Jordan hosts Multi-regional Global Disability Pre Summit

AMMAN — Under the patronage of HH Prince Mired, president of the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (HCD), the Multi-regional Global Disability Pre Summit kicked off on Wednesday. 

The conference aims to facilitate the exchange of expertise and experiences to improve the lives of persons with disabilities across all areas and to support impactful commitments ahead of the 2025 Global Disability Summit, which is scheduled to take place in Berlin in April. 

The event is being co-organised by Jordan, Germany, and the International Disability Alliance, with the goal of mobilising advocacy for these commitments and ensuring their implementation.

The preparatory conference is attended by prominent figures, including ministers and ambassadors, representatives from international organisations, government agencies from other countries, civil society institutions, academics, experts, and disability rights activists, as well as organisations of persons with disabilities.

In his opening speech, Prince Mired stressed that Jordan represents a genuine model of political will and dedicated action towards achieving radical change in the field of disability rights, noting that persons with disabilities have long awaited the realisation of promises into tangible rights and practices.

Prince Mired pointed out that Jordan, given the timeframe required for change, has achieved significant progress, notably since enacting its first anti-discrimination law in 2017.

This milestone was followed by the immediate launch of strategic initiatives, such as the inclusive education strategy and alternatives to institutionalisation.

Prince Mired also highlighted the political will, demonstrated by His Majesty King Abdullah's participation in the 2022 Summit in Norway through a televised address underscoring Jordan’s commitment to disability rights.

This commitment aligns with Jordan’s achievements, such as King Abdullah’s receipt of the Franklin Delano Roosevelt International Disability Award in 2005, the passing of the updated Persons with Disabilities Rights Law in 2017, and the amendment of the Jordanian Constitution in 2022.

For his part, State Secretary in the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) Jochen Flasbarth said, "We want to send a message from Germany that inclusion is not a peripheral issue but should be integrated into all aspects of life." 

Flasbarth added that the Global Disability Summit is not just a two-day event but a continuous global mechanism to advance inclusive development efforts through voluntary commitments made by a wide range of stakeholders.

UN Resident Coordinator Sheri Ritsema-Anderson stressed the need to shed light on the harsh realities of humanitarian work amidst the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. 

She highlighted the importance of focusing on the suffering of persons with disabilities and their families, whose needs are often overlooked, stressing the significance of uncovering the long-term impacts on local communities and society as a whole when their requirements are not met.