| The Daily Star |
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| Qabbani and Abu Faour said politics should be kept out of issues pertaining to disabled citizens and employment. (Photo By Azakir, The Daily Star) |
BEIRUT: Social Affairs Minister Wael Abu Faour called Tuesday on members of the country’s community of disabled to take part in the upcoming civil service exams, which would allow them to qualify for jobs in the public sector.
“It is a great opportunity and there is a good portion of space allocated for the community of disabled in the public sector,” said Abu Faour during a meeting with the Council for Civil Service and the National Association of Parents and Institutions for the Disabled, an umbrella group comprised of more than 40 non-governmental organizations.
In his second meeting with the NGOs since taking office in May, Abu Faour signaled his commitment to the disabled community as he spoke beside the former Education Minister Khaled Qabbani, who currently heads the country’s Civil Service Council.
“One step at the ministry and another at the [Civil Service Council] will move us forward to enhance the conditions of the disabled in the country,” said Faour, stressing a steady approach to addressing the problems facing the country’s disabled.
Last week Abu Faour urged all public and private hospitals across the country to admit disabled patients without condition. The move came almost a month after Health Minister Ali Hasan Khalil said that all patients should be unconditionally admitted to any hospital in the country, but complaints of being turned away from hospitals and difficulties with medical insurance persist.
Abu Faour also said that the implementation of Law 220 of 2000 would be carried out in coordination with the Civil Service Council.
“To be effective, Law 220 of 2000 has to be implemented fully,” Abu Faour said.
According to Abu Faour, Law 220 of 2000 clearly states the rights for employment for the disabled within the public sector.
“Three percent of the sector is allocated for the country’s disabled,” Abu Faour noted.
However, similar to his predecessors at the Social Affairs Ministry, Abu Faour said that reaching 3 percent employment would take a long time.
“It’s a long path to reach there, but we will take our steps toward its implementation,” said Abu Faour.
In recent months, activists and NGOs have strongly criticized the ministry for failing to implement the Law 220, which was adopted more than 10 years ago. According to the activists, political bickering and mismanagement of the National Committee for the Disabled were the main reasons behind the delay in implementation.
Amid criticism from the activists at the ministry Tuesday, Qabbani voiced his commitment to the rights of the disabled community, who number around 20,000.
“Guaranteeing the rights of the disabled and their employment is a constitutional and a legal requirement,” said Qabbani, who emphasized that all necessary measures will be available at the civil service exams to facilitate the entrance of disabled candidates.
“The Lebanese Constitution gives equal rights to everyone in public employment,” Qabbani explained.
But some responded by arguing that human resources activities among the different ministries lack organization and coordination, making it more complicated for those with disabilities to secure employment in the public sector.
“It is a great opportunity and there is a good portion of space allocated for the community of disabled in the public sector,” said Abu Faour during a meeting with the Council for Civil Service and the National Association of Parents and Institutions for the Disabled, an umbrella group comprised of more than 40 non-governmental organizations.
In his second meeting with the NGOs since taking office in May, Abu Faour signaled his commitment to the disabled community as he spoke beside the former Education Minister Khaled Qabbani, who currently heads the country’s Civil Service Council.
“One step at the ministry and another at the [Civil Service Council] will move us forward to enhance the conditions of the disabled in the country,” said Faour, stressing a steady approach to addressing the problems facing the country’s disabled.
Last week Abu Faour urged all public and private hospitals across the country to admit disabled patients without condition. The move came almost a month after Health Minister Ali Hasan Khalil said that all patients should be unconditionally admitted to any hospital in the country, but complaints of being turned away from hospitals and difficulties with medical insurance persist.
Abu Faour also said that the implementation of Law 220 of 2000 would be carried out in coordination with the Civil Service Council.
“To be effective, Law 220 of 2000 has to be implemented fully,” Abu Faour said.
According to Abu Faour, Law 220 of 2000 clearly states the rights for employment for the disabled within the public sector.
“Three percent of the sector is allocated for the country’s disabled,” Abu Faour noted.
However, similar to his predecessors at the Social Affairs Ministry, Abu Faour said that reaching 3 percent employment would take a long time.
“It’s a long path to reach there, but we will take our steps toward its implementation,” said Abu Faour.
In recent months, activists and NGOs have strongly criticized the ministry for failing to implement the Law 220, which was adopted more than 10 years ago. According to the activists, political bickering and mismanagement of the National Committee for the Disabled were the main reasons behind the delay in implementation.
Amid criticism from the activists at the ministry Tuesday, Qabbani voiced his commitment to the rights of the disabled community, who number around 20,000.
“Guaranteeing the rights of the disabled and their employment is a constitutional and a legal requirement,” said Qabbani, who emphasized that all necessary measures will be available at the civil service exams to facilitate the entrance of disabled candidates.
“The Lebanese Constitution gives equal rights to everyone in public employment,” Qabbani explained.
But some responded by arguing that human resources activities among the different ministries lack organization and coordination, making it more complicated for those with disabilities to secure employment in the public sector.
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