(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) CAIRO, Nov 17 (KUNA) -- The Fifth Regional Conference of the Arab Forum of Women with Disabilities (AFOWD) kicked off on Monday in Cairo, with Kuwait and other Arab countries participating to review the Beijing+30 process and the Arab Disability Decade initiatives.
In her opening remarks, Director General of the Arab Organization of Persons with Disabilities (AOPD) Jahda Abou Khalil said the conference sets out an ambitious Arab roadmap to advocate the right of women and disabilities.
She noted that that the Beijing+30 review reaffirms that empowering all women, including women with disabilities, is essential to any comprehensive development effort.
She described the conference as more than just a meeting but a platform to assess progress under the Arab Disability Decade and Beijing+30, evaluate commitments made, and examine cultural, social and political challenges that continue to restrict women's participation.
She noted that it also serves as a workshop to develop practical solutions and realistic policy proposals, and as a space to strengthen solidarity and renew commitments.
For his part, Director of Development and Social Policies at the Arab League's Social Affairs Sector Tareq Al-Nabulsi said the conference brings together a wide range of groups addressing both international and Arab dimensions, including organizations of persons with disabilities and relevant institutions, reflecting the importance of coordination between both sides.
He said this role is carried out the League in cooperation with the International Disability Alliance, the Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND) and the Arab Organization of Persons with Disabilities.
He also stressed the difficult conditions faced by women in Gaza and Sudan, noting the grave humanitarian situation, including limited access to persons with disabilities and uncertainty about their needs, combined with a bleak outlook amid the absence of a clear path forward.
He emphasized the League's role, alongside its partners, is to develop plans and policies that support intervention for persons with disabilities, reaffirming the League's commitment to adopt and follow up on the conference's recommendations and outcomes through ministerial councils and relevant Arab organizations.
President of the International Disability Alliance (IDA) Nawaf Kabbara said the region is facing major challenges, noting that the IDC has succeeded in embedding the rights of women with disabilities into its core framework and integrating gender equality into its constitution.
He called for stronger human rights advocacy especially to women in Gaza and Sudan, expressing hope that the conference is a stepping stone towards empowering women with disabilities and strengthening their presence across all domains.
Kuwait participated with a delegation headed by Director General of the Public Authority for Disability Affairs Dr. Dalal Al-Othman. (end)
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