King Salman

:: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman has urged all government agencies to adopt the term “persons with disabilities” in all official communications and media statements.

The directive came after a recommendation by the Minister of Labor and Social Development and Chairman of the Authority for the Care of Persons with Disabilities Ahmed Al-Rajhi.

Al-Rajhi made the recommendation after noting the use of different terms to describe persons with disabilities in several media reports and statements issued by governmental entities.

The authority’s executive chairman, Hisham Al-Haidari, said the move was part of the authority’s aim to strengthen services for disabled people to receive necessary care and rehabilitation

Al-Haidari said the high number of terms used to described people with disabilities and the use of local terms rather than international terminology meant communication with non-Arabic speakers at international forums was confused.

He called on all ministries, institutions and governmental bodies to implement the royal order and adopt the term “persons with disabilities” in all communications and avoid other references.

He said the use of the term “persons with disabilities” is an integral part of Saudi Arabia’s commitment to the international conventions it has signed, adding that it is a universally agreed term.