The Union of Arab Chambers participated in the activities of the “High-Level Arab Forum for Multidimensional Social Development,” held in the Qatari capital, Doha, during the period 7 and 8 February 2024.
Within the session “Investing in smart solutions and modern technologies to support the independence of people with disabilities,” the Union’s representative at the conference, Zeina Assaf, gave a speech in which she pointed out “investing in smart solutions and modern technologies to support the independence of individuals with disabilities is not a luxury, it is a human right.” And society’s commitment to justice by achieving equality, inclusion, and empowering this large segment of society.”
She said: “According to the World Health Organization, the number of people with disabilities around the world is estimated at 1.3 billion people, equivalent to 1 in 6 people, and the number is expected to reach 2 billion people by the year 2050.. This means that the number is increasing annually, and therefore the reality requires us to find the appropriate infrastructure that helps accommodate this number of people with disabilities and thus facilitates their lives to enable them to live independently without the need for anyone.”
She considered that “smart solutions enable individuals to carry out their daily tasks independently, which enhances their quality of life and makes them feel self-sufficient, which is an important psychological factor that is essential for moving towards the stage of giving. This is done by securing job opportunities, as modern technology contributes to securing new job opportunities for people with disabilities, thus reducing the unemployment rate and contributing to raising the efficiency of the workforce. It also enables them to be socially integrated, as technology allows for more social interaction and integration. In addition, there is a social and economic impact of empowering individuals with disabilities, as inclusive technology benefits not only individuals with disabilities, but society as a whole, which leads to greater innovation, diversity, and economic growth.”
At the conference, the Union called for “the need to adopt legislation and policies that stimulate investment in smart solutions and modern technologies to support the independence of people with disabilities, in addition to creating strategic partnerships between the official and private sectors, as these partnerships can include providing financing, technical support, and guidance to emerging companies to develop and market their products. It is also required to enhance international cooperation and exchange knowledge and technology with other countries to enhance investment in smart solutions and modern technologies to support the independence of people with disabilities. Moreover, work to provide the necessary funding to support smart solutions and modern technologies to support the independence of people with disabilities. These investments can include financing initial financing rounds and expansion in the subsequent stages of the company’s growth, and facilitating its access to the market, given that facilitating and accelerating the process of entry of emerging companies into the market is done through providing support in marketing and providing supply and distribution opportunities.”
At the conclusion of her speech, the Union’s representative stressed “the importance of providing technical support and technological development to emerging companies in the field of smart solutions, as this includes providing technical expertise and knowledge and assistance in developing and improving their products and existing projects. In addition to organizing competitions and awarding prizes to encourage innovation in the field of smart solutions and modern technologies to support the independence of people with disabilities. These competitions may include funding the winning projects and providing them with technical and marketing support.”
Source (Union of Arab Chambers)
