Sabika Shaban

Sabika Shaban is a researcher in the field of disability studies, specifically focusing on family experiences of disability and policy efficacy in Qatar. Her recent publications explore the microeconomics of childhood disability in Qatar and she has forthcoming chapters that unpack disability policymaking in the Arab Gulf States as well as the state of inclusive education in Qatar. Shaban is presently pursuing her PhD in Education at the University of Cambridge, through which she aims to explore the widespread phenomenon of children with disabilities unable to enter the education space in the Gulf context. Shaban is also a community builder, mentor, and founder of the Qatar Disability Resource (QADR), a platform that connects stakeholders in Qatar to address information scarcity in the disability community and to help build human connections and support. She also serves on multiple boards and taskforces in the country that work on fostering inclusion at a program-, institution-, research-, or national-level for autism and all disabilities more broadly. She uses her research, QADR, and diverse speaking and training opportunities to raise awareness and advocate for progressive action to advance the rights of people with disabilities in the country.