HTTPS
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia pays great attention to empowering persons with disabilities and increasing their participation in the labor market, in line with the objectives of Vision 2030 aimed at enhancing the economic participation of all segments of society. In this context, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development leads a wide range of initiatives and programs aimed at empowering persons with disabilities, providing sustainable job opportunities and a supportive work environment for them.
Comprehensive Empowerment and Integrated Strategy
The human resources and social development system focuses on supporting and empowering persons with disabilities, raising the quality of services provided to them, providing appropriate job opportunities, and enhancing the role of the private and non-profit sectors in sustainable development. In this sense, it has provided vocational training programs; these programs aim to provide persons with disabilities with the necessary skills that enable them to join the labor market, moreover, a guide has been built to approve the appropriateness of vocational training programs for persons with disabilities in cooperation with the General Organization for Vocational and Technical Training and the Human Resources Development Fund - Hadaf. In implementation of the Regulations for Social and Professional Programs for Persons with Disabilities issued by the Council of Ministers No. (691) dated 17/08/1445 AH - 27/02/2024 AD, which stipulated in Article (4) on professional programs
Training and professional development for persons with disabilities
Through the Human Resources Fund "Hadaf", the Ministry implements various training programs aimed at enhancing the skills of persons with disabilities, the most prominent of which are: digital and library skills programs suitable for persons with disabilities, joint programs with accredited training bodies, vocational guidance programs, determining career paths according to the type of disability and skills, in addition to supporting professional vocational certificates and rehabilitation courses. Together, these initiatives constitute an integrated support system that contributes to enhancing the integration of persons with disabilities in the labor market, and enabling them to obtain stable and sustainable job opportunities that ensure a decent life for them and effective participation in national development. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development also contributed to the provision of vocational training programs. These programs aim to provide persons with disabilities with the necessary skills that enable them to join the labor market. Therefore, the framework agreement was signed in the training of persons with disabilities with the private sector and the duration of the training is not less than six months. The number of those enrolled in this program reached more than 1000 trainees. Approximately 75 cooperative memorandums were signed, including more than 180 training programs that are compatible with the requirements of the labor market.
Creating and Promoting appropriate work environments
In order to improve the work environment and prepare it for persons with disabilities, the Ministry has been keen to ensure the provision of the required facilities to enable them to perform their professional tasks easily. The Harmonization Program is one of the approved programs aimed at raising the readiness of private sector establishments to create inclusive work environments suitable for persons with disabilities. The program relies on clear standards to provide the "necessary facilities" and apply international best practices. "Mowamah" focuses on improving the level of compliance in the establishments through a comprehensive assessment that includes accessibility to the work site, preparing facilities and paths, providing tools and equipment, reviewing internal policies and procedures, and raising the awareness of leaders and workers. The program also allows the establishments to obtain a certificate of compatibility granted after passing the required preparation standards, which reflects their readiness to receive employees with disabilities.
The role of monitoring and following up on compliance
The Ministry continuously monitors the impact of professional programs provided to persons with disabilities. It also measures their level through periodic visits to the training headquarters, examining the content of the training program and its appropriateness. It also measures the satisfaction of trainees who are persons with disabilities. It also monitors the commitment of establishments to the rights of workers who are persons with disabilities through field and digital monitoring, managing reports related to unfair practices in the work environment, and enhancing transparency in the application of regular rules for the employment of persons with disabilities.
Impact of the Ministry's efforts on the empowerment of persons with disabilities
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development continues its efforts to develop and expand all programs and initiatives to empower persons with disabilities in order to achieve justice and equal opportunities, and contribute to improving the quality of life and empowering all members of society. These efforts have contributed to achieving a set of positive results, the most important of which is the high rates of employment of persons with disabilities, the increase of facilities equipped to receive workers with disabilities, the enhancement of the quality of jobs through financial and professional support, the expansion of employment options, and the enhancement of awareness among employers of the importance of practices and organizations supporting persons with disabilities and non-discrimination, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
