Sisi announces establishing technical center to serve disabled people

CAIRO – 30 July 2018: President Abdel Fatah Al-Sisi announced Monday establishing a technical center for services for disabled persons, to be the first of its kind in Africa. The center will enable people with hearing or speech related disability to use technology to communicate through mobile phones.

During the inauguration of the 7th International Conference on Information Technology Convergence and Services for People with Disabilities (ICT4PwDs), Sisi also announced establishing an initiative that aims to enable disabled people to get services and information introduced by online websites of governmental institutions.


Sisi said that the state has taken steps to take more advantage of the great powers of the Egyptian people with special needs, July, 30, 2018 – Courtesy of the presidency
During a day he described as the “happiest day” in his life, President Sisi honored a number of youth with special needs.


President Sisi honored a number of youth with special needs, July, 30, 2018 – Courtesy of the presidency
Sisi said that the state has taken steps to take more advantage of the great powers of the Egyptian people with special needs, adding that the 2014 constitution has guaranteed them unprecedented rights, including securing seats in the Parliament for the disabled people.


President Sisi honored a number of youth with special needs, July, 30, 2018 – Courtesy of the presidency
According to law no. 46 of 2014, the four electoral lists of the previous Parliamentary election had to contain at least a total of eight candidates of people with special needs out of 120 candidates. Those enlisted in the block vote system lists had to represent only about 20 percent of the Parliament members in the 2015 election.

Sisi affirmed that 2018 has witnessed the approval of a law for people with special needs, in addition, this year was declared a year for disabled people. He added that the state institutions were directed to work on involving those Egyptians in their development strategies.

Sisi issued law no. 10 for year 2018 on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on February 20, after being approved by the parliament.

The new law offers many commitments by the government to persons with disabilities following implementation of the new law; including Non-discrimination due to disability, or gender of the person with disabilities. And to ensure real equality in the enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms in all fields, Respect their choices and how they express them by their own independent will, the right of persons with disabilities and their families to obtain all information that concerns them from all sectors.

The law also says that persons with disabilities shall exercise the right to education, learning, work and recreation, and in the use of public facilities and services. The right of the disabled to receive a combination of salary and pension, and the obligation to create all facilities in the country for the disabled, Adding to providing a safe environment for persons with disabilities, and not being subjected to economic, political or commercial exploitation, violence, abuse, torture, abuse, neglect, negligence, humiliating treatment or affecting any of their rights.

Sisi said that the use of communication tools and information technology nowadays to remove the obstacles people with special needs are facing, is considered one of the outcomes of the initiative which was launched two years ago to empower them in accordance with Egypt Vision “Sustainable Development Strategy: Egypt Vision 2030," and the related United Nations agreement.

The President affirmed that the government would exert much effort to create an appropriate environment for Egyptians with special needs.


Sisi said that the state has taken steps to take more advantage of the great powers of the Egyptian people with special needs, July, 30, 2018 – Courtesy of the presidency
In 2015, the “Karama” (Dignity) program was launched, providing unconditional financial support programs for those who are underprivileged, namely the elderly and those who are fully disabled. The main aim of the programs is to eliminate absolute poverty and cover the basic needs of the elderly and people with disabilities.

The Ministry of Housing is allocating of 5 percent of the national project on public housing to PwDs and initiatives are underway to establish four accessible sites near Qena, Ismailia, Alexandria and Cairo.

The Egypt Information and Communication Technology Trust Fund (ICT-TF), jointly established by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) and the UNDP, has several IT training and educational programs targeting people with disabilities in about 112 slum areas in Cairo.

Many service projects have been established in Governorates in Upper Egypt in cooperation with Terre des Homme, to advocate for rights and equal opportunities of PWD, and enhance their talents to enable them to operate and manage small projects for hand crafts. The Federation of Egyptian Industries’ initiative of “Equal for a better living” aims at providing 1,000 employment opportunities in private sector for persons with disabilities.

The allocation of a number of cell blocks for the prisoners with disabilities in three prisons, according to the Ministry of Interior; including Wadi Al-Natron in Beheira Governorate north of Cairo and Borg al-Arab in Alexandria. A further 42 prisons in Upper Egypt are being equipped with the special cell block. A total of 100 prisoners with disabilities have already been transferred to the special devised cellblocks.

People with disabilities in Egypt's 2014 constitution

Article 81 of Egypt's 2014 constitution states: "The State shall guarantee the health, economic, social, cultural, entertainment, sporting and educational rights of persons with disabilities strive to provide them with job opportunities, allocate a percentage of job opportunities to them, and adapt public facilities and their surrounding environment to their special needs. The State shall also ensure their exercise of all political rights and integration with other citizens in compliance with the principles of equality, justice and equal opportunities."

Seven other articles in the 2014 constitution also directly and indirectly address persons with disabilities, protecting their rights to equal health care, employment, education, political participation, and social inclusion.

Additional reporting by Rehab Ismail