New York, June 9 (Petra)-- Minister of Social Development Wafa Bani Mustafa met with the Chair of the International Disability Alliance (IDA) and President of the Arab Organization of Persons with Disabilities (AOPD), Nawaf Kabbara, alongside AOPD Director-General Jahda Abou Khalil, to discuss strategic cooperation pathways.
The meeting took place on Tuesday on the sidelines of Bani Mustafa's participation in the 19th Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP19), hosted by the United Nations at its headquarters in New York.
During the meeting, Bani Mustafa emphasized that under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II, Jordan places social justice, inclusivity, and the empowerment of persons with disabilities at the core of its national priorities.
She underscored the importance of advancing joint Arab initiatives related to disability rights and boosting regional cooperation to adopt pioneering inclusive practices across the Arab world.
Bani Mustafa reviewed the Ministry of Social Development’s ongoing efforts to transition from traditional institutionalized care models to human rights-based models centered on empowerment and social integration.
She detailed Jordan’s progress in developing alternative care systems for persons with disabilities, which include expanding family reintegration programs, early intervention services, and inclusive day care centers as qualitative alternatives to institutionalization. This transition, she noted, marks a strategic shift toward community- and family-based care that fosters dignity, independence, and full inclusion.
The discussions also explored future fields of cooperation, including working with global leaders to design inclusive social policies and exchanging expertise in capacity building and community service development.
Bani Mustafa praised the leadership roles of both the IDA and the AOPD in championing disability rights and advancing full civic participation across the Arab region. She highlighted that Jordan has successfully integrated disability issues into its broader national development plans, aligning them with the Economic Modernization Vision and social protection programs in tandem with local stakeholders.
For his part, Kabbara lauded Jordan’s pioneering experience in shifting away from institutional care toward inclusive alternative care, describing it as an advanced model for the Arab region that reflects a genuine commitment to integration.
Abou Khalil also noted the value of joint programs aimed at empowering and fully integrating persons with disabilities into society, looking forward to broader future collaboration.
//Petra// AF
