Yesterday in Amman, the Third Regional Conference on Networking for Learning in Promoting the Reproductive and Sexual Health of Persons with Disabilities was launched, organized by the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Solidarity and the Diakonia Organization in the Arab Republic of Egypt, with the participation of a group of experts and specialists from across the Arab region.
The conference brought together representatives from various sectors, including government entities, organizations of persons with disabilities, and civil society organizations, as a step to enhance cooperation and knowledge-sharing on issues related to the reproductive health of persons with disabilities.
In her opening remarks, Ms. Sohair Aziz, Director of Development Sites / Delta Region, highlighted the importance of exchanging experiences among participating countries to benefit from lived institutional practices, producing recommendations for establishing a regional network of persons with disabilities to serve as an effective platform for knowledge exchange, initiative development, and sustainable inclusion across the region.
Ms. Ghada Hammam, Regional Programs Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Diakonia, stressed the importance of the strategic partnership with the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services, ongoing for more than 30 years. She expressed her organization’s keen interest in supporting networking in the MENA region and its serious intention to establish the network and develop its strategy in the near future.
Ms. Susan Sadqi, Director of Local Development at the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services, explained that participation in the conference comes within the framework of addressing socially sensitive issues affecting the rights of the most vulnerable, including reproductive and sexual health, through collaboration with partners across Arab countries.
Dr. Randa Rajai, Advisor to the Egyptian Minister for Family, Women, and Child Health and Development, reviewed Egypt’s experience in strengthening social protection networks and achieving social justice through programs such as “Takaful and Karama” and “Mawadda,” as well as other initiatives. She emphasized Egypt’s strong commitment to enhancing the rights of persons with disabilities, aligning legislation and policies, and launching new initiatives that support independence and dignity.
Dr. Muhannad Al-Azza praised the Coptic Evangelical Organization’s efforts in promoting sustainable development and supporting national and international efforts to address challenges faced by persons with disabilities, particularly in climate action. He highlighted the additional difficulties persons with disabilities face in accessing sexual and reproductive health services due to cultural sensitivities, lack of accessible infrastructure, and inadequate service delivery.
The four-day conference in Amman features a series of discussions, including Jordan’s role in co-hosting the Third Global Disability Summit with Germany and the International Disability Alliance. The Summit marked a milestone in advancing disability rights and commitments, culminating in the “Amman-Berlin Declaration.”
Sessions will also present the efforts of the Higher Council, the Institute for Family Health Care, and the Royal Health Awareness Society to improve access to reproductive health services for persons with disabilities, alongside youth initiatives such as “Liwan Space.”
Upcoming sessions will address networking and partnerships, their objectives, guiding principles, governance, and institutional values, in addition to adopting a networking matrix, criteria for membership, and exit mechanisms.