Under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Mired Raad Zeid Al-Hussein, Lord Chamberlain and President of the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (HCD), the Multi-Regional Global Disability Pre-Summit on the Global Disability Summit (GDS) 2025 officially commenced on Wednesday.
Spanning two days, the pre-summit offers participants an opportunity to exchange experiences and best practices to improve the lives of persons with disabilities across all facets of society. It will also support the development of effective, high-impact commitments to be presented at the GDS in Berlin in 2025. The summit is co-organized by Jordan, Germany, and the International Disability Alliance (IDA) to mobilize support for these commitments and ensure their implementation.
The summit brings together several prominent figures, including ministers, ambassadors from neighboring countries, representatives from international organizations, regional and global government entities, civil society institutions, members of academia, experts, and disability rights activists, as well as organizations of persons with disabilities.
In his address at the pre-summit, Prince Mired emphasized that Jordan represents a true model of political will and sincere efforts to achieve a fundamental transformation in the field of disability rights. He noted that persons with disabilities had long awaited and continue to wait for their hopes and promises to be translated into reality and practices.
His Royal Highness emphasized that Jordan has made significant progress, particularly given the timeframes required for meaningful change. He highlighted the country's achievements, including the passage of its first modern anti-discrimination law in 2017 and the implementation of key initiatives, such as the inclusive education strategy and deinstitutionalization efforts. These steps have positioned Jordan as a leader in combating restrictions on freedoms and unnecessary confinement under terms like "intensive care" and "specialized care," advocating instead for inclusive, community-based solutions.
Prince Mired continued, “When we agreed to participate in organizing the third [Global] Disability Summit, our decision was driven by political will at the highest levels to support the rights of persons with disabilities and Jordan's ongoing efforts to achieve the best for its citizens in this regard. This political will was clearly reflected when His Majesty King Abdullah II participated in the 2022 [Global Disability] Summit in Norway, delivering a pre-recorded televised speech, highlighting the leadership's strong commitment to the rights of persons with disabilities.”
He further stated that this aligns with the significant achievements made in Jordan, including King Abdullah II’s receiving the Franklin D. Roosevelt International Disability Award in 2005, the passage of the new Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2017, and the amendment of the Jordanian Constitution in 2022, which introduced provisions that placed it at the forefront of world constitutions in opposing discrimination on the grounds of disability."
Prince Mired emphasized that the Global Disability Summit in Berlin represents a rare and significant opportunity to raise the voices of persons with disabilities, placing their rights on the global agenda. "We will be creative in preparing for the summit, and our goal is to positively surprise everyone so that each leader and decision-maker returns to their country convinced that the rights of persons with disabilities are the key to progress in social values, behavior, and even in economic and national income growth through promoting inclusive employment, inclusive tourism, and participation in public life."
On his part, the German State Secretary in the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Mr. Jochen Flasbarth, said, "We would like to send a message from Germany that inclusion is not a marginal issue; it must be integrated into all aspects of life." He added, "The Global Disability Summit is not just a two-day event, but a global cycle and mechanism to strengthen inclusive development efforts by making voluntary commitments from a wide range of stakeholders."
Jordan's Minister of Social Development, Wafa Bani Mustafa, emphasized that the summit is a valuable opportunity to renew the commitment to enhancing the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities and empowering them in all aspects of life. She explained that the rights of persons with disabilities are both a human and legal obligation.
Annette Tabbara, , Head of Directorate General V – Participation Matters Concerning Persons with Disabilities, Social Compensation and Social Assistance, Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, highlighted the importance of exchanging experiences between countries on disability rights issues such as inclusive education, deinstitutionalization options, and the right of access to all places for persons with disabilities. She also emphasized the need to discuss their protection during natural disasters and crises, noting that Germany is striving, through the upcoming summit, to promote best practices for persons with disabilities.
Nawaf Kabbara, President of the International Disability Alliance, emphasized that the Global Disability Summit aims to ensure the promotion of inclusive disability investments that will result in tangible changes in the lives of persons with disabilities. He stressed the importance of disability organizations taking the lead in planning and implementing the GDS 2025, continuing the work from the previous two summits.
Kabbara also stressed the need for policymakers worldwide to make substantial changes to the reality of persons with disabilities in order to meet the obligations set out in international agreements and laws.
Haifa Abu Ghazaleh, Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab League and Head of the Social Affairs Sector, stated that this conference sends a humanitarian, educational, and advocacy message regarding the rights of persons with disabilities, adding that the Arab League, considers the issue of disability rights one of its top priorities.
Hiba Hagras, the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, stated, "We seek to transform every challenge faced by persons with disabilities into an incentive for positive change and the realization of their full rights." She explained that following the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a growing recognition of the need for supportive systems that allow persons with disabilities to receive necessary support during crises and to access information and services.
The UN Resident Coordinator in Jordan, Sherry Ritsema-Anderson, praised Jordan's leadership role and highlighted the significant steps the country has taken to promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities and ensure their accessibility. These steps include the country's Disability Rights Law No. 20 of 2017, as well as the national strategies that were subsequently launched.
Maya Morsi, Chair of the 43rd Session of the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs, confirmed that this meeting represents a crucial step toward building a unified vision that reflects the aspirations and challenges of our region, aimed at promoting the rights of persons with disabilities and ensuring their full inclusion in all aspects of life.
Muhannad Alazzeh, Secretary-General of the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, explained that the conference brought together stakeholders in disability rights, decision-makers, and international organizations to generate ideas and commitments for the upcoming summit. "We hope that this summit will be a turning point in supporting the rights of persons with disabilities," he said.
The two-day conference includes multiple discussion sessions focused on key issues related to the rights of persons with disabilities, aiming to generate concrete commitments for the upcoming Global Disability Summit.
The Global Disability Summit is a unique global mechanism aimed at improving the lives of persons with disabilities and uniting efforts among relevant stakeholders at the global, regional, and local levels for inclusive disability development. The summit will be hosted by Germany, Jordan, and the International Disability Alliance (IDA) in Berlin on April 2-3, 2025, under the joint leadership of King Abdullah II of Jordan and the German Chancellor.