Authority of People with Disability

The Authority of People with Disability (APD) is a governmental authority that focuses on individuals with disability in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It was established by a decision of the Council of Ministers in 2018. It is a legal entity with financial and administrative independence. It is organizationally linked to the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development. Its headquarters is in the capital, Riyadh.

APD takes care of people with disability, ensures they access their rights, and the necessary care and rehabilitation, and strengthens their role in society. Moreover, it strives to expand the services offered to them and raise the level of prevention in cooperation and coordination with the relevant authorities, institutions, and entities.

APD undertakes and supervises several tasks, most notably developing policies, plans, programs, and strategies to achieve goals set by the authority. It also determines the tasks and roles of governmental entities, including ministries, public entities, and institutions, in relation to people with disability. Furthermore, APD sets incentive programs to enable both the private and non-profit sectors to support people with disability, in addition to conducting studies, research, statistics, and reports, as well as supporting research related to disability.

APD aims to raise the level of services offered to people with disability and secure their needs in terms of education, treatment, and rehabilitation. Moreover, APD provides them with job opportunities and the proper infrastructure that helps them benefit from public facilities and services.

APD encourages and guides researchers in Saudi universities to pay closer attention to research on people with disability. The authority is also concerned with raising awareness of research that benefits people with disability.

APD board of directors is chaired by the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development. It includes representatives from five ministries: Health, Finance, Economy and Planning, Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing, and Education. Additionally, it comprises representatives of people with disability and two guardians of individuals with disability.

The board of directors of the authority is responsible for managing, administrating, and overseeing APD affairs. To achieve this, it carries out several tasks, including approving the general policies of the authority, operational programs, and plans of the APD in accordance with the state's general plans. It proposes laws related to the jurisdiction of the APD and amends existing laws. The board forms committees with the authority to carry out assigned tasks and establish branches or offices of the APD within the Kingdom, among other duties.

The board of directors holds its meetings upon the request of the chairman of the board. The meetings are held quarterly, with a frequency of one meeting every three months, and require the presence of a majority of the members. At least, either the chairman or his delegate must be among the attendees.