His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday ordered the speedy implementation of the National Strategy for People with Disabilities, which seeks to reduce the rate of disabilities in the country and enhance the quality of life for the disabled.

King Abdullah, who expressed support for the strategy, tasked HRH Prince Raad, Chief Chamberlain and president of the Higher Committee for Managing Projects for People with Disabilities, to follow up on the implementation of the JD65 million strategy.

The King, who was presented with the strategy, also called for holding periodic meetings to follow up personally on its implementation.

The plan, which will be implemented over two stages — 2007-2009 and 2010-2015 — is designed to reduce rates of disabilities by 5 per cent during the first stage and 15 per cent at the end of the second stage by enhancing early detection, supporting health awareness programmes and establishing sections at healthcare centers for the detection and follow-up of disabilities.

To reduce the current rate of unemployment among this segment from the current 40 per cent to 25 per cent by the year 2009, and reach a rate equivalent to the standard unemployment rate of the Jordanian workforce by the year 2015, the strategy recommends carrying out structural changes in institutions and industrial facilities.

To that end, it also calls for providing financial support to institutions that recruit people with disabilities and providing the disabled with financial and technical assistance to help them implement income-generating projects.

In addition, the 10-aspect strategy calls for carrying out environmental and structural changes on buildings and public facilities to comply with the needs of the disabled in two stages.

Under the strategy, the enrolment rate of disabled children in primary education is expected to increase from 57 per cent now to 65 per cent by 2009 and 80 per cent by 2015. This will be achieved through carrying out structural changes on schools, building new schools to replace old rented facilities, developing curricula using Braille and making all educational tools available for students with disabilities.

“We prepared the strategy following several meetings with concerned bodies and institutions working in this field and with families of people with disabilities,” Prince Raad, head of the Royal Committee formed to draw up the strategy upon the King's directives in October last year, said.

“This strategy covers all issues related to people with disabilities to enhance their living standards and is in line with international agreements and conventions,” he added.

The Jordan Times