Dhofar, Sept. 16 (Petra) -- Jordan is expanding community-based services for persons with disabilities, with plans to increase early intervention and day-care units and centers from 74 in 2026 to 128 by 2028, Social Development Minister Wafa Bani Mustafa said Wednesday.
Family inclusion programs are also set for a significant expansion, with the number of cases targeted to rise from 700 to 4,134 over the same period as the Kingdom advances a broader transition from institutional care toward family- and community-based alternatives.
Bani Mustafa outlined the plans at the opening of the fourth session of the "Independent Living for Persons with Disabilities" initiative in Oman’s Dhofar Governorate, where she is participating in her capacity as chair of the 45th session of the Arab Social Affairs Ministers Council.
The Sept. 16-17 event is jointly organized by the Arab League and the Union of Arab Chambers in partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), under the patronage of Sayyid Marwan bin Turki bin Mahmoud Al Said.
Bani Mustafa said independent living should not be viewed solely in terms of care and service provision, but as the ability of persons with disabilities to make their own decisions and participate equally in social, economic and cultural life.
That approach requires access to education, employment, services, technology and accessible environments, alongside policies designed to remove barriers to full participation, she said.
She highlighted the growing role of artificial intelligence, assistive technologies and other digital innovations in improving independence and accessibility, while stressing the need to protect personal data and privacy. These technologies can also widen opportunities for entrepreneurship and economic participation, Bani Mustafa said, particularly when skills development and vocational training are aligned with labor market demand. She stressed that persons with disabilities should be directly involved in designing the policies and solutions that affect them.
Greater labor market inclusion will also require accessible and flexible workplaces, stronger public-private partnerships and corporate social responsibility initiatives that support employment and economic opportunities, she added.
Bani Mustafa said Arab countries have made progress in developing legislation and policies protecting the rights of persons with disabilities, but translating those rights into practical outcomes remains a key challenge.
She pointed to the Arab Decade of Persons with Disabilities 2023-2032 as a framework for strengthening protection, empowerment and participation, noting that Jordan’s presidency of the Arab Social Affairs Ministers Council is also prioritizing responses to violence, exploitation and abuse affecting persons with disabilities.
At the national level, Bani Mustafa said Jordan’s approach is grounded in equality, non-discrimination and inclusion, supported by the Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the national strategy for alternatives to residential institutions.
Alongside the expansion of early intervention, day-care and family inclusion programs, the Kingdom is developing social services through digital transformation and the Jordanian Social Registry, improving accessibility in public facilities and advancing inclusive education through the Royal Academy for Inclusive Education.
Bani Mustafa said Jordan would use its presidency of the Arab Social Affairs Ministers Council to support greater regional cooperation and promote practical policies that strengthen the independence, dignity and full participation of persons with disabilities.
//Petra// RZ
