President Abdel Fatah Al-Sisi attended a conference on Monday to discuss the issues of the physically disabled individuals, in order to present the government’s efforts in this field, according to the presidential spokesperson Bassam Rady.

The conference is entitled ‘Different, We Are Able’.

According to Rady, “The event comes within the state’s efforts to serve all segments of the society, as the government is implementing many social protection plans, providing disabled people with services and rehabilitation programmes.”

During the conference, President Al-Sisi attended several artistic performances by physically challenged individuals, and honoured some distinguished figures.

At the same time, the cabinet decided to issue the executive regulations of the Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which stipulates that all ministries and concerned authorities must adhere to all regulations of the Law.

During the conference, the Minister of Sports and Youth, Ashraf Sobhy, said that his ministry is keen to incorporate physically challenged individuals in all the sports institutions. He asserted that, in cooperation with the ministry of social solidarity, disabled individuals will be encouraged to work in all state institutions.

“We now have physically challenged individuals who are sports champions and artists as well” Sobhy said.

In December 2018, the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS) revealed that, 10.67% of persons who are five years and older, have disabilities ranging from some difficulties to cannot do at all,” while 2.61% of Egyptians, who are five years and older, have severe disabilities.

The CAPMAS stated that the percentage of people with disabilities in Arab countries is low in general, elaborating that the highest percentage is in Morocco with 5.1%, and Sudan with 4.8%.

Meanwhile, the percentage ranged between 2-3% in Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain, Palestine, and Yemen, while it is less than 2% in other countries.