Organizing a Workshop on the Social and Societal Challenges Facing People with Special Needs
22 November 2010
On November 22nd 2010, the Department of Sociology and Social Work at the University organized a workshop titled "The Social and Societal Challenges Facing People with Special Needs" at the Conferences Room at the Old Campus. Attendees included Dr. Laila Atshan, the Psychosocial Consultant at UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) and Dr. As'ad Taffal, Assistant Head of Department, Department of Sociology and Social Work at the University.
Attendees also included Professor Jawad Fatayer, President Assistant for Graduate Affairs, Dr. Maher Abu Zant, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, as well as a number of instructors and students from the Department of Sociology and Social Work.
Dr. Atshan, being a pioneer expert in sociology and among the founders of social work in Palestine, delivered a presentation in which spoke the social and societal challenges that face people with special needs in Palestine. She described her experience as a woman with visual impairment ever since she was a child. She spoke about her early childhood and her relationships with her family.
She also spoke about her study at school in Jerusalem and how students and teachers treated her and how she managed to go on in her study successfully. Moreover, she described her trip to the United States where she pursued her higher study after which she returned back to Palestine to work in the field of social work. She described the challenges and obstacles that she faced in her life because of the way society perceives this group of people.
Dr. Atshan stressed that it is important for those who have disability to have confidence in themselves and their capabilities which would eventually lead to great success in life. Those people must not let their disability become their problem, rather they should exploit every possible potential they have to overcome the challenges without hesitation or fear.
After the lecture, students shared ideas and questions with Dr. Atshan concerning the different experiences that she went through in her life and how she managed to overcome the challenges and become a well-known figure both locally and internationally.
