ABU DHABI: The World Congress on Rehabilitation 2024 continued to build momentum on its second day, bringing together notable experts in the field of rights and inclusion. The event featured a series of insightful sessions and discussions, focusing on the role of social security and international collaboration.
The day began with a conference on the key role of social security in rehabilitation, chaired by Dr. Mohammed Azman, President of the International Social Security Association (ISSA). Dr. Azman expressed his delight that the stage featured speakers from four different continents, offering diverse perspectives. Dr. Susanne Weinbrenner, Medical Director and Head of Department for Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Social Medicine at German Pension Insurance, emphasised the critical importance of social security in rehabilitation during her keynote address. She detailed how demographic shifts, economic conditions, and global crises challenge the stability of the social security framework, which is essential
for successful rehabilitation.
Perspectives from Zambia, Germany, and Canada were also shared. Patrick Siampwili, Chief Executive Officer of the Workers’ Compensation Fund Board, spoke on incentives being provided to employers in Zambia to include persons with disabilities in the workforce. He stated, ‘We need to see policy alignment to ensure that rehabilitation services are embedded with employee work benefit packages,’ reflecting on policy discussions in Zambia.
Simultaneously, a seminar titled “Belt and Road” highlighted cooperation between China and Arabian countries, where several Chinese corporations presented innovative solutions to assist people of determination. The seminar opened with a ‘Chinese Assistive Technology Mini-Exhibition,’ followed by a speech by Abdullah Al-Humaidan, Secretary-General of the Zayed Higher Organisation for People of Determination. He highlighted the importance of fully engaging individuals with disabilities in society and enabling them to contribute to regional, governm
ental, and social activities. He emphasised that streamlining efforts and enforcing global cooperation would not only include people of determination but empower them as key contributors to the UAE’s shared economy.
The congress also highlighted different practices within the professional industry that can help the special needs community contribute to the economy and the developing world. Dr. Stefan Hussy, CEO of German Social Accident Insurance, chaired a plenary discussion titled ‘Showcasing Best Practices in Work and Employment’, stating that “in a world where inclusion and diversity are increasingly the focus of social and economic issues, labour market participation for people of determination remains at the heart of many challenges and opportunities”. Hussy called on the audience to contribute to creating a society that includes everyone, stating, “everyone matters.”
In the same session, Dr. Pauliina Lampinen from Finland presented the RATKO model, designed to help recruiters and Human Resources mana
gers hire candidates from the people of determination, based on the needs of the company. Similarly, Dr. Heidie Kershaw, Founder and CEO of the Global Autism Coalition (GAC), emphasised the importance of appreciating neurodiverse individuals, stating that “a different way of thinking is actually an advantage.” She added, “For the same reason that the Zayed Higher Organisation uses the term people of determination, language around the world is changing to more accurately capture what the autistic brain can do, instead of what it cannot.”
Another highlight of the congress was a session titled ‘Accessibility and Rehabilitation Impact on Participation for All’, chaired by Jan Johansen, Chief Executive Officer, and Lucia Lasaga, Founder of Tripper. In this session, Dania Al-Adhami from Zayed Higher Organisation for People of Determination and Aaesha Al Shehyari, Compliance and Quality Monitoring Executive at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, spoke on ‘Empowering Accessibility: Enhancing Leisure a
nd Recreation for All’. They reviewed top solutions in the tourism industry that cater to people of determination, with an emphasis on integrating assistive technologies in hotels to address physical, auditory, and visual needs.
Source: Emirates News Agency