New York, June 11 (Petra)-- Minister of Social Development, Wafa Bani Mustafa, who currently chairs the 45th session of the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs, participated on Thursday in a side event titled "Inclusive and Resilient Communities: Regional Action for the Protection and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Towards National Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Enhanced Community Participation." The event was organized by the Arab League on the sidelines of the 19th Session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP19) in New York.
In her remarks, Bani Mustafa said the event reflects the Council's commitment to keeping disability issues at the forefront of joint Arab social action and advancing efforts to promote the rights, empowerment, and full participation of persons with disabilities across all areas of life.
She noted that since Jordan assumed the presidency of the Council's 45th session, special attention has been given to disability-related issues, emphasizing the importance of strengthening rights and ensuring full social inclusion in line with regional and international commitments. She added that this focus builds on Jordan's role as a key partner in organizing the Global Disability Summit "Amman-Berlin" and the commitments and initiatives that emerged from it.
Bani Mustafa stressed that the event comes at a time when the Arab region and many countries around the world face shared challenges that underscore the need for more inclusive and resilient policies and systems capable of protecting and empowering persons with disabilities while enhancing their active participation in society.
She described the gathering as an important platform for dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and the development of common visions that support national implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
The minister said that, under the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah II and the government of Prime Minister Jaafar Hassan, Jordan believes that building resilient communities begins with establishing integrated and flexible social protection systems capable of responding to the needs of all members of society, particularly persons with disabilities during crises, disasters, and emergencies.
As part of efforts to strengthen the responsiveness of social protection systems to shocks and crises, she revealed that the Ministry of Social Development is developing a national Social Early Warning System. The initiative is designed as a proactive tool to monitor social and economic risks and identify the groups and regions most vulnerable to crises.
According to Bani Mustafa, the system will support decision-making by providing data and indicators necessary for early intervention, ensuring the continued delivery of social protection services, especially for persons with disabilities, women, children, and other vulnerable groups.
She also highlighted Jordan's commitment to supporting independent living and expanding community-based services, enabling persons with disabilities to live independently, participate fully in society, and access greater opportunities in education, employment, and economic and social empowerment.
The minister emphasized that growing global challenges, including conflicts, humanitarian crises, climate change, and economic hardships, reinforce the need to integrate disability issues into humanitarian action and emergency response plans to guarantee equal access to services and protection without barriers or discrimination.
Concluding her remarks, Bani Mustafa expressed appreciation to Arab ministers and representatives for supporting Jordan's nominee, Muhannad Al-Azza, Secretary-General of the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, for membership in the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
She reaffirmed Jordan's belief that persons with disabilities are not merely recipients of services but essential partners in development and decision-making, adding that strengthening their participation and leadership in shaping public policies and national programs is fundamental to achieving inclusive and sustainable development.
The event forms part of ongoing efforts to follow up on the outcomes of the Amman-Berlin Global Disability Summit, while recognizing the role of the League of Arab States and all partners involved in organizing the event.
//Petra// MF
