CDA delegation during the meeting at Dubai Customs
Mr. Fahad Hamad Bin Fahd HR Executive Director introduces Dubai Customs shield
to HH Sheikh Maktoum Bin Butti Al Maktoum
Dubai Customs often confirms its interest in employing people of special needs in jobs that suit their qualifications and credentials. The department agreed with Community Development Authority to start a series of cooperation programs between them in this regard.
Dubai Customs invited CDA for a visit to the department for more interaction with the “Kate” program that was launched by the authority to enable people of special needs and integrate them in a society that respects all categories, and based on legislations that guarantee them the same rights and privileges attained by other local employees.
HH Sheikh Maktoum Bin Butti Al Maktoum, CEO Social Care at DCA led the visiting delegation which included Amna Obeidly, director of Social Care, and Dr. Eman Jad, head of Special Need Services.
The delegation was received at the department’s main building by Fahad Hamad Bin Fahad Executive Director HR, Finance & Administration Division, Feryal Tawakul, Executive Director, Community Affairs and Government Partnership Division, Ali Maqhawi, Director of the Custom’s Airport Operations, and Ms. Amna Humood Al Suwaidi, Sr. Manager – Talent Management.
At the beginning of the meeting, Fahd welcomed the delegation and highly praised CDA’s “AlKait” initiative for employing the disabled saying that knowing it in details can help the department realize some of its corporate values in regard of issues such as Emiratization and employing people of special needs. He said:” Department is proud to have this category among its staff, and it responds positively with initiatives in this regard. So, it is important for us to foster our partnership with the Community Development Authority in order to help people of special needs integrate in society in a better way and help them reach out for their rights. It is an initiative with a social and national dimension and we are happy to adopt it”.
Fahd added: “We walked in that road before, and we have 5 employees of special needs who work in a healthy environment and facilities that take the international standards into consideration. Data base at CDA will help us get more access to these people. We know that “AlKait “ initiative is based on scientific methodology. It will also help us achieve our vision and social responsibility programs towards Emiratization”.
For his part, HH Sheikh Maktoum Bin Butti Al Maktoum, CEO Social Care at DCA thanked Dubai Customs for the invitation and their positive response towards “Alkait” program. HH added that they seek for better response from other employers towards the vision and mission of the program that goes in line with the Federal Law number (29) for 2006 which guarantees the rights of special needs and equates them with other members of society in terms of legislations and economic,and social development programs. That law was modified in December 2009 by renaming it “the law of the disabled” instead of the “law of people of special needs” in order to guarantee them more rights. The United Arab Emirate also endorsed the UN’s international treaty for the rights of the disabled in 19 March 2010.
HH Sheikh Maktoum Bin Butti Al Maktoum added that “Alkait” program provides employers and disabled job seekers a number of services before, after and during employment process. It helps job seekers in evaluation and assessment during the interview, preparation of CV, training and professional consultation. As for employers, the program helps them access disabled job seekers. A team from the program visits work environment to check its suitability to the needs of the disabled candidate as requested by the employer. The program also has services that are related to awareness and training. All of these services will contribute in closing the gap between the employers’ expectations and requirements, and those of the disabled employees.
HH Sheikh Maktoum Bin Butti Al Maktoum said that the Authority has delivered some good models to the workforce who proved to be high competent in their work. Also, there are many specialized studies in the field that confirm that the disabled people are more productive and disciplined in their work than other people because they are always more persistent.
Feryal Tawakul, Executive Director, Community Affairs and Government Partnership Division at Dubai Customs thanked the Authority for their efforts and their noble initiative confirming that enabling the disabled and turning them into productive individuals is a national duty that should be given priority at all government and private departments. She added that commitment to employ people of special needs will be one of the items of the memorandum of understanding that will be signed between Dubai Customs and CDA soon.
As a real translation of this meeting, CDA delegation will review the jobs available at Dubai Customs to see which ones suit disabled job seekers who are included in the Authority’s data base.