarded as human wealth, constantly giving." - UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
This quote well represents the connections between the people of the UAE, the United Nations' Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and UAE Federal Law 29. As of today, 139 nations, including the UAE, have signed the Convention, agreeing to the 50 Articles. The time is now for the UAE to lead nations in implementing these articles, for the benefit of the UAE, its people, and the world.
"The Convention … takes to a new height the movement from viewing persons with disabilities as "objects" of charity, medical treatment and social protection towards viewing persons with disabilities as "subjects" with rights, who are capable of claiming those rights and making decisions for their lives based on their free and informed consent as well as being active members of society." www.un.org/disabilities. Federal Law No. 29 of 2006, In Respect of People with Special Needs creates opportunities to integrate disabled persons into mainstream of society. The law mandates meaningful partnerships across sectors and regulates the construction of accessible infrastructure. It also provides people with disabilities in the UAE access to education and employment opportunities.
For the past decade I have been working on developing the Convention for all people around the world who, like me, live with some type of disability. I was born in Venezuela, a country rich in petroleum, but poor in opportunities for people with disabilities. My mother sought new opportunities and moved our family to California where my life began to blossom. This experience marked my commitment to disability rights and policy change and furthered my professional development in this field.
Often considered a burden on the community, disabled persons are regularly isolated and stigmatized by society, while the gifts these citizens could give their communities are wasted. Research and studies prove that progressive public policies towards those with special needs benefit all citizens. Recently the United Nations, the World Bank and many public and private agencies have incorporated disability considerations into project planning, design, and application. Implementing the Articles and Federal Law 29 would mirror these progressive actions, and would significantly improve access to social, educational and employment opportunities. As a country that is continuing to lead the world in new and innovative construction, it cannot be understated that it is exponentially more cost-effective to "build in" accessibility rather than "bolt it on."
Education is obviously a key element in the development of any nation, yet few disabled children in the UAE attend accredited schools which offer a certified high-school diploma; this leaves them few viable options once they outgrow their special needs center. The human impact of this is huge. A young Emirati I met, though fluent in English and Arabic, and very smart, cannot obtain a job since his entire education was at a special needs school. He has no mental disabilities, only physical ones - he uses crutches. This is a huge loss for the UAE of human potential, 'human wealth' as HH Sheikh Mohammed put it best.
Fortunately, HE Dr. Hanif Hassan, the former Minister of Education, began an innovative pilot program of inclusion that will place a cohort of special needs students across 10 public schools. HE Dr. Hanif Hassan understood that without enabling these children to attend public school, it would be nearly impossible for them to feel part of and fully participate in their society. Such integration only enriches this nation and its people; it is a vital step forward, but cannot be the last on the path to realizing the potential of all our citizens.
Providing work opportunities and education for people with special needs is not enough, we need their active involvement in the decisions that affect them. We need their voices and their vision and we need them to become self-sufficient and to contribute to their community. Many countries have started this process the UAE can too. This, according to indicators by the World Bank, brings benefits to the disabled individual, their household and to various sectors of government.
HH Sheikh Mohammed's book, My Vision - Challenges in the Race for Excellence, holds Dubai up as an example of extraordinary development based on excellent leadership, management, teamwork and timely decision-making. I hope to see all these come together in the implementation of Federal Law No. 29 and the ratification of the UN Convention Articles. People with disabilities in the UAE and their allies are the untapped human wealth sitting on our doorstep, waiting to work for us all.
"I want everyone in this country to benefit and to be of benefit at the same time." HH Sheikh Mohammed
- Dr. Victor Pineda, Fulbright-Hays Fellow 2009, Dubai School of Government
www.PinedaFoundation.org
