DOHA • Helping the physically-challenged is a priority for Qatar, H H Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned told Al Hayat magazine in an interview in its April edition. However, despite laws being in place on hiring the physically-challenged, some companies and establishments in Qatar are violating the law.

Sheikha Mozah said: "Article No. 5 of Law No. 2 (2004) is clear and keeps two per cent vacancies aside for the disabled. There are obvious violations by a number of establishments and companies which are not following the law. We, as citizens, should stick with the law as our reference in every step. Parents and the disabled should act themselves and not wait for others to act on their behalf.

"We encourage the establishment of societies for the disabled. The law on the establishment of such societies is very clear and society as whole should play a role in executing it (the law)," she said.

She added: "Each country is free to decide what is best for its people. We selected the Diploma of Education programme because we believe it comes along with the opening of the Shafallah Centre to qualify Qatari teachers in dealing with the disabled. We signed an agreement with Johns Hopkins and we have succeeded in graduating qualified teachers".

She told much thought had gone into the establishment of the Shafallah Centre. "In my first visit to the US before the establishment of the Centre, I visited many universities and institutions dealing with the disabled and using different programmes. Our civil societies here should benefit from the civilized world and we should start from where they end. We should benefit from others' experiences and cooperate with them. Meanwhile we should also retain our Qatari identity."

Sheikha Mozah in the interview also said several programmes are in place, especially in Independent schools, allowing the disabled to integrate into academia.