Latest news with #Amman-BerlinDeclaration
Al-Ahram Weekly
11-04-2025
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Egypt embraces inclusion - Egypt - Al-Ahram Weekly
In its effort to integrate people with special needs and boost their rights, Egypt participated in the third edition of the Global Disability Summit which took place in Berlin from 2-3 April with the attendance of more than 3,000 global leaders. The summit aimed to promote comprehensive development and humanitarian action for people with disabilities. At the end of the summit, Egypt announced its adoption of the Amman-Berlin 2025 Declaration to promote the rights of persons with disabilities. The summit concluded its sessions with over 120 countries and international organisations adopting the summit's declaration which sought to enhance the rights of persons with disabilities globally over the coming years on an unprecedented scale. The Amman-Berlin Declaration focuses on achieving two main objectives: '15 per cent for 15 per cent', which calls for allocating at least 15 per cent of international development programmes to include persons with disabilities who represent 15 per cent of the world's population, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). The second is to promote the inclusiveness of international development programmes to ensure equality for and non-discrimination against people with disabilities. The declaration supports the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in international cooperation, with strong emphasis on inclusive and sustainable development. It also calls for measures to protect the safety and well-being of persons with disabilities in times of crisis, such as armed conflicts and natural disasters. As part of its voluntary commitments, Egypt pledged to work towards achieving the 'Living Independently' initiative over the next three years. The plan aims to strengthen the rights of persons with disabilities and ensure their full integration into society. It includes improving access to education and healthcare services, providing equal job opportunities, and developing more inclusive infrastructure. Egyptian Minister of Social Solidarity Maya Morsi noted that, according to the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS), in 2022, the number of persons with disabilities in Egypt was approximately 10 million. Morsi said that 1.2 million integrated services cards have been issued for people with severe disabilities, confirming that the ministry's offices are open in all directorates to provide the service. According to CAPMAS, the proportion of persons with disabilities was higher in urban areas compared to rural areas, recording 12.1 per cent in urban areas versus 10.1 per cent in rural areas in the same year. Additionally, the percentage of persons with disabilities was higher among females than males, reaching 11.4 per cent for females compared to 10.6 per cent for males for the same year. The data also showed that individuals with severe to complete disabilities accounted for 4.8 per cent of the total population across the country in 2022. Based on the Amman-Berlin Declaration, internal cooperation among relevant stakeholders will be enhanced to achieve the 15 per cent for 15 per cent goal using advanced measurement and evaluation tools. Egypt will develop an implementation plan following the summit to ensure that disability issues are integrated across all sectors. The Global Disability Summit serves as a crucial platform to promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities worldwide. The summit aspired to transform labour markets to become more inclusive, ensure fair and equitable health and education systems, close the digital divide, and guarantee greater participation of persons with disabilities in public life. The summit, first launched in 2017, aimed at bringing together stakeholders from around the world to achieve inclusive development and comprehensive humanitarian action for persons with disabilities. The current summit was hosted by the governments of Germany and Jordan, in collaboration with the International Disability Alliance (IDA). The summit aimed to amplify the voices and enhance the participation of persons with disabilities in policymaking. It addressed key topics such as the economic empowerment of persons with disabilities, the role of social protection in this context, and its feasibility in low- and middle income countries. It also discussed inclusive employment in the Arab region, the challenges it faces, and the necessary policy recommendations to overcome barriers. Berlin served as a global stage for showcasing the priorities and perspectives of persons with disabilities directly to the international audience, reinforcing the slogan 'Nothing About Us Without Us'. * A version of this article appears in print in the 10 April, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Jordan Times
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Jordan Times
Global Disability Summit concludes with 'commitments' for inclusion
AMMAN — The third Global Disability Summit concluded on Thursday in Berlin with "tangible commitments" to advance disability inclusion. Persons with disabilities, who make up 15 per cent of the global population, approximately 1.3 billion people, are often left out of development projects. In response to this gap and the backdrop of shrinking aid for inclusion, the summit introduced a new goal: ensuring that at least 15 per cent of development projects at the country level focus on disability inclusion. This target is captured in the Amman-Berlin Declaration, which has been adopted by over 80 governments and organisations, according to a statement for The Jordan Times. Throughout the Summit, over 800 commitments were made by governments, private sector organisations, and development actors to enhance accessibility and meaningful participation for persons with disabilities. Co-hosted by the German Development Ministry, Jordan, and the International Disability Alliance (IDA), the summit brought together 4,500 participants from nearly 100 countries, including persons with disabilities, government representatives and civil society leaders. Over the course of more than 60 sessions, discussions focused on strengthening the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and ensuring that commitments lead to actionable change. At the opening ceremony, the Federal Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz reaffirmed Germany's commitment to disability inclusion, especially in a time when countries are cutting down on their inclusion funding. The chancellor committed to the 15 per cent target and announced a joint initiative on inclusive education with Jordan. His Majesty King Abdullah called for ongoing commitment and action to ensure that all individuals can live with dignity, happiness and hope, stressing that inclusion is not merely about accessibility, but it is also about recognising the inherent potential in every human being and creating environments where everyone can contribute, the statement said. IDA President Nawaf Kabbara stressed that true disability inclusion cannot be achieved unless Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) are at the table where funding decisions are made, stressing that inclusion must be 'with' OPDs, not 'for' OPDs. The Amman-Berlin Declaration sets a target that at least 15 per cent of development projects be specifically designed to promote disability inclusion. Currently, only 6 per cent of development projects directly contribute to this goal. German Development Minister Svenja Schulze noted that development policy can only succeed when all stakeholders collaborate, highlighting that the Amman-Berlin Declaration is a global commitment, not just a promise from donor countries. She highlighted that true inclusion benefits not only the 15 per cent of people with disabilities, but society as a whole. Several key initiatives were also announced during the summit. The UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office committed to launching an Assistive Technology Investment Vehicle through the AT2030 programme, aiming to raise $60 million by 2026, while co-chairing the Global Action on Disability Network to foster global partnerships for disability inclusion. UNICEF committed to allocating 10 per cent of its annual budget to children with disabilities by 2030, expanding data collection, and scaling inclusive education and protection systems in 50 countries. IDA pledged to strengthen OPDs in over 100 countries to influence policy, launch a leadership programme for 80 young persons with disabilities, and partner with the UN Global Disability Fund to advance the implementation of the CRPD in 50 countries. In Jordan, 88 national organisations, including government bodies, civil society, academia, media, and the private sector, made 133 commitments to promote the rights of persons with disabilities. During a dedicated session, Minister of Education Azmi Mahafzah announced five strategic, rights-based commitments, including a JD90-million investment by the Association of Banks in Jordan, banks operating in the country, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, and the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to enhance inclusive education and health services, and transform 250 public schools. These pledges highlight Jordan's strong commitment to dignity, equality and the full participation of persons with disabilities, according to the statement. A new partnership between Germany and the African Union was announced to strengthen organisations of persons with disabilities across Africa, with a focus on youth and women. The multilateral education initiative Education Cannot Wait will collaborate with Germany, the UK, IDA, and the Girls' Education Challenge to improve data collection and accountability for inclusive education in crisis-affected regions by 2028.
Jordan Times
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Jordan Times
Global Disability Summit concludes with commitments for inclusion
Persons with disabilities, who make up 15 per cent of the global population are often left out of development projects (Photo courtesy of the Global Disability Summit) AMMAN — The third Global Disability Summit concluded on April 3 in Berlin with tangible commitments to advance disability inclusion. Persons with disabilities, who make up 15 per cent of the global population—approximately 1.3 billion people— are often left out of development projects. In response to this gap and the backdrop of shrinking aid for inclusion, the Summit introduced a new goal: ensuring that at least 15 per cent of development projects at the country level focus on disability inclusion. This target is captured in the Amman-Berlin Declaration, which was adopted today by over 80 governments and organisations, according to a statement for The Jordan Times. Throughout the Summit, over 800 commitments were made by governments, private sector organisations, and development actors to enhance accessibility and meaningful participation for persons with disabilities. Co-hosted by the German Development Ministry, Jordan, and the International Disability Alliance (IDA), the Summit brought together 4,500 participants from nearly 100 countries, including persons with disabilities, government representatives, and civil society leaders. Over the course of more than 60 sessions, discussions focused on strengthening the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and ensuring that commitments lead to actionable change. At the opening ceremony, Olaf Scholz, the Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany reaffirmed Germany's commitment to disability inclusion, especially in a time when countries are cutting down on their inclusion funding. The Chancellor committed to the 15per cent target and announced a joint initiative on inclusive education with Jordan. His Majesty King Abdullah called for ongoing commitment and action to ensure that all individuals can live with dignity, happiness, and hope, stressing that inclusion is not merely about accessibility, but it is also about recognising the inherent potential in every human being and creating environments where everyone can contribute, the statement said. Nawaf Kabbara, President of the International Disability Alliance (IDA), stressed that true disability inclusion cannot be achieved unless Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) are at the table where funding decisions are made. He emphasised that inclusion must be 'with' OPDs, not 'for' OPDs. The Amman-Berlin Declaration sets a target that at least 15 per cent of development projects be specifically designed to promote disability inclusion. Currently, only six per cent of development projects directly contribute to this goal. German Development Minister Svenja Schulze noted that development policy can only succeed when all stakeholders collaborate, highlighting that the Amman-Berlin Declaration is a global commitment, not just a promise from donor countries. She emphasised that true inclusion benefits not only the 15 per cent of people with disabilities, but society as a whole. Several key initiatives were also announced during the Summit. The UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) committed to launching an Assistive Technology Investment Vehicle through the AT2030 programme, aiming to raise $60 million by 2026, while co-chairing the Global Action on Disability (GLAD) Network to foster global partnerships for disability inclusion. UNICEF committed to allocating 10 per cent of its annual budget to children with disabilities by 2030, expanding data collection, and scaling inclusive education and protection systems in 50 countries. IDA pledged to strengthen OPDs in over 100 countries to influence policy, launch a leadership programme for 80 young persons with disabilities, and partner with the UN Global Disability Fund to advance the implementation of the CRPD in 50 countries. In Jordan, 88 national organisations—including government bodies, civil society, academia, media, and the private sector—made 133 commitments to promote the rights of persons with disabilities. During a dedicated session, Azmi Mahafzah, Minister of Education, announced five strategic, rights-based commitments, including a 90 million JOD investment by the Association of Banks in Jordan, banks operating in the country, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, and the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to enhance inclusive education and health services, and transform 250 public schools. These pledges highlight Jordan's strong commitment to dignity, equality, and the full participation of persons with disabilities, according to the statement. A new partnership between Germany and the African Union was announced to strengthen organisations of persons with disabilities across Africa, with a focus on youth and women. The multilateral education initiative Education Cannot Wait will collaborate with Germany, the United Kingdom, IDA, and the Girls' Education Challenge to improve data collection and accountability for inclusive education in crisis-affected regions by 2028.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Declaration on inclusion agreed at Global Disability Summit in Berlin
More than 80 countries and international organizations have agreed on a common declaration on improving inclusion for people with disabilities at a summit in Berlin. The Amman-Berlin Declaration on Global Disability Inclusion, signed on Thursday, intends to boost the number of development projects focusing on inclusion for people with disabilities. Around 1.3 billion people, or 15% of the global population, are estimated to have a disability. Some 4,500 participants from 100 countries attended the Global Disability Summit, which was officially opened by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Jordan's King Abdullah II on Wednesday. The aim of the two-day summit was to achieve concrete progress in implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. "With the Amman-Berlin Declaration, we have achieved a real breakthrough for the rights of people with disabilities worldwide," said German Development Minister Svenja Schulze. The agreement provides an objective for 15% of global development projects to be targeted towards the inclusion of disabled people.
