(MENAFN- The Peninsula) joelyn baluyut |
The Peninsula
Qatar assumed yesterday the presidency of the 42nd Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs.
Assistant Undersecretary for Social Affairs in the Ministry of Social Development, Ghanem Mubarak Al Kuwari led the opening session yesterday. The country took over the presidency from Saudi Arabia.
In his speech, Al Kuwari said that the meeting came in continuation of the joint coordination and cooperation to transfer expertise and knowledge between the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs and their counterparts in the Arab states to further capitalise on the experiences in protection and social care aspects.
The event has a two-day preparatory meeting for senior officials which began yesterday at Sheraton Grand Doha Resort and Convention Hotel in Doha.
The meeting will discuss topics on crucial subjects including family, childhood, the rights of the elderly and people with disabilities, among others. The session will run until January 26.
Al Kuwari further explained that the meeting will also cover issues like the eradication of multifaceted poverty in Arab countries, protection and social care issues, standards for social action and social workers, the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development programme, and the council's action plan.
Undersecretary of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development for Rehabilitation and Social Guidance in Saudi Arabia, Dr. Abdullah Al Wahaibi said the session was a continuation of earlier initiatives and gatherings to talk about the most effective strategies for advancing social development in the Arab region.
Dr. Al Wahaibi said the meeting aimed“to serve social issues that we all seek to achieve in order to reach the highest levels of development in various fields of development”. Moreover, he emphasised the role played by the council's last session in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.
The undersecretary has underscored that the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development in Saudi Arabia, stemming from the Vision of Saudi Arabia 2030, has launched several programmes to serve persons with disabilities (PWDs).
These are the partnership programmes with the non-state sector, and the Purple Saturday initiative which falls every July 31 annually, where people with disabilities are able to take advantage of discounts and offers in stores across the Kingdom.
Additionally, the initiative promotes understanding of the requirements of PWDs and offers programmes that improve accessibility and guarantee the calibre of services offered to them. Also, the ministry is working on a comprehensive assessment programme for PWDs that takes into account their functional, social, economic, and health needs, he added.
Technical Secretariat of Arab Social Ministerial Council, Tareq Al Nabulsi stressed that the Arab states made significant efforts in promoting the rights of the vulnerable segment of the society – the PWDs and the elderly.
On the first two days of the session, officials will have closed door meetings to discuss agenda items and draft resolutions. The Second Arab report on multidimensional poverty and the Second Arab Decade for Persons with Disabilities 2023–2032 will be both delivered on January 25.
And at the conclusion of the meeting, the agenda will be approved, draft resolutions will be adopted, and closing and approval of these resolutions will be held.
The Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs is under the specialised ministerial councils of League of Arab States which was founded in 1945. To date, it is composed of 22 member countries, 12 are located in Asia and while 10 in Africa.