guyinwheelchair
I knew of Dubai so time, now. But yesterday, I saw a tv program about the city... and got very very very curious. It is certainly an impressive establishment, the program gave me some kind of a curiosity fever lol. Looks like the new "frontier". So, I couldn't help but wonder, what it is like in Dubai for disabled. And I'm not talking about accommodations. I'm talking about the attitude of the locals towards the people with physical challenges. Does the local government support schools, special programs, etc.? If anyone knows, I would love to hear any information. I'm an not a person that is easily impressed, but Dubai stroke some kind of a strange interest in me :)
Chocoholic
Hello,
Sad to say that the attitude towards the mentally or physically challenged in the UAE is still very backward. In the two and a half years I've been here, I've maybe seen about 4 people in wheel chairs. Many places have ramps to gain access if you use a wheel chair, but once inside it's not very good, escalators and very small lifts. Plus saldy people don't respect disabled parking spaces and will park in them without posessing a disabled parking badge.
There have been quite a few stories in the papers regarding children, one with partial hearing the other paritally sighted, and they fought for months to be allowed to study in mainstream school as the schools don't have a support system for special needs children. The ministry wanted to lump them in a special school which would have kept them behind in their learning capabilities.
Attitudes are changing and things are getting a little better, but it has a long way to go. People are too selfish in this city!
guyinwheelchair
Yeah... lol... my "appearance" definitely wouldn't go well. I'm on wheelchair, have piercings, and on top of it all, Jewish hehe. That is interesting. From the looks of it all, I was very sure that the people of Dubai are very civilized, honorable, and compassionate. Oh well... maybe a couple of years from now :)
GAB
The people of Dubai are very civilised and you see disabled people out and about and nobody bats an eye. There is a problem, however, with services for the disabled and especially for children as highlighted in the paper this week. A lot of the problem I feel stems from the cr@p pay offered to people who work with disabled. There are special needs schools and organisations, so it is not entirely backward per se. Also schools do take kids with disabilities and in some cases these children are shadowed by someone paid by the parent/s and in other cases the school has a department catering for these kids with its own staff.
Choco is right about the parking in disabled zones-it is just part of the selfish driving culture here-people stop in the middle of the road, double park and triple park to let their kids walk out into traffic to the school gate :shock: , for example-
their convenience is paramount!!
I feel you would be fine here as Dubai is very liberal in many ways-there is an acceptance of different dress codes and the way people look ie people with tattoos don't get shunned and your piercings wouldn't cause a stir.
yshimy
Agree with you GAB, but we got to note one thing....
Where on earth you can get a school for people who lost their eyesight in one week????
Only in Dubai..
May be there is no big percentage (Due to low local population) of disabled, but no doubt when spotted, they solve it if possible.
Not alot in the middle east you would find ramps on most houses nor parking places for the Disabled.
Cheers
XRW-147
Well, having had to hobble around on a crutch after breaking my ankle I experienced first hand people's attitudes towards disabled people. People could not care less whether you are able bodied or not. The only up side was I didn't have to worry about not finding a parking bay at the mall on a busy day!