SCHS RELEASES THE 356 ISSUE OF AL MANAL E-MAGAZINE
The 356 issue of Al Manal E-Magazine for December 2020, which is part of Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services (SCHS) publications, released. The publication aims at educating the Arab family, providing it with information, theoretical, and applied knowledge as well as training programs and raising their health awareness.
In Al Manal “Opinion” section, we read an article written by the editor-in-chief entitled (Not all disabilities are apparent, but responsibility remains), to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. At its outset, she has confirmed that Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services has been employing the celebration of international events and special occasions to further highlight the issue of one of the social groups most in need of awareness-raising, acceptance and mobilization of support and backup. It does not have the uniqueness or privacy of what its members enjoy because of disability, but the inability of society or its failure to fulfill its duty to meet these needs as it is a right of this group imposed by the humanity of those people and the legitimacy of their existence above all. It has even become possible to say that the problems faced by persons with disabilities are due to the way society perceives them and their disabilities.
The editor-in-chief added, “Accordingly, society with all its components can never do nothing or be neutral in the face of these problems. Rather, society members must be positive and fully responsible for those people who need all kinds of support and assistance in order to secure their rights and enable them to live like other people without disabilities”.
She also said that the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities views disability as the interaction between the individual and an inaccessible environment, and not as an inherent quality of the individual. In so doing, it replaces the old medical model of disability with a social rights model because society hinders persons with disabilities from exercising their human rights not their medical condition. “It seems that saying that there is no disability but rather an inaccessible society is the motivation behind expanding the area of interest on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which the world celebrates annually on the third of December every year. The theme for this year is (Not all disabilities are visible) to highlight some disabilities that are not visible. Thus, there is a call to spread awareness and understanding of these disabilities that do not appear immediately, such as mental illness, chronic pain or fatigue, poor eyesight or hearing, diabetes, brain injuries, neurological disorders, learning differences, cognitive impairment, and others” said the editor-in-chief.
She referred to the World Health Organization's global report on disability, which stated that more than a billion people in the world have a disability, less than half of them (450 million) have a mental or nervous state. Most of them did not seek professional help because they fear stigma or suffer from discrimination and neglect.
Global estimates also indicate that another 69 million people around the world suffer from brain injuries every year due to the exposure of their heads or bodies to violent blows or vibrations. In addition to the millions of people who are currently living with an unclear disability, especially with the continuation of the Covid-19 pandemic and its potential negative effects of isolation, social distancing and poor services affecting all groups of society, including those with visible and invisible disabilities.
Her Highness Sheikha Jameela bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Director General of Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services, has emphasized that this situation, especially in light of these exceptional circumstances, does not absolve anyone of his responsibility towards persons with disabilities. Rather, it requires redoubling efforts to spread awareness and knowledge of all disabilities, focus on invisible disabilities and the capabilities of those people, and work to meet their needs. SCHS employed this global annual occasion to claim their rights, a trend that Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services has given great importance, especially since the essence of its mission depend primarily on the principles of Advocacy, Inclusion and Empowerment. Accordingly, SCHS has expanded in celebrating this occasion this year through continuous activities that would last from December 3 until the tenth. The activities are targeting families of persons with disabilities, university students, specialists, workers and those interested in the field with a series of workshops, meetings and lectures. During this period, SCHS would highlight and define the invisible disabilities and the importance of diagnosing them, developing appropriate programs for each disability, and calling at the same time to remove barriers in front of all persons with disabilities.
In the conclusion of her article, the editor-in-chief clarified that the classification of disabilities into visible and invisible according to the United Arab Emirates' unified national classification of disability does not exempt anyone from responsibility towards these groups and the need to work on finding or developing programs and services that meet the needs of these two categories of disabilities. So that there is no crippling society but rather easy-to-access environments for everyone, regardless of their classification.
In the same section, we read an article by Hamad Abdulaziz Al-Hamid on sign language and its role in developing reading, writing and oral language skills for deaf people. Marilyn Salloum, writes a material about Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services closeness to people in a time of remote work. We read an article entitled (Upholding the Value of Human Being) translated into Arabic by Wael Ahmed Allam. We read an article about love or economic security, written by Dr. Zaid bin Muhammad Al-Ramani !
In ‘Research and Studies’ section, we read an article translated by Muhammad Walid Al-Shamali about intervention and treatment services for people with autism spectrum disorder. We read about the Early Childhood Remote Early Intervention Working Group by Dr. Rawhi Abdat. We read an article entitled (Why Early Intervention with a Mentally Disabled Child) prepared by Osama Madbouly. Prepared by the Council of Psychologists and Educational Supervisors in Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services, we read the first part of the psychological first aid guide. Prepared by Muhammad Fawzi Yusef, we learn about the (Transdisciplinary Team).
In ‘Assistive Technology’ section, there is a material prepared by Hesham Mohamed Ketami, Editor-in-Chief of Al-Manal Magazine, on Tunisian engineers developing artificial limbs with the 3D printing technique. Muhammad Al-Nabulsi writes in 'Culture and Literature' section about the film (Leila in the Dark) as the first Arab film on disability. We read an article entitled (Text and a New Space ... Sails of Departure) by Muhammad Ait Alou. Mr. Hashem Kataa translated a material about enjoying the short story. In this issue, we read the stories of the winners of the Young Writer Competition held within the Seventh Used Book Festival (February 2020). Written by Wijdan Abdel Aziz, we read a blog entitled (The Confusion of a Wheelchair ...!).
Al Manal Activities and Events are full as usual. His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah inaugurates the Khorfakhan Club and thanks Sheikha Jameela Al Qasimi. There are also the Virtual Forum for Raising-awareness of Down syndrome; Souq Al-Warraqeen for Used Books opens on the first Saturday of every month, SCHS organizes a virtual forum on early intervention (work team). Her Highness Sheikha Jameela Al Qasimi confirms her support for University of Sharjah students with disabilities. SCHS organizes Roots and Bridges Forum to mark the anniversary of the opening of the Early Intervention Center in Sharjah. SCHS branch in the city of Kallba launches a two-year training package on protecting persons with disabilities from abuse. The conclusion of the Holy Quran competition for people with disabilities in Dibba Al-Hisn, and other news and events.
In Al Manal ‘Social Issues”, Fadi Muhammad Al-Dahdouh, has written about scientific research in our universities and the requirements for advancement. We read an article prepared by Mona Suleiman on psychological stress and strategies for dealing with it. From the preparation of Walaa Ahmed Ali, we read about the silent divorce and its effect on children. By Dr. Noura Al-Sharabi, we read about the human compass after Corona. By Dr. Asaad Sharif, we read about the art of facing the crises of life ... the art of living.
‘From Life’ section includes an article written by Abdullah Al-Ghamdi about the experience of a private American school for people with learning disabilities. By Hisham Muhammad Ketami, we read about one of the influential personalities, namely, (Leo Kanner) who was the first to develop a systematic description of autism in children. Fatima Abu Bakr Balfqih’s writes the success story of her sister, who is a person with disabilities entitled (Hope shines from her eyes and fills the world with joy). Then, through an article prepared by Qahtan Al-Muhanna, we learn about the Yemeni genius woman Manahel Thabet and her journey from autism to globalism in the footsteps of Einstein.