Saudi Arabia reiterated its commitment to the rights of persons with disabilities. This came in the fold of a speech of the Kingdom, in the 9th Conference of the States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, taking place here and delivered by the Head of the Saudi delegation to the conference Dr. Ahmed bin Saleh Al-Saif, who pointed out that this conference calls to consider application of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and exchange of experiences between the States Parties, for its implementation. There would be no inclusive society or sustainable development without enabling persons with disabilities as part of the humanitarian system, by enhancing their full and effective participation in the economic, social, political, civil and cultural development of their societies, noting that this is not a moral imperative, rather it is the pledge of the international commitment, and indicating that the Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities, is the cornerstone of all standards, requirements and procedures provided for people with disabilities, he commented. He explained that Saudi Arabia has ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2008, and since, it is working to take actions that would promote the rights of persons with disabilities, in accordance with the terms of the agreement, pointing out that the Cabinet's decision last year, which included several reform recommendations related to conditions of disability in the Kingdom, including the revision of the Disability Act and all relevant legislation, and the preparation of a comprehensive national strategy, accompanied by a time-table plan of disability, in Saudi Arabia, carried out by the Ministry of Labor and Social Development, in collaboration with the relevant authorities. The Kingdom will launch this strategy, which is compatible in its entirety with the terms of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, in terms of the principles of legislative and executive actions, pointing out that the manifestation of this strategy is its emphasis on the principle of equality and non-discrimination, on the basis of disability and work through the issuance of legal regulations governing eligibility of all legal persons with disabilities or without, in addition to facilitating access of persons with disabilities to justice, the intensification of studies and research, in the areas of disability prevention, ways to treat and work on it, as well as the expansion of service and facilities provided to persons with disabilities, which would enhance independent living for them, in addition to surveys and statistics standardized for people with disabilities. Saudi strategy included the need to find an executive mechanism to protect the rights of persons with disabilities, in order to establish an independent human rights and sponsoring umbrella to protect their rights, receive complaints from persons with disabilities, and work on them to be settled, he added. We belief in the importance of raising awareness of the rights of persons with disabilities and the duty to protect them, and there will be information and educational plan based on the strategy set up that would promote the principles of human rights and acceptance of disability, and to handle human, social and natural components, as well as work to show the capabilities of persons with disabilities and to achieve social integration of them, he concluded.
