King participates in Global Disability Summit

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday participated in the Global Disability Summit, which was held virtually with the participation of a number of government leaders and officials, and representatives of international organisations.

In remarks at the summit, King Abdullah said Jordan is taking every opportunity to enhance inclusion, as true progress cannot be achieved without fostering inclusive development that safeguards the rights of persons with disabilities, according to a Royal Court statement.

His Majesty pointed to the endorsement of the constitutional amendments earlier this year, which stipulated that laws must protect the rights of persons with disabilities, and enhance their participation and integration in all aspects of life.

“Jordan legislated an ambitious new law in 2017 on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the first anti-discrimination law in the region”, the King said, adding that Jordan has also launched a national strategy for inclusive education, and a national plan for accessibility.

His Majesty stressed that COVID has slowed down progress in ensuring inclusion, and threatened some of the gains made in the employment of persons with disabilities, noting that as economic growth falters, the resources earmarked for inclusive development at the national level have become harder to attain.

“This is why Jordan and other countries in the region and beyond look to our international partners to help ensure that attention to the rights of persons with disabilities remains integral to political, economic, and social development efforts, through disability-sensitive support,” the King noted.

In addition, His Majesty underlined that “the political engagement of persons with disabilities is by no means less important than their economic engagement. They are part of societies everywhere, and that must be reflected in education, healthcare, business, sports, tourism — in all facets of life. None can be dismissed as a luxury”.

The Global Disability Summit, held for the second time, is organised this year by the governments of Norway and Ghana, and the International Disability Alliance.

The summit seeks to enhance cooperation between states, international organisations, civil society and other stakeholders to increase inclusive development, especially in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The themes of the summit include enhancing the capacity of organisations of persons with disabilities, inclusive education and health services, inclusive employment, and inclusion in situations of crises and conflict, with a focus on climate change.