Min. Al-Huwailah: Kuwait Leads Initiatives For Disability Inclusion

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) KUWAIT, Dec 9 (KUNA) -- Minister of Social Affairs, Family, and Childhood Affairs Dr. Amthal Al-Huwailah affirmed on Monday that Kuwait has always led in creating laws and initiatives that serve all citizens, particularly people with disabilities, aiming to empower them as key partners in the country's development.
Her remarks were made during the opening of the First International Conference and Forum on Assistive Technologies for Special Needs (ATSN).
The event is organized by the Kuwait College of Science and Technology (KCST), under the slogan "Artificial Intelligence in the Service of Equality and Inclusion," in partnership with the United Nations Resident Coordinator Office in Kuwait, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and with support from the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS).
Dr. Al-Huwailah explained that, under the guidance of the political leadership, the government is working to provide all necessary facilities for people with disabilities to fully integrate into society and actively contribute to achieving Kuwait's developmental vision.
She emphasized that rapid technological advancements, mainly in AI, are creating new opportunities to support people with disabilities, enabling them to perform previously impossible tasks and highlighting the conference's role in encouraging innovation and developing systems to maximize these advancements.
Meanwhile, UN Resident Coordinator in Kuwait Ghada Al-Tahir also spoke at the opening, acknowledging the conference's significant theme and recognizing the critical role that people with disabilities play in driving change towards a more inclusive and sustainable world.
She referred to the 2022 World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund's (UNICEF) global report on assistive technology, which noted that 2.5 billion people worldwide need at least one assistive product, with the number expected to rise to 3.5 billion by 2050, stressing that assistive technology should be a global priority, not a secondary concern for specific groups.
On his part, President of the Kuwait College of Science and Technology Dr. Khaled Al-Begain stated that the college has always been committed to developing a research base that fosters innovation and creativity among its faculty and students to contribute to achieving Kuwait's 2035 vision.
He added that the two-day conference includes various scientific events, such as keynote lectures from international experts, discussion sessions, a student creativity competition, a highlight session featuring inspiring Kuwaiti individuals with disabilities sharing their successes, challenges, and aspirations, as well as an exhibition of specialized systems and research sessions by over 30 experts in disability technologies. (end)
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