In a major development in disability care, a royal decree has been issued to ensure people with disabilities get easy access to places where they live, work, study, receive medical care, in addition to providing modes of transport.

Prince Sultan bin Salman, president of the Coordinating Council for Charities, which serves disabled citizens, announced the Royal Decree No. 35362 here this week.

This decree outlines the Universal Accessibility Program (UAP) for the Kingdom and was issued by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah.

The decree, issued in Ramadan, aims to create a barrier-free environment so people with disabilities can participate fully in society.

Prince Sultan, who is also chairman of the board of the Prince Salman Center for Disability Research (PSCDR), said in a statement that King Abdullah was committed to providing proper support for citizens with disabilities.

He also commended the role played by Crown Prince Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, who is the PSCDR’s president.

Prince Sultan said the decree ensures support is provided by the Supreme Council for the Welfare of the Disabled and other public and private bodies.

Prince Sultan thanked various bodies for supporting the program, led by the Ministry of Transport. It was also disclosed that the PSCDR concluded several agreements with a number of local, regional and global organizations.

This resulted in the production of four manuals for universal access within the immediate environment, land transport, maritime transport and tourist and shelter sectors.

PSCDR is a leading organization supporting initiatives for people with disabilities in Saudi Arabia and the Arab world, with 114 public and private affiliated organizations.