Middle East

QATAR: Qatar’s leading telecommunications operator today announced a partnership with Wheel The World aimed at opening up the many tourist attractions in Qatar to all. Wheel The World promotes tourism for those with disabilities, raising awareness of the challenges they face when choosing travel options and working to make experiences possible. The collaboration has many high-profile… Continue Reading »

IRAN: The CEO of the company says “Barjasteh Negar” (literally raised-graph) is a smart tablet for the blind that comes with a braille keyboard and the output will be Persian audio and braille script. He pointed out that the mobile smart tablet has a Linux operating system and allows blind people to read texts in audio… Continue Reading »

The Doha International Conference on Disability and Development will be held on 7-8 December 2019, under the guidance and patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Founder of Qatar Foundation for Social Work and its affiliated civil society centers. The overall theme of the conference is “Harnessing the Power of Sustainable Development to Advance… Continue Reading »

QATAR: Mada, the assistive technology centre Qatar, has signed with Korea Trade Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) a memorandum of understanding and co-operation during the Qatar-Korean Business Forum, which kicked off yesterday. The signing ceremony was attended by HE the Minister of Commerce and Industry Ali bin Ahmed al-Kuwari, and the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy… Continue Reading »

CYPRUS: The deputy ministry of tourism has announced a scheme to improve the infrastructure and safety at beaches from 2019 until 2020, with a focus on people with disabilities. According to the ministry’s statement, beneficiaries of the project are municipalities and community councils. The money may be used to buy equipment such as recycling bins, or… Continue Reading »

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE): Around the UAE, efforts to integrate people with disabilities into public life are becoming increasingly visible. Parking lots include designated spots, public washrooms have special cubicles and ramps are increasingly commonplace outside public and residential buildings. There is a shift in mindset among employers too. Zia Mirza, who has a hearing disability, and Mohammad… Continue Reading »

GENEVA: Kuwait affirmed that presenting its first report on implementing the articles of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at the UN, is part of its continuous support to disabled people. The remarks were made by Kuwait’s permanent delegate to the UN Ambassador Jamal Al-Ghunaim on Monday, at the Committee on the… Continue Reading »

Dubai will host the inaugural ‘Accessible Tourism International Summit’ on 5th-6th November at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. The summit is held under the patronage of Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group. The… Continue Reading »

Introduced by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the creation of the international “Accessible Tourism Destination” aims to make sure that a destination can be enjoyed by any tourist, regardless of their physical, sensory or cognitive abilities. Development and implementation of the Accessible Tourism Destination(s), that shifts the focus on the availability of tourism… Continue Reading »

In 2005, the ruling Justice and Development Party adopted Turkey’s first Disability Law as a part of its European Union accession process. In 2007, Turkey signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Persons with Disabilities, which it ratified in 2009. Yet due to poor implementation and enforcement and a lingering social stigma,… Continue Reading »