opportunities to maximize and streamline processes that result in the elimination of inefficient or redundant efforts to serve persons with disabilities. The Office will provide strategic technical advice to the Minister of Health and Family on all disability related policies. Disability issues require stronger leadership, commitment and a higher profile from and among the Ministries accountable for policy development and service delivery, and those responsible for disability supports. This leadership could be achieved through the establishment of a “Disability Forum” made up of the permanent secretaries of Ministries that make (or could make) a critical difference in the lives of persons with disabilities. These could be Ministries with responsibilities for education, health, employment services, transport, construction, housing, family, social rehabilitation, among others. The Disability Forum could be headed by the Vice President of the Maldives and its members would be held accountable through formal arrangements for the achievement of shared outcomes for the disability sector. The establishment of such a group at the most senior executive level will lift the profile of disability issues within those Ministries, will enable higher priority to be given to actions and will improve the coordination and coherency of approaches ACTIVITIES ADDRESSING RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES across the government. ... 71