The Department of Community Development in Abu Dhabi has said that Abu Dhabi’s Strategy for the People of Determination includes 30 initiatives that will be implemented over the next five years, with the participation of more than 28 specialised local and federal government entities.

Hamad Ali Al Dhaheri, Under-Secretary of DCD, said, "In coordination with the partners, 30 initiatives will be implemented within five years to provide an environment that provides equal access to rights, services and opportunities in health and social care, education, work and finance opportunities, and innovation for the PoDs, to make Abu Dhabi a global city in PoD empowerment."

Al Dhaheri added, "The department is working on comparing practices globally and analysing the variables and developments of recent studies in the field of PoDs.

He added that the initiatives will cover six strategic key points, including health and rehabilitation, education, employment, social care, universal access, and enablers, in addition to the most important elements such as quality of services and sustainable financing, to achieve a message of support for the PoDs their families under an integrated system that enables them to participate effectively in the community.

The health and rehabilitation key point includes the development of a unified, comprehensive and integrated evaluation framework for the PoDs, the early intervention programme, the assistive technology programmes. The education key point, a merge education model will be implemented in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, whereas the employment key point will support the merge employment policy and programme.

With the participation of various specialised authorities, the Social Care Key Point will include reviewing and synchronising the local classification of disabilities with the United Arab Emirates Unified National Classification of Disabilities. It will target community awareness based on the human rights perspective of disability, the family support system and caregivers of PoDs, the sectors case management system and services for the PoDs and building a database of the people of determination in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

The universal access key point will contribute to enhancing the accesses to buildings, facilities, transportation and housing, in addition to electronic and smart systems, services, communications and information, including sports programmes, as well as access to cultural, entertainment and tourism programmes, and the development of a comprehensive system to meet the needs of people of determination and their families during travel trips via air or sea.

The Department of Community Development in Abu Dhabi, in addition to its role in leading the implementation of transformative initiatives in the Enablers key point, will provide the necessary support to all the participating teams, ensure the coordination between the key points and provide supervision over the performance to guide the implementation process of the strategy.

In addition to developing the PoD governance sector, it will activate the role of the third sector to support them, strengthen the system of social protection, and as a first phase cultivate human capital in all sectors, make academic partnerships in the field of research, development and innovation for people of determination, and activate a system of sustainable financing for programmes and services for people of determination.

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