President Muizzu Pledges Expanded Job Opportunities and National Project for Persons with Disabilities

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu announced today that the government will undertake additional efforts to secure employment opportunities for persons with disabilities, while also revealing plans for a nationwide special project to promote inclusivity. Speaking during the ongoing 'Voice of the People' program, which allows citizens to directly share their concerns with the President, Muizzu emphasized that providing employment opportunities for all parties is a matter of great importance. The statement came after a participant with a disability highlighted the significant hurdles faced by persons with disabilities who have obtained higher education in securing jobs, as well as difficulties in accessing health services such as therapy. In response, the President said that ministers and company owners have been instructed to work on the matter. 'I will do more work on this. Additional work has already started. Therefore, we will move forward. Overall, my very major policy is inclusivity, whether in terms of employment or in terms of facilitating all kinds of opportunities, for persons with disabilities,' he stated. President Muizzu also announced that a national-level special project will be launched next year to include persons with disabilities and other marginalized groups in society. 'I will instruct a nationwide special program to mainstream persons with disabilities and other marginalized groups. To facilitate various opportunities, a national program as a new project in all sectors, obtaining therapies, in the health sector and in the educational sector, by God's will, a new project will be implemented within next year. We will strengthen the current work significantly, and hospitals and health centers will provide online and physical services significantly,' he said. The proposed budget of 59.7 billion rufiyaa for next year, submitted to the People's Majlis today, includes funding for this national project for building an inclusive society. Finance Minister Hassan Zareer, while presenting the budget, said that maintaining social development and a religious moral system is always the area where the government gives the highest priority. He stated that providing equal opportunities in all aspects of life for every citizen of the Maldives is an important goal of the government. Minister Zareer said that the budget includes launching a national project for building an inclusive society to empower vulnerable populations in the Maldives, with the main objective of facilitating opportunities for persons with disabilities to obtain the services they need most without difficulty. 'In this regard, the budget will give special attention to making roads, schools, and health centers inclusive and accessible for these groups. Furthermore, in line with President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu's promise, employment opportunities for persons with disabilities will be created through the government and government-sharing companies,' the Minister said. He added that this is an opportunity that will provide these groups with social empowerment and economic self-sufficiency. Additionally, the Minister said that gender equality emphasis in implementing policies to establish equality in society will be increased, and to monitor this, a Gender Equality and Social Inclusion, or 'GESI,' budget will be prepared next year so that expenditures on ministries can be identified.