The UAE has worked hard to become one of the world’s most inclusive countries. It hosted the Special Olympics World Games, introduced legislation to protect the rights of people with disabilities and adopted a term that reflects a belief in their abilities - "person of determination".
Their comfort, access and participation are meant to be considered across every part of life. The aim is clear: people should not be discriminated against or left out because of a disability.
Yet inclusion is not measured only by laws, events or the language we use. It is measured in classrooms, workplaces, restaurants and family gatherings, in the way people are treated when they speak, learn or move differently.
For people who stutter, that promise can still fall short. Some are mocked when they speak. Some are excluded from conversations, presentations or opportunities at work.
Parents may worry about how others will react and keep their children away from family gatherings. These experiences are described to The National by people who stutter in the UAE.
They are a small group whose needs can be overlooked because stuttering is often misunderstood. It does not reflect a person’s intelligence or knowledge, yet a pause or repetition can prompt impatience, ridicule or assumptions about their ability.
This is not the UAE we aspire to be. The country has shown and proven that it can make inclusion part of public life. The next step is to make sure people who stutter are heard, given time to speak and included in the places where decisions, friendships and opportunities take shape.
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Emirati plans to build a centre in Abu Dhabi to help people who stutter
Farah Al Qaissieh and her younger brother Mansour shared more than just being part of the same family when they were growing up. Both stuttered, and they often talked about the teasing and awkward moments they faced.
While her brother was outgoing; Ms Al Qaissieh began avoiding situations where she might have to speak. One memory from school stayed with her. At about 11, she raised her hand to read aloud in a social studies class. Her teacher interrupted her, Farah recalls: “Stop. Once you know how to read, raise your hand, sit down."
Until then, she said, she had not thought of her stutter as a problem. After the incident, classmates teased her, calling her a “broken record” and saying she had forgotten her name. She started joining large groups so she could be present without having to speak much and played online games to socialise without talking.
“I was becoming someone I didn’t want to be because of how the people around me outside the house were reacting to me,” said the 36-year-old Emirati.
The siblings continued to compare the difficulties they faced. Mansour’s stutter was more severe, but he went out with friends and pursued his education. He had talked about starting a group for people who stutter at New York University. His sister was waiting for him to finish his studies and return home so they could continue the work together.
Mansour sadly died 11 years ago, but his sister is fulfilling their shared dream after launching a support network, called the Stutter Community, and has her sights set on establishing a dedicated centre in Abu Dhabi to help as many people as possible.
Did you know?
Plans are under way in Abu Dhabi to hire 2,000 Emirati teachers at private schools over the next five years under a major push to champion local talent in the education sector. Read more here
Eight-year-old Emirati acrobat finds her feet in the air
Jawaher Essa Sharafi wears an outfit splashed with pink, turquoise, lime green and yellow in a brushstroke pattern. Suspended from a hoop, she twists, twirls and drops as she practises at Aerial Lab in Arjan, Dubai.
The eight-year-old has already taken her skills to the international stage, winning bronze in aerial hoop at the IAAA Grand Open Cup in Belgrade, Serbia, in September.
The youngest competitor among more than 100 athletes from 11 countries, she became the first Emirati to compete internationally in aerial athletics – only two years after she began formal training.
An aerialist is an acrobat who specialises in performing on suspended apparatus, such as hoops, trapezes and silks. The discipline combines acrobatics and artistic performance, drawing on strength, flexibility and co-ordination as athletes move through holds, spins and drops, often set to music.
Emirati racer Rashid Al Dhaheri takes major step towards F1 dream with Formula 3 move
Rashid Al Dhaheri will compete in FIA Formula 3 in 2027 after signing with Van Amersfoort Racing.
The Dutch team announced a deal with the 18-year-old Emirati on Thursday in a move that will see him step up in class after finishing fourth in this year’s Formula Regional European Championship.
“I’m very proud to be taking the next step into FIA Formula 3 with Van Amersfoort Racing,” said Al Dhareri, a member of the Mercedes Junior Driver Programme since March 2025.
“It is an important milestone in my journey, but I know the hard work is only beginning. I’m proud to represent the UAE and the wider region at this level, and I’m looking forward to learning, improving and giving everything I have on and off the track."
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