Prince Mired, Lebanese Minister Discuss Strengthening Disability Rights Cooperation

(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency)

Amman, July 23 (Petra) – His Royal Highness Prince Mired bin Raad, Chief Chamberlain and President of the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, met on Wednesday with Lebanese Minister of Social Affairs Hanine El-Sayed at the Council's headquarters.
The meeting, attended by Jordan's Minister of Social Development Wafa Bani Mustafa, focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation and exchanging expertise to enhance social protection systems for persons with disabilities.
Prince Mired highlighted Jordan's key achievements in placing disability rights at the forefront of national institutional priorities, while also acknowledging the challenges still faced. He emphasized the Council's ongoing efforts to address these challenges in collaboration with various institutions.
Minister El-Sayed commended Jordan's experience in reinforcing social protection frameworks and its efforts to safeguard the rights of persons with disabilities and integrate them into society.
Minister Bani Mustafa reaffirmed that disability rights are a fundamental pillar of sustainable development and social justice. She underscored the importance of regional collaboration and the exchange of best practices in social development, especially in advancing disability inclusion.
During the meeting, the Council's Secretary-General, Muhannad Al-Azza, reviewed the Council's role in developing and reviewing inclusive national policies, aligning national legislation with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), monitoring institutional compliance with the national disability law, and providing technical support to create model initiatives for broader adoption by national institutions and civil society organizations.
Al-Azza outlined major legislative reforms made in recent years, including the enactment of Law No. 20 of 2017 on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities recognized as the region's first anti-discrimination law of its kind as well as key amendments to Article 6 and Article 75 of the Jordanian Constitution.
Assistant Secretary-General for Technical Affairs, Ghadeer Al-Hares, showcased the Council's efforts to implement the Inclusive Education Strategy, which aims to integrate students with disabilities into the national education system. She also highlighted training programs for teachers and curriculum modifications to support inclusive learning.
Al-Hares emphasized the significance of the recent establishment of the National Academy for Inclusive Education as a transformative step in creating equitable, accessible learning environments. The academy, she noted, was a key outcome of Jordan's commitments at the third Global Disability Summit and reflects the country's leadership in formulating the summit's closing declaration, the "Amman-Berlin Declaration."
The meeting also addressed Jordan's active role in promoting accessible tourism, enhancing social protection measures, and the Ministry of Social Development's efforts jointly with the Council to transition from institutional care to inclusive day services for persons with disabilities.

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