Under the slogan: "Is'ham... Because a strong society includes everyone"
Shafallah contributes to empowering and employing individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism

The “Is'ham” initiative has gained widespread popularity across all segments of society and has significantly contributed to supporting the employment of individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism, while also promoting their inclusion in society. The remarkable success of the initiative is evident in the positive engagement with both public and private sector institutions, in addition to increasing public awareness of the importance of creating inclusive work environments for all.

The Shafallah Center for Persons with Disabilities—an affiliate of the Qatar Foundation for Social Work—has launched the second edition of the initiative under the slogan: "Is'ham... Because a strong society includes everyone". This initiative aims to enhance the understanding of the abilities and skills of individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism in public and private sector jobs, while also raising awareness among government and private institutions about employment opportunities for this group.

On this occasion, Ms. Maryam Saif Al-Suwaidi, Executive Director of the Shafallah Center, stated that the second edition of the Is'ham initiative has strengthened the concept of an inclusive society. It enabled direct interaction between individuals with disabilities and the target audience in real work environments, contributing to changing societal perceptions of their abilities and potential.

The Executive Director commended the efforts of the public and private entities that participated in the second edition of the initiative, including: Ministry of Social Development and Family, Ministry of Interior (Traffic and Patrol Department), Hamad International Airport, Qatar Museums (Museum of Islamic Art), Qatar Airways, and Doha University for Science and Technology.

In this context, Ms. Maryam Saif Al-Suwaidi affirmed that the State of Qatar is making significant efforts to support the employment of persons with disabilities through various initiatives aimed at promoting professional inclusion and providing suitable job opportunities.

She further noted that Qatari laws play a central role in strengthening employment opportunities and ensuring the rights of persons with disabilities in the labor market. According to the Law on Persons with Special Needs (Law No. 2 of 2004), individuals with disabilities in the country are entitled to several rights, including vocational training, access to appropriate job opportunities, and the assurance of supportive work environments.

It is worth noting that Qatar gives special importance to the rights of persons with disabilities at the national, regional, and international levels. It was one of the first countries to ratify the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2008.

Qatar has also achieved many legislative and executive accomplishments for the benefit of persons with disabilities, most notably the establishment of specialized, high-quality service centers.

Moreover, Qatar leveraged its presidency of the 42nd session of the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs to adopt several initiatives supporting the full inclusion of persons with disabilities. These include the Arab Decade for Persons with Disabilities 2023–2032 and the Unified Arab Classification for Persons with Disabilities.

Recently, Qatar announced that it will host the Arab Day for Persons with Disabilities on December 13 each year, in coordination and partnership with the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States. It also announced that it will host the 4th Global Disability Summit in Doha in 2028, in cooperation and partnership with the International Disability Alliance.