Amman, April 17 (Petra) – His Royal Highness Prince Mired bin Raad, Chief Chamberlain and President of the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, on Wednesday evening, met with a European delegation headed by European Union Ambassador to Jordan Pierre-Christophe Chatzisavas at the Council’s headquarters. The delegation also included the French and Belgian military attachés.

Prince Mired reviewed Jordan’s notable progress in advancing the rights of persons with disabilities, particularly since the Kingdom ratified the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2008. He outlined the Kingdom’s commitment to placing disability rights among the top priorities of national institutions, while also addressing persistent challenges and the Council’s efforts to overcome them in cooperation with relevant bodies.

Chatzisavas commended Jordan’s experience in hosting the World Disability Summit in partnership with the Federal Republic of Germany and the International Disability Alliance. He also praised the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts to protect the rights of persons with disabilities and promote their integration into society.

Secretary-General of the Council, Muhannad Azzeh, highlighted key legislative reforms in recent years, most notably the enactment of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Law No. 20 of 2017, the first comprehensive anti-discrimination law of its kind in the region. The law ensures the full enjoyment of rights and freedoms by persons with disabilities on an equal basis with others.

Azzeh also pointed to executive strategies stemming from the law, including the Ten-Year Strategy for Inclusive Education, the National Plan for Rectifying Existing Buildings and Public Facilities, and the National Strategy for Alternatives to Shelters.

He noted that Jordan was selected to host the World Disability Summit due to its tangible legislative and policy-level progress, which has bolstered its international standing and created avenues for global partnerships aligned with national disability priorities.

Azzeh further emphasized Jordan’s active involvement in shaping the summit’s final communiqué, the "Amman-Berlin Declaration," which introduced the 15 for 15 principle calling on states to allocate at least 15 percent of international cooperation projects to include persons with disabilities. The declaration has since been endorsed by 95 entities, including 71 countries, 17 international organizations, and 7 development banks and trust funds.

Jordan led the summit in the number of commitments made, with 133 pledges from 88 entities across the public and private sectors. Azzeh stressed that these commitments require dedicated resources and sustained engagement with persons with disabilities and their organizations to ensure full implementation within the agreed timelines.

//Petra// AJ

17/04/2025 15:02:43