(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) BEIRUT, Oct 21 (KUNA) -- Assistant Foreign Minister for Human Rights Sheikha Jawaher Ibrahim Duaij Al-Sabah affirmed on Tuesday Kuwait's commitment to Arab and international human rights conventions on promoting rights of persons with disabilities.
This came in her speech at the opening of the regional conference organized by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) in Beirut, titled "Towards Inclusive Employment and Entrepreneurship Ecosystems in the Arab Region: Challenges and Solutions."
Ambassador Al-Sabah said the regional conference aims to economically empower persons with disabilities, promote their integration, launch the Arab Charter for Employment Inclusion, and boost public-private sector partnerships.
She pointed out that Article 14 of Kuwait's Law No. 8/2010 mandates no less than 4 percent inclusion rate across sectors, aligning with the country's development plan (Vision 2035) and the 2024-2027 Government Action Plan.
She highlighted Kuwait's key achievements in advancing the rights of persons with disabilities, including the April 2025 establishment of the National Committee to follow up on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) implementation.
Sheikha Jawaher also highlighted the February 2025 issuance of the Kuwait Code for Accessibility, aimed at transforming buildings into inclusive environments through universal design.
She described the launch of the Kuwait Reference for Disability 2025 as a national milestone reaffirming Kuwait's commitment to legislation and international agreements.
She pointed out that the Municipal Council's Technical Committee approved amendments to improve the tourism and hotel sectors to better accommodate persons with disabilities, requiring that 25 percent of hotel units be allocated for their use.
Al-Sabah affirmed the ongoing "Partners in Their Employment" campaign since 2018, which has trained 381 persons with disabilities, allocated 242 jobs, and successfully employed 79 in the public and 163 in the private sector.
On the sidelines of the conference, Sheikha Jawaher discussed with UN Under-Secretary-General and ESCWA Executive Secretary Dr. Rola Dashti ways to enhance cooperation and exchange expertise in human rights.
In her opening remarks, Mehrinaz Al-Awadhi, Acting Deputy Executive Secretary for Programs at UN-ESCWA, emphasized that empowering persons with disabilities is a development imperative.
She warned that their exclusion from labor, social insurance, and pensions leads to poverty and wasted national potential.
For her part, Regional Director for Arab States at the International Labor Organization, Dr. Ruba Jaradat, said that persons with disabilities, which constitute 15 percent of the global population, face high unemployment despite 80 percent being of working age.
She urged inclusive policies and training, noting only 16 percent in the Arab region receive disability benefits, compared to 39 percent globally, and emphasized that inclusion is a shared responsibility.
In his opening remarks, Lebanese Labor Minister Mohammad Haidar said the conference is a platform to exchange Arab expertise on building inclusive labor systems, stressing that the right to work is key to dignity, participation, and human-centered development. (end)
fz

MENAFN21102025000071011013ID1110228190