AMMAN — Although Jordan was an instrumental part of a process that led to drafting
the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, there are
challenges facing people with special needs in the Kingdom, the UN special
rapporteur Gerard Quinn said.
اضافة اعلان
In press conference at the conclusion of a 10-day
visit to Jordan on Thursday, Quinn praised Jordan’s commitment and political
will to include people with disabilities in all aspects of society.
“Jordan is one of the first countries to come to the
table at the start of the process that resulted in the drafting of the UN
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and was one of the first
countries to ratify it,” he said.
“This commitment is reflected in the sophisticated
body of law that protects the full range of rights of persons with
disabilities, including the 2017 national disability legislation,” Quinn told
reporters.
He said that strong legislation on disability was
both necessary and important, “but, it must be accompanied by systematic
efforts to combat stigma”.
He called on the government to consider developing a
nationwide media campaign to sensitize and educate the general population on
disability and the human rights-based approach to the issue.
“The campaign would encourage and empower families
with individuals with disabilities to not see disability as a hindrance, but
simply as a form of human diversity”, he pointed out.
He said the challenges that people with disabilities
face in Jordan are namely in education, labor, health, transportation, and
social protection.
He said that “79 percent of people with disabilities
did not receive any type of education in 2015, this number is shocking and
alarming.”
He emphasized the importance of inclusive employment
and education and the many beneficial effects it has on both individuals and
the country. He stressed the need to improve accessibility for students with
disabilities in schools and universities.
“Jordan’s economic success depends on inclusive
education and employment,” Quinn said.
He recommended that Jordan establishes an
independent monitoring mechanism “to promote and monitor the implementation of
the Disabilities Convention, pursuant to Article 33(2)”.
“Such a mechanism would efficiently complement the
extraordinary work being undertaken by the Higher Council for Persons with
Disabilities and help bridge the implementation gap in disability rights currently
prevailing in Jordan,” he explained.
Quinn recognized the immense strain placed on Jordan
by the number of refugees the country is hosting. “Leaving no one behind has to
mean extending the benefits of inclusion to refugees with disabilities,” he
said.
“That is a joint responsibility with the international
community,” he concluded.
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