“The Role of the Media Persons in Asserting the Rights
                                 of the Persons with Special Needs in Work and Recruitment”


Within Afkar II program for the enhancement of the civil society, financed by the European Union and managed by OMSAR, Al-Zawrak Foundation organized on February 13, 2008 in Rotana Hotel-Hazmieh a workshop on “The Role of the Media Persons in Asserting the Rights of the Persons with Special Needs in Work and Recruitment”. 

The director general of Al-Zawrak Foundation, Mr. Roland Tamraz underlined in the opening speech that for 22 years now the foundation have been committed to strive for the integration of the persons with special needs in the society and in the labor market. He added that Al-Zawrak project within Afkar II program aims at promoting the rights, enhancing the skills and facilitating the recruitment process of the persons with special needs. He furthermore noted that the project’s objective as a whole is the implementation of law 220/2000, particularly the articles relevant to recruitment and the drafting of legal tools for this purpose.

                                              

Al-Zawrak project’s consultant, Miss Lina Hamaoui set out the most important activities undertaken within the project, among which the idea of establishing the legal framework and the policy for the implementation of law 220/2000, provided that the foundation works towards its adoption by the stakeholders, the establishment of a center for social and vocational rehabilitation and preparation for the labor market, and the building and development of NGOs’ capacities of recruitment, integration and networking between the stakeholders for the implementation of law 220/2000.


                                               

The workshop revolved around issues concerning the persons with special needs, such as media programs related to them as well as the role of the media persons in gaining the support and advocacy for the assertion of the rights of the persons with special needs in work and recruitment.
The participants got up a petition for the assertion of the rights of the persons with special needs. 

                                               

At the end of the workshop the following recommendations came out:
1- To organize for the media persons training sessions and field visits to the training and working places of the persons with special needs in order to urge the formers to approach the issue in the media.
2- To establish a partnership between the media and the NGOs, and to follow up the issue.
3- To raise the awareness of the media towards the rights of the persons with special needs in work within successive programs that bring out their capacities and productivity and activate in particular articles 73 and 74 of law 220/2000 relevant to disabled persons.
4- To make documentaries on each handicap, explaining how to deal with it and to bring out the potentials of the person involved.
5- To put a media and promotion plan, designed for the press, radio and TV, provided that it is not limited to a period of time, say one month, so as not to relegate the issue straight after to oblivion.
6- To work with union and labor sectors and get into contact with the employers.
7- To join efforts with the celebrities and work with advocates of the cause.
8- To raise the awareness of the society through the media.
9- To produce fillers and find sponsorships.
10- To broadcast programs and talk shows at wide viewership scoring hours.