Disabled people in UAE to get equal rights by employers

People with disabilities should not hesitate to take legal action against employers who discriminate against them for jobs, a Dubai government official has said.

People with special needs and disabilities should not be hired just for secretarial work, but based on their  qualifications, said Majid Al Osaimi, a member of the Higher Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Al Osaimi spoke to 7DAYS on the sidelines of a conference where he and members of the Executive Council met on Monday to announce the Dubai Inclusive Development Forum.

The event takes place in Dubai from October 11-12 and will bring experts together to discuss how Dubai can reach its goal of becoming a disability-friendly city by 2020.
He said that even though a law was passed last year guaranteeing equal rights for disabled people, many employers are lagging behind.

Osaimi said: “In Dubai, they’ve started to employ people with disabilities. But we are not very satisfied with some of the mindsets of people who think
people with disabilities should only do a receptionist’s job and they hire them just to look good to the government.

“There is a law that was passed in 2014 and it clearly states if people with disabilities feel that there has been discrimination against them when applying for a job, they can directly go to the Executive Council and file a report against the employer. Employers can’t just say ‘no’ to disabled people unless they are not qualified for the job.”

In 2013, the ‘My Community… A City for Everyone’ initiative was launched by HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council, to make all of Dubai disability-friendly by 2020.

Abdullah Al Shaibani, the Secretary General of The Executive Council of Dubai and Vice Chairman of the Higher Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, said: “Building a ramp for disabled people is great, but not enough. We don’t know the struggles they face on a daily basis. We want them… working side by side with any other member of society.”
sarwat@7days.ae
http://7days.ae/disabled-people-in-uae-to-get-equal-rights-by-employers/72146