The Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (HCD) held a meeting today, Wednesday, bringing together liaison officers representing ministries and national institutions to discuss the implementation of the commitments undertaken by the Kingdom during the Global Disability Summit 2025.
The meeting came within the framework of following up on the Prime Ministry’s circular, issued last May, which called for effective coordination with the Higher Council and for providing it with preliminary executive frameworks that include proposed activities, timelines, and the resources required to implement the commitments emerging from the Summit.
The meeting, which included representatives from ministries, government departments, media institutions, public universities, municipalities, international organizations, civil society organizations, as well as a number of private sector companies and banking institutions, discussed the progress made by these national institutions in preparing their executive plans for these commitments. It also addressed challenges facing the concerned entities and provided a platform to exchange best practices in the areas of inclusion, accessibility, and inclusive services.
Dr. Muhannad Al-Azza, Secretary-General of the Council, stated that the Third Global Disability Summit, recently hosted in Berlin and co-organized with Jordan and the International Disability Alliance, was a landmark event that brought together world leaders, representatives of organizations of persons with disabilities, donors, human rights organizations, and persons with disabilities themselves.
He pointed out that the participation of His Majesty King Abdullah II in the Summit reflects Jordan’s firm commitment to disability issues at both the regional and international levels, emphasizing His Majesty’s keenness, since assuming his constitutional powers, to adopt comprehensive policies that guarantee the rights of persons with disabilities and enhance their participation in all aspects of life.
Al-Azza stressed that Jordan is proud of its achievements in the disability field, noting that the Kingdom topped the list of countries in terms of the number of commitments submitted during the Summit, with a total of 133 commitments covering both the public and private sectors, in addition to national institutions. This, he said, requires the Council and all concerned parties to mobilize the necessary resources for implementation within specific timeframes, ensuring continuous participation and consultation with persons with disabilities and their organizations.
He also highlighted Jordan’s active role in drafting the Summit’s closing declaration, the “Amman-Berlin Declaration,” which calls on signatory states to allocate no less than 15% of international cooperation projects to be inclusive of persons with disabilities. He explained that Jordan’s commitments came with the participation of nearly 88 entities, including government institutions, universities, the private sector, and national organizations. Al-Azza stressed that the importance of commitments lies not only in declaring them but in implementing them, pointing out that Jordan adopted new standards to ensure their feasibility under a clear plan. He added that the 15% of society represented by persons with disabilities deserve to see tangible results and to feel the changes these commitments will bring to reality.
From their side, Eng. Murtada Obeidat, Director of the Project for Enhancing the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Access to Services in Jordan, and Ms. Hala Hamad, Director of the Accreditation Directorate, presented an overview of the national commitments and mechanisms for their follow-up. They emphasized the importance of institutions developing their commitment plans within a clear timeframe and specified budgets.
They noted that the commitments submitted covered several key areas, including employment, raising awareness of the rights of persons with disabilities, inclusive education, accessible infrastructure, inclusive tourism, health, and social protection.
The meeting also included a presentation on mechanisms for monitoring the implementation of national commitments in cooperation with the Summit Commitments Follow-Up Team and the technical directorates within the Council. Presentations were given by Eng. Amal Al-Kasasbeh, Director of Accessibility at the Council; Dr. Zaid Attari, Director of the Training Unit; Ms. Lara Yassin, Head of the Legal Affairs Unit; Mr. Ra’fat Al-Zaytawi, Director of the Equal Opportunities Unit; Eng. Rasha Al-Adwan, Director of the Independent Living Directorate; and Ms. Isar Mazahreh, Director of the Inclusive Education Follow-Up Directorate.
It is worth noting that following up on the implementation of Jordan’s commitments to support persons with disabilities during the Summit reaffirms Jordan’s rights-based approach and its continuous efforts to develop policies, legislation, and national plans in the areas of inclusive education, employment, healthcare, transportation, and tourism, in line with the Jordanian Constitution, the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the National Social Protection Strategy.