Kuwait enjoys a leading role in terms of issuing legislations on looking after people with disabilities, better referred to sometimes as people with special needs, Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah said on Monday.
Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah's statement was part of his address to the opening session of Kuwait's 5th Annual Convention on the occasion of the International Day for Persons with Disabilities, December 1-3.
This annual event is supported by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, which manifests the great attention by the state higher leadership to this category of "dear Kuwaitis," the Minister added.
Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah underscored Kuwait's keenness on whatever could help alleviate sufferings of the disabled as well as taking advantage of their capabilities and talents, so that they can play due role in building the future of their country.
The Minister also highlighted the issuance of law 49/1996, and then by law 8/2010, in line with which the Public Authority for Special Needs Affairs was established.
In addition, the Waqf Fund for People with Special Needs was launched in 1994 to finance projects that serve the disabled, including the Kuwait Center for Autism Activities.
The Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs stressed that as part of the support to the Kuwaitis with special needs, the "Journey of Hope" was launched carrying them to several Arab and foreign countries, thanks to an initiative by His Highness the Amir.
This conference, held for the fifth successive year seeks to convey a host of messages, topped with carrying on with humanitarian activities, following the example set by His Highness the Amir, conference coordinator Kifayah Al-Alban, also director-general of the Training Gate International (TGI), told the opening ceremony.
Last September, His Highness the Amir was honored by the UN as a "Humanitarian Leader" and Kuwait as a "Humanitarian Center." Other messages are directed to parents, who do the hard job, caring for their disabled kids, and legislative and executive officials to interact with this special category of the society, not only through issuance of laws but also qualification and offering them proper jobs to make life easier and help them merge in the society.
Source: KUNA