Qatar Reduces Daily Working Hours for People with Special Needs

The approval of the region's first-ever document outlining the guidelines for more seamless incorporation of people falling under the category was accomplished by Qatar, which has been hailed as a source of pride for Arabs.

According to a Monday announcement from the Civil Service and Government Development Bureau (CSGDB), the daily working hours for individuals with special needs have been cut by one hour.

According to the new rule, the time reduction for people with special needs permits the individuals to arrive 30 minutes after the official working hour begins and to depart 30 minutes before the start of the shift.

According to Qatari law, individuals are considered to have special needs if they have a "permanent total or partial disability in any of the senses, in his or her physical ability, in his or her psychological or mental ability to such an extent that his or her opportunity to learn, to undergo rehabilitation, or to earn a living is limited."

Qatar's efforts to be inclusive

The announcement comes shortly after Qatar adopted the first-ever "Arab Classification for Persons with Disabilities" document for the region in late June.

Qatar adopted the "Arab Classification for Persons with Disabilities," the first document of its kind in the area, in late June.

The document, whose final approval is pending submission to the forthcoming Arab ministerial summit in December, aims to empower people with disabilities in the area.

Arab nations classify people with disabilities as "historic"

In order to give people in the Arab countries who fall under this group access to more inclusion programs and policies, the document proposes a unified classification of disabilities with integrated criteria, including medical standards.

As a result, people with disabilities will have access to more legal services, resources, and financing, facilitating a more seamless integration into society.

Mariam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad, Minister of Social Development and Family in Qatar, who presided over the meeting in Doha, said that the Arab world is the first region to adopt the categorization and that it leads international efforts in disability care.

The newly appointed minister also emphasized Qatar's ongoing efforts to make use of all resources available to offer regional and international support for individuals with disabilities.

A more open and progressive society is being led by the Gulf state, according to Ahmed Al Mohannadi, deputy chairman of the Voluntary Committee for Employing the Disabled, who spoke on Qatar TV's Hayatna show in February. This occurs at a time when 80 percent of Qatar's government and private organizations employ people with impairments.

Al Mohannadi noted that this growth might be further accelerated by the ministries and other relevant organizations working together.