UAE workshop discusses priorities for People of Determination strategy

Her Highness Sheikha Mariam bint Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice Chair of the Education, Human Resources and Community Development Council, chaired a workshop in Abu Dhabi on Sunday to discuss priorities for a national strategy for People of Determination.

Organised by the Ministry of Family, the workshop brought together representatives from relevant entities to consider proposed programmes and initiatives, as well as how they could be implemented.

Discussions focused on increasing the independence and participation of People of Determination, improving quality of life and providing support for families and caregivers.

Participants also considered priorities covering education, rehabilitation and employment, as well as the development of more accessible environments and services.

The workshop examined how federal and local government entities and the private sector could work more closely together, alongside the use of data to identify needs and measure the impact of future programmes.

Sheikha Mariam said the UAE's approach should go beyond providing access to services and enable People of Determination to participate fully in society. "Our focus is on building an integrated system that supports people across every stage of life, strengthens outcomes for families, and creates pathways for learning, employment, participation, and independence," she said.

People of Determination and their families are being consulted as part of the strategy-development process, alongside government entities, experts and other stakeholders.

The process has so far included interviews with more than 60 stakeholders and a separate multi-sector workshop involving more than 50 participants.