United Nations Development Programme, together with Ooredoo Maldives and Housing Development Corpooration (HDC), has on Saturday held a one-day forum on 'Promoting Disability Inclusive Development Forum'.

Gender Minister Zenysha Shaheed Zaki was the chief guest at the event held at Hotel Jen in capital Malé City on Saturday. UN Resident Coordinator Shoko Noda attended the event as well.

Speaking at the event, the UN representative noted that the forum “is part of a smart city project”.

“One of the key areas of the project is to ensure that all services available in a smart city are accessible to and include persons with disability. The project also focuses on removing barriers that prevent this,” noted Shoko Noda.

Noting that she has seen progress in the work related with persons with disabilities over the past years, Noda credited this to the gender minister’s commitment to the area. She also praised the minister’s work at the ministry to teach sign language and called it ‘a very powerful message to the whole country’.

She added that “the whole society’s involvement is very important” in ensuring that persons with disabilities are included.

“We do see some progress, but I think that we can even do more. I would like to see a visually impaired person independently walking on the roads of Hulhumalé. The hearing and speech impaired person working in a service outlet and there is a person who know sign language to assist them. I would also like to see children with autism fully enjoying themselves in the parks. I also hope that many of you have seen the promotion video for today’s forum…they themselves speak up. And I am really glad that there is an opportunity today to discuss how we can really overcome those barriers and remove barriers. So I hope that the discussions today will bridge the gaps, so that the persons with disabilities can enjoy their lives, just like all of us,” said the UN representative to the Maldives.

Minister Zenysha noted that that the smart city project is needed “to ensure inclusivity and accessibility for persons with disabilities”.

Over a 100 individuals participated in Saturday’s forum.