UAE Human Rights Association honors RTA for supporting special need persons

This was highlighted in a meeting where H.E. Matar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the RTA received a delegation from UAE Human Rights Association headed by Mohammed Salim Al-Kaabi, Vice Chairman of the Association.

At the outset of the meeting Al-Tayer welcomed the delegation of the UAE Human Rights Association and hailed the efforts of the Association in serving a wide spectrum of the community. He stressed the need for active interaction with community members which reflects the civilized image of the UAE in all fields. Al Tayer called upon the Association to play an active role in coordinating efforts with local community organizations.

He said, "RTA attached paramount attention to special need persons in all projects undertaken and services offered. In the Metro project, which is one of the massive projects implemented by the RTA, RTA has assigned due attention to the requirements of special need individuals in designing train coaches and crossings linking up with stations of the Red and Green Lines, to enable these individuals avail this service easily and smoothly. Many other services are in place in Dubai Metro to ease the mobility of special need persons within stations up to boarding train coaches. Such facilities include audio-visual guidance devices, display of information in a way to suit the requirements of individuals with audio and visual disability. There are also floor sensors to guide them to the doors of metro platforms and through up to the places designated for their seating. Services customized to suit these individuals also include lifts, escalators and ATMs, as well as designated places for wheel chairs fitted with safety belts. Train cars are fitted with high definition audio-visual information systems to serve all categories of passengers, particularly special need persons."

"In roads for example, RTA allocates many unpaid parking spaces in prime locations for the use of special need persons. Footbridges have been fitted with elevators to assist pedestrians cross the road safely. In public transport all the new buses are fitted with devices to lower the bus floor to the pavement level of Bus Stops such that special need persons can board or disembark, together with their wheel chairs, in a smooth manner; a process which contributes to their effective integration with the society. Moreover, entry points of these buses are free from steps and there is ample space on board to accommodate wheel chairs, prams and luggage," added Al Tayer.

Mohammed Salim Al-Kaabi, Vice Chairman of UAE Human Rights Association, reviewed the key programmes applicable in human rights. He made a brief overview about the establishment of the Association, sub committees, and highlighted the role of Empowerment Committee; which assigns particular attention to children, women and special need persons.

At the end of the meeting, Al Kaabi honoured H.E. Matar Al Tayer and a number of employees of RTA Human Resources and Development Dep't.

The meeting was attended by Abdullah Al-Madani, CEO of RTA Corporate Support Services Sector, Rashid Al-Awadi, Director of Marketing and Corporate Communication Dep't, and Ali Matar, Deputy Director of Human Resources and Development Dep't. From the UAE Human Rights Association attended Khaled Al-Hosani, Board Member, Abdul-Rahman Ghanim, Head of Social Empowerment Committee, Fu'ad Al-Awadi, Media Committee Official in addition to Wesam Al-Matri and Jasim Al-Shuhi.