Under the patronage and in the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Mired bin Raad bin Zeid Al Hussein, President of the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States convened the Multi-Regional Global Disability Pre Summit on 14-15 November. The conference was organised in collaboration with the International Disability Alliance and the Federal Republic of Germany, the co-organisers of the forthcoming World Summit for Persons with Disabilities, scheduled to take place in Berlin on 2-3 April 2025.
Her Excellency Ambassador Dr. Haifa Abu Ghazaleh, Assistant Secretary-General and head of the Social Affairs Sector, led a high-level delegation representing the League of Arab States. She highlighted the conference's significant Arab and international participation, including ministers of social affairs and senior officials from Arab and foreign nations.
Dr. Abu Ghazaleh held strategic meetings with His Royal Highness Prince Mired bin Raad bin Zeid Al Hussein and the Secretary-General of the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Jordan. Additionally, she engaged with the German delegation led by Dr. Annette Tabara, Chief Director for Disability Affairs and Social Solidarity at Germany’s Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, as well as the President of the International Disability Alliance and other key stakeholders. The discussions aimed to ensure the inclusion of Arab priorities and requirements for persons with disabilities in the agenda of the upcoming summit, thereby reinforcing the commitment to promoting inclusive global policies for persons with disabilities.
In her address during the opening session of the conference, Her Excellency Ambassador Dr. Abu Ghazaleh asserted the urgent need to halt the brutal Israeli aggression, which has significantly escalated the number of persons with disabilities in Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria. She highlighted the profound psychological impact on children with disabilities and their mothers, noting that these effects may persist for years to come. Dr. Abu Ghazaleh underscored the necessity of ensuring that humanitarian, social, and health aid for persons with disabilities and other affected groups remains uninhibited by conflicts.
The Ambassador reiterated the League of Arab States' commitment to implementing the Plan to Support the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Epidemics and Crises which was endorsed by the Arab Summit. Additionally, she referenced the Arab Strategy to Enhance Volunteer Work as a pivotal tool for readiness in addressing the rights of persons with disabilities during challenging times.
Her Excellency also highlighted the efforts of the General Secretariat in organising a meeting of Arab ministers and delegation heads with the organising bodies of the 14 November summit. The meeting served as an invaluable platform to align on the summit's objectives and explore Arab contributions to its agenda. Furthermore, Dr. Abu Ghazaleh announced the organisation of two key Arab events on the sidelines of the upcoming summit: On Living Independently and Towards the Disability Summit – Qatar 2028.
During the conference, the General Secretariat delegation delivered a presentation on the Independent Living Initiative for Persons with Disabilities, an endeavour sponsored by His Excellency the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States. Dr. Abu Ghazaleh explained that this initiative aims to create dignified employment opportunities for persons with disabilities while fostering innovations and inventions that support their independent living.
In her closing remarks, the Assistant Secretary-General outlined the commitments of Arab countries and the League of Arab States, which will be presented at the Disability Summit in Berlin in April 2025. These commitments include:
- Implementation of the Second Arab Decade for Persons with Disabilities 2023–2032, approved by the Arab Summit in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2023.
- Updating the Arab Model Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to reflect contemporary needs.
- Strengthening member states’ efforts to implement the Arab Classification for Persons with Disabilities at the national level.
- Advancing legislative reforms, adapting technologies, sharing expertise, and promoting entrepreneurship programmes tailored for persons with disabilities.
- Commitments in the fields of education, integrated social protection, and health services aimed at enhancing the empowerment and quality of life for persons with disabilities.
Dr. Abu Ghazaleh reaffirmed the collective resolve to advance these priorities, ensuring meaningful and sustainable progress for persons with disabilities across the Arab region.
