His Royal Highness Prince Mired bin Raad bin Zeid, Lord Chamberlain and President of the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (HCD), and the Ambassador of the Republic of Italy to Jordan, Luciano Pezzotti, signed a cooperation agreement on Tuesday to implement a strategic national project aimed at a comprehensive transformation of Jordan's mental health sector.
The agreement, which aligns with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), initiates a 24-month national initiative to promote an inclusive approach to mental health for individuals with psychosocial disabilities.
A Human Rights-Based Approach
During the signing ceremony, His Highness praised the deep-rooted partnership between the two countries. Prince Mired emphasized that this agreement represents a pivotal step in developing Jordan’s mental health system based on human rights and community-inclusive principles.
"This strategic cooperation with Italy allows us to benefit from the pioneering experience of the city of Trieste, placing Jordan on a clear path to becoming a regional leader in mental health policy and service development," His Highness added.
Addressing Key Gaps
The project targets long-standing gaps in the sector, focusing on:
Accessibility: Improving physical and systemic access to services.
Autonomy: Ensuring free and informed consent for patients.
De-stigmatization: Reducing social stigma and discrimination.
Quality of Care: Enhancing services for those facing dual challenges and social exclusion.
Implementation and Training
Drawing on the "Trieste Model"—a global gold standard in community-based mental health—the two-year project will include:
Policy Reform: Reviewing and updating national legislation and mental health strategies.
Capacity Building: Training 130 primary healthcare workers and 30 mental health specialists.
Knowledge Exchange: Organizing a high-level government study visit to Trieste, Italy.
Clinical Standards: Developing informed consent tools, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and ethical frameworks for outpatient services.
Infrastructure: Rehabilitating outpatient mental health clinics at Princess Basma Hospital.
Impact and Reach
The initiative is expected to directly benefit approximately 500 individuals, with over 2,000 people receiving indirect support. Ultimately, the project aims to create long-term systemic improvements for more than 200,000 people with psychosocial disabilities through a decentralized, rights-based national system.
Italian Ambassador Luciano Pezzotti expressed Italy’s pride in collaborating with Jordan, stating that the partnership reflects a shared belief that mental health is a fundamental human right and a pillar of sustainable development.
Coordination and Oversight
The Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (HCD) will lead the project’s coordination and policy direction. This will be done in close collaboration with:
The Ministry of Health.
The Royal Medical Services.
World Health Organization (WHO) partners.
Civil society and Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs).
Technical experts from Trieste.
Supported by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), this collaboration embodies a mutual commitment to advancing the rights of persons with disabilities and building sustainable, community-based national systems.