Muscat: Majlis Ash’shura on Monday hosted Her Excellency Dr Laila bint Ahmed al Najjar, Minister of Social Development who delivered her ministry’s statement at the 12th regular meeting.
The council’s members requested the minister to speed up the finalization of the Civil Societies Law and the regulation of voluntary work and refer them to the Council of Oman. Members also demanded expediting the declaration of the charitable organization for the release of insolvent persons.
The members demanded an increase to the monthly pensions reimbursed to social security families and an expansion of the social security umbrella to encompass more segments such as the laid-off workers especially after the economic downturn and the ensuing rise in electricity and water bills.
The minister of social development emphasized that the building of the social protection systems in an integrated manner requires the development of smart governance mechanisms that ensure coordination and cooperation between ministries and other actors to provide these services in accordance with clear and specific procedures. The ministry has sought, through the Tenths Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), to devise an initiative for restructuring the social security system in building an integrated and effective system to ensure social protection for all members of society, she added.
The minister said that the merger of pension funds in the Sultanate of Oman aims to restructure them and enhance their role in creating a social protection system that supports intergenerational solidarity and fairness and ensures their financial sustainability.
The statement said the ministry provides rehabilitation services for people with disabilities including autism spectrum, mental disabilities and severely disabled people, in 31 government centres, in addition to 11 civil society centres, and 37 private centres.
The minister said that the National Autism Centre and autism centers in Sur and Salalah will be opened during the year (2022-2023). In addition, the construction of Al Wafa Centre for the Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities in the Wilayat of Ibri, will be completed.