Saudi Arabia joins global pledge to protect disabled rights

RIYADH: A Saudi delegation led by Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Development Tamader bint Youssef Al-Rammah took part in a Global Disability Summit in London that pledged to tackle stigma and discrimination against people with disabilities.

“The summit focused on a commitment to a charter for change which includes 10 clauses related to rights of people with disabilities in terms of education, training, employment and inclusion in society as per the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” the Labor Ministry said on Thursday.
The SDGs, or global goals, are a collection of 17 targets set by the UN in 2015 to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity without any bias.
These 17 goals include areas such as climate change, economic inequality, innovation, sustainable consumption, and peace and justice.
Speaking at the summit, Al-Rammah highlighted the importance of a global pledge that will oblige all countries to guarantee full accessibility and empowerment for people with disabilities.
Al-Rammah met with senior British officials, including Minister of State at the Department for International Development Lord Michael Bates, on the sidelines of the summit.
In her talks with the British minister, Al-Rammah stressed Saudi Arabia’s keenness to empower people with disabilities in the workforce as part of Vision 2030.
The ministry recently launched a service expediting online issuing of visas to help people with disabilities seeking work.
Al-Rammah also met Guy Ryder, director-general of the International Labor Organization, who commended the Kingdom’s efforts to empower people with disabilities and its role in supporting social protection.
The UK government’s first Global Disability Summit brought ambitious commitments from a host of governments and organizations to tackle discrimination and stigma against people with disabilities.
Nine governments planned new or revised laws to give people with disabilities greater rights, 18 governments and other organizations promised action plans on disability inclusion, and 33 governments and other organizations pledged to support more people with disabilities affected by humanitarian crises.