Middle East

AMMAN, JORDAN: Around 800 tourist restaurants in the Kingdom will become more accessible for people with disabilities under a memorandum of understanding signed on Monday. Eateries that are members of the Jordan Restaurants Association (JRA) will implement the necessary structural modifications to meet the requirements of the special building code for people with disabilities accessibility,… Continue Reading »

MUSCAT: Oman’s Ministry of Social Development issued an electoral manual for people with disabilities even as a few days are left for elections to the Majlis A’Shura seventh term. The Directorate General of Social Welfare, a wing of the Social Development Ministry, issued this electoral manual under the title ‘Help Me to Practice My Electoral… Continue Reading »

GAATES is seeking Country Representatives to promote accessibility in your country and participate in the Global Alliance. GAATES is the leading international organization focusing on accessibility of the built environment, transportation, information and communications technologies and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Please submit your applications for consideration. Applications will be… Continue Reading »

Sharjah: As part of the Sharjah Museums Department’s ,the Community and Accessibility Services of the Department of Interpretation and Education has launched a new initiative, titled ‘Sharjah Museums are Available to All’ which aims to acquaint social care and special needs centers with its new educational programs for 2011-2012. The department organized a series of… Continue Reading »

Abu Dhabi: User experience consultancy User Vision has just completed a long term contract to make Abu Dhabi government websites more accessible for people with disabilities. The project, part of the Abu Dhabi Government Modernisation Initiative, was the first of its kind in the region and underlines the government’s active interest in web accessibility and… Continue Reading »

Abu Dhabi, UAE: The total number of traffic violations issued by the Abu Dhabi Police for the wrong parking such as in front of  the fire hoses and ambulance vehicles reached 2,302 violations in the the first half of this year. The Traffic and Patrol Directorate of Abu Dhabi Police, called on motorists not to… Continue Reading »

Dubai, UAE: An Emirati man has designed a computer mouse that uses facial recognition technology to allow disabled people to use computers. The iMouse software automatically detects and tracks eye, head and nose movements to control the mouse cursor. “Through our software, we can help people with disabilities to be integrated into society,” said Hashim… Continue Reading »

Muscat, Oman:  “A country’s emphasis on disability access at public places is usually an accurate indicator of the progress the country has made, both economically and in terms of human development,” said Ahmed al Badi. The 41 year old disabled telephone operator at Al Nahda Hospital has witnessed the economic transformation of the sultanate from… Continue Reading »

JERUSALEM: A cane that works as a “virtual flashlight” to help blind people with spatial navigation was displayed at the Israeli Presidential Conference in Jerusalem. Developed by Amir Amedi of Medical Research Israel-Canada, and the Department of Medicine of Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU) , the device uses sensors to detect objects in the users… Continue Reading »

ISTANBUL: The Supreme Election Board (YSK) did not apply a decision it had already passed to place ballot boxes on the ground floors of buildings so as to enable easy access for disabled voters and those over 75 in all schools, where voting for the national elections took place on Sunday. The Prime Ministry Administration… Continue Reading »