Egypt discusses bill supports people with disabilities

CAIRO – 3 December 2017: Egypt’s House of Representatives (Parliament) discussed Sunday a draft law supporting people with disabilities in line with the United Nations (UN) standards to mainstream and apply a comprehensive development approach for people with disabilities.

The parliament’s discussion of the bill coincides with the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD). The UN Convention on the Right of Persons with Disabilities stipulates that persons with all types of disabilities must enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The draft bill aims to better recognize the rights of people with disabilities, integrate them into society, provide them with proper living conditions and eliminate the disability-based discrimination. The majority of the lawmakers have approved an article that stipulates that academic universities shall allocate 10 percent of their on-campus houses for the students with special needs.

There was a debate among the lawmakers on the name of the law. During the Parliament’s Sunday session, the majority rejected the proposal submitted to change the name of the bill to “The Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Dwarfs” and maintained its old title, “Draft law on people with disabilities and special needs” which was put forward by the Ministry of Solidarity along with the parliamentary Solidarity Committee in 2016.

Per the bill, people with disabilities will also be granted identification cards with many privileges such as shorter working hours for themselves or their carers in all governmental and nongovernmental institutions.

The Disabled will also be provided with suitable housing and transportation services. Educational institutions shall give priority to the disabled, while governmental and financial institutions shall be better equipped to accommodate them and facilitate their access to services.

The state shall guarantee the health, economic, social, cultural, entertainment, sporting and education rights of dwarves and people with disabilities, as well as providing them job opportunities, according the draft bill. Article 80 of the constitution stipulates, “The state guarantees the rights of children who have disabilities and ensures their rehabilitation and incorporation into society."

The annual observance of the International Day of Disabled Persons was proclaimed in 1992 by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 47/3. It aims to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development, and to increase awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life, according to the United Nation.

The theme of the day in 2017 is “Transformation towards sustainable and resilient society for all.”

Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, delivered a message on December 3, 2017, marking the International Day of the Persons in Disabilities. In his speech, he remarked that the 2030 Agenda embodies commitment to build capacities pf those who face marginalization and exclusion to reduce economic, social and environmental shocks.

He added that although the international community has exerted efforts to advance the rights of one billion people with disabilities, they are still excluded from the processes of design, planning and implementation of policies and programs that have an impact on their lives besides facing discrimination.

“To overcome this challenge, the path towards inclusive, accessible, usable facilities, technologies, infrastructure, services and products must be ensured by, for and with persons with disabilities. We must build on their agency, working together to design, develop and implement affordable and innovative solutions to realize equality for all,” Guterres concluded.