Shura Council hails Amir's ASEAN Summit participation

The Shura Council held Monday its regular weekly meeting, chaired by HE the Speaker Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim.The sitting, at the Tamim bin Hamad Hall at the Council's premises, began with the legislature hailing HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani's participation in the Second Summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on May 27 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.The legislative body affirmed that this participation reflects the State of Qatar's commitment to enhancing strategic openness to Asian countries and activating channels of communication and cooperation, which contributes to achieving mutual interests and supports initiatives aimed at consolidating sustainable development and regional stability.After that, HE Shura Council Secretary-General Nayef bin Mohammed Al Mahmoud read out the agenda, and the minutes of the previous sitting were approved.The Council debated the report of the Social Affairs, Labor, and Housing Committee on the request for a general discussion submitted by several members regarding the conditions of persons with disabilities.During the discussion of the report, HE Al Ghanim emphasized that the achievements made in supporting and empowering persons with disabilities are the fruit of the ongoing efforts of the esteemed government, in accordance with the directives of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, and within the framework of Qatar National Vision 2030 and its development strategies.His Excellency highlighted the importance of reinforcing these efforts by providing a comprehensive and supportive environment that enables persons with disabilities to fulfill their role as an active partner in the advancement of society, while stressing the need to overcome the existing challenges that continue to hinder it.During his review of the report, HE Chairman of the Social Affairs, Labor, and Housing Committee Abdulrahman bin Yousuf Al Khulaifi, referred to the meetings and consultations held by the committee, its review of the opinions of specialists and stakeholders, and the recommendations it reached aimed at developing policies related to persons with disabilities and improving the quality of services provided to them.After extensive discussion of the report, the Council decided to submit a proposal to the esteemed government, which included several recommendations aimed at improving the conditions of persons with disabilities. These recommendations include establishing a unified database, reducing working hours, granting special leave to parents in entities not subject to the Human Resources Law and creating positions for sign language interpreters and qualified specialists in service sectors.Also among the recommendations that contribute to integrating persons with disabilities into society are the development of university curricula, the establishment of specialized institutes, rehabilitation centers, and specialized social club along with including them in the health insurance system and increasing their social security pensions.During the session, the Council approved the draft law on persons with disabilities in its amended form and referred it to the esteemed government, after reviewing the report of the Legal and Legislative Affairs Committee and discussing its details with their Excellencies the members.The Shura Council also approved a draft law amending some provisions of Law No. (7) of 2021 regarding the Shura Council and referred it to the esteemed government, after reviewing and discussing the committee's report thereon.Moreover, the Council also reviewed a proposal to amend some provisions of the Shura Council's internal regulations, issued by Law No. (8) of 2024, and decided to refer it to the Legal and Legislative Affairs Committee for further review.The Council then reviewed the report on its participation in the discussion session organized by the Coalition of Women Parliamentarians from Arab Countries to Combat Violence against Women, entitled "The Arab Declaration Against All Forms of Violence Against Women and Girls," which was held via videoconferencing last March.The Council also reviewed a report on its delegation's participation in the Arab Forum for Sustainable Development (AFSD) 2025, held in Beirut, last April.The Shura Council's meeting was attended by several officials from ministries and care and rehabilitation centers for persons with disabilities, along with stakeholders and activists in this field.