United Arab Emirates Debates Disability Terminology

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United Arab Emirates Debates Disability Terminology

By Shettle, MSW | August 10, 2008

http://ratifynow.org/latest-news/

Most international treaties in reference to people with disabilities

use terminology such as, " persons with disabilities. " Among people

with disabilities ourselves, the preferred terminology, although

varying from country to country, usually involves some variant

of " people with disabilities " or " disabled people " or " persons with

disabilities " in English-speaking countries, or " personas con

discapacidades " (people with disabilities) in Spanish speaking

countries.

In United Arab Emirates (UAE), at least among parents of children

with disabilities, the preferred term has been, " people with special

needs, " Khaleej Times Online has reported ( " Proposal to term 'special

needs' people as `disabled' sparks debate " ) They consider the

term " disabled " to be harsh and offensive. It is not clear from the

article whether people with disabilties in UAE themselves agree with

parents.

However, the government has recently proposed to stop using the

term " people with special needs " and use the term " disabled "

instead. This change was inspired in part by a wish to make their

legal terminology more consistent with the language used in

international treaties–such as the United Nations (UN) Convention on

the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

United Arab Emirates has signed both the CRPD and also the

accompanying Optional Protocol. Signing a treaty does not yet

legally obligate a country to obey it, but it does signal strong

interest in ratifying it in the future. Ratifying a treaty is

legally binding. Countries that ratify the CRPD must abolish laws

that violate the CRPD and create new laws, as needed, to protect the

human rights of people with disabilities as listed in the CRPD. Some

of the human rights the CRPD protects include the right to receive

communication in accessible format (e.g., Braille or sign language

interpreters); the right to be free of abuse and torture; the right

to access education, health care, and public transportation; and the

right to work and an adequate standard of living.

Parents in UAE consider the government change in terminology,

from " people with special needs " to " disabled " to be controversial.

Read more about their reactions in the Khaleej Times at:

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?

xfile=data/theuae/2008/July/theuae_July341.xml & section=theuae & col=

Find out if your country has signed or ratified the CRPD at

http://www.un.org/disabilities/countries.asp?navid=12 & pid=166

Learn more about the CRPD and Optional Protocol by skimming the

RatifyNow FAQ.

Learn how you can become involved with the global campaign to promote

the ratification and implementation of the CRPD and Optional Protocol

in your country and elsewhere.