Shura Speaker urges citizens to participate in referendum today

Doha: The Shura Council held its regular weekly session yesterday, under the chairmanship of Speaker of the Council H E Hassan bin Abdulla Al Ghanim.

At the outset of the session, the Speaker hailed the directives of Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, which aim to consolidate the principle of justice and the rule of law, in addition to promoting the values of equal citizenship and national unity for the supreme interests of the country.

He affirmed that the constitutional amendments to be presented for the general referendum today (Tuesday) represent a landmark step aimed at fostering these principles and the comprehensive development process to ensure further stability and progress for Qatar.

In this context, he called on all citizens to exercise their national right by participating in the referendum and expressing their opinions with full responsibility and awareness. He emphasised that this participation is not merely a national duty but rather an effective contribution to charting the country’s future and reaffirming the spirit of patriotism.

He pointed out that contributing during such critical moments fosters partnership in decision-making, thereby strengthening Qatar’s stature and achieving citizens’ aspirations for a bright future under the leadership of H H the Amir.

Thereafter, Secretary-General of the Shura Council H E Nayef bin Mohammed Al Mahmoud read out the agenda of the session and endorsed the minutes of the previous session.

During the session, the council discussed the public discussion request submitted by a number of members regarding the situation of persons with disabilities (PWDs).

Within this framework, the Speaker noted the country’s foremost priority, in accordance with the prudent guidance of the leadership, to support PWDs by allocating the necessary financial resources, enacting the laws that regulate their rights, including Law No. 2 of 2004 on PWDs, and endorsing international conventions that affirm PWDs’ rights and provide them with essential services.

He highlighted that despite the extraordinary efforts and continuous support, PWDs still face challenges that require further attention, foremost of which are enhancing their full inclusion in the community and labor market and providing environments conducive to meeting their needs. He likewise underscored the importance of stepping up efforts to elevate the community’s awareness of disability issues and the role of the community in supporting PWDs to ensure equity and greater inclusion.

Members of the council noted the country’s interest in PWDs’ rights in terms of legislative and executive aspect, in accordance with the wise leadership, including the provision of education opportunities for them through opening private schools that offer educational services, whether they are professional or schools that offer the inclusion programs.

Members of the council asserted that there are challenges facing PWDs, some of which are related to education, such as the rise in school fees and the schools’ inability to offer all necessary supporting services.

Others are related to providing training and qualification opportunities due to the lack of training centres and institutions in the state to help qualify individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorder who are graduates of schools and centres but have not been able to complete their university education, so they can be prepared for the job market.

Members of the council pointed out that the lack of coordination among official bodies has generated a range of challenges facing PWDs, including the lack of awareness among PWDs and their families about all their rights and the services available to them, coupled with the absence of a unified professional database for PWDs, a lack of government training and rehabilitation centres for those who were unable to enrol in education at the mandatory education age, and the absence of a vocational technical college for high school graduates.