RIYADH – The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman has issued directives to all government authorities to use the term “people with disabilities” in all official correspondence and press statements, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported Tuesday.
This royal directive is in approval of the recommendation made by the Minister of Labor and Social Development and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Commission for the Care of People with Disabilities Eng. Ahmed Al-Rajhi to use the term “people with disabilities”, after noticing the use of different terms to describe people with disabilities in various correspondence, reports and press statements issued by government authorities.
Meanwhile, the CEO of the Commission for the Care of People with Disabilities Dr. Hisham Bin Muhammad Al-Haidari said the royal directive to unify the use of the term “people with disabilities” in all official correspondence in the Kingdom, is in conformity with the goals the Commission.
These include ensuring people with disabilities are cared for and they get their rights related to the disability/disabilities, while improving the services being provided by government authorities. These should help them obtain the necessary care and rehabilitation, he asserted.
The use of too many terms to describe “people with disabilities” by the authorities and individuals and even some resorting to the use of local terms instead of international terms has caused miscommunication and a lack of clarity in conveying the message, especially with non-Arabic speakers in international forums and symposia, Dr. Al-Haidari said.
He called on all ministries and government institutions and authorities to implement the royal order by using the term “people with disabilities” in all future references.
Compliance with the term “people with disabilities” is an indivisible part of the Kingdom’s commitment to the international agreements to which it is signatory, and the term agreed on internationally is “people with disabilities”, Dr. Al-Haidari reaffirmed. – SPA
