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In line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to build an inclusive society that empowers all its members, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development continues its ongoing efforts to empower persons with disabilities. This is achieved through the provision of a wide range of comprehensive services, programs, and initiatives designed to harness their abilities and promote their inclusion into society as active and influential contributors.
The Ministry’s efforts focus on enhancing empowerment opportunities for persons with disabilities in line with their diverse abilities and needs, through the provision of various initiatives, projects, and services, such as non-governmental day care centers. These centers were established as an alternative to institutional care, providing their services during specific hours of the day to alleviate the burden on families who are unable to provide appropriate care for their children with severe disabilities during that time, as well as on working parents who cannot provide care for their children during official working hours. These centers provide a variety of services and programs tailored to individuals with severe disabilities, based on the specific needs of each case according to carefully designed individual plans. These include (social, recreational, and training programs focused on developing various life skills.) The day care center also provides (family education and counseling programs for the families of persons with disabilities.) The total number of these centers is 494, distributed across various regions of the Kingdom.
The Ministry provides monthly financial support to persons with disabilities to help remove the barriers they may face. It also supplies the necessary assistive medical devices and offers special cards that grant reduced fares on public transportation, traffic facilitation cards, and identification cards for individuals with autism spectrum disorder,
Recognizing the importance of supporting the financial independence of persons with disabilities, the Ministry has introduced a visa fee exemption program, helping to ease their financial burdens and enhancing the facilitations that enable them to carry out their activities with ease. The Ministry has also been keen to support persons with disabilities by expediting the processing of their requests through the automation of many dedicated services and making them accessible through Ministry’s official website. In its efforts to establish a supportive environment and help persons with disabilities and their families adapt to daily life demands, the Ministry is currently working on the development of a Home Social Care Program, which aims to provide in-home social care services for individuals with severe disabilities. The program focuses on enhancing beneficiaries’ abilities to achieve the highest possible levels of independence.
In pursuit of achieving family and social stability for persons with disabilities, and in collaboration with the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, the Ministry implemented the Developmental Housing Initiative. Through this initiative, 58 housing units were delivered during the second half of 2024 AD to persons with disabilities residing in social rehabilitation centers and targeted for community integration. These units are intended to be more than just places of residence; they are designed to serve as comprehensive living environments.
As part of its efforts to integrate persons with disabilities into the labor market and promote their employment in both the public and private sectors, the Ministry launched the “Mowaamah” Program, which aims to make work environments suitable for their needs by providing incentives to companies that employ persons with disabilities. As a result of these efforts, the labor market participation rate of persons with disabilities reached 13.4% in 2024 AD, confirming the Ministry’s commitment to expanding empowerment opportunities across various sectors.
In the economic front, the Ministry has strengthened the independence of persons with disabilities through the Individual Project Grant Support Service, which enabled more than 34 beneficiaries to establish their own businesses. The Ministry has also provided training and guidance opportunities for persons with disabilities, in cooperation with the National Entrepreneurship Institute, contributing to their empowerment in achieving their independence and financial goals.
These ongoing efforts by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development represent a firm commitment to supporting persons with disabilities and empowering them to build their own futures, through a wide range of comprehensive services and initiatives that align with the Ministry’s strategic objectives.
