The CEMOFPSC organized a working breakfast “Awareness about the access of Middle Eastern countries to the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities”

 

 

 

 

 

On the International Day of the Disabled held this December and as an act of awareness of the Convention “Improving social integration of disabled people in the Middle East through accessibility in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt,” funded by AECID, the CEMOFPSC organized last December 18 in Madrid, in the Shukran Restaurant of the Arabic House, a working breakfast with the title “Access of countries in the Middle East to the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,” intended to delve into the complexity of enforcing laws, especially in the Arab world, in the field of universal accessibility to overcome barriers experienced by people with disabilities (PWDs).

 

 

 

Each of the assembled experts presented their organizations’ efforts to implement actions that enable them to fulfill the aforementioned international convention, the main problems encountered and the solutions adopted in each specific context.

 

 

Among those present gathered at this workshop, representatives of three industry-leading organizations working with people with disabilities (PWDs) in the Middle East, Georges Xanthopoulos, Director of Mobility Programs, Accessibility and Employment at the organization Arcenciel in Lebanon, Annie Medzhagopian Abu Hanna, Executive Director of the Al Hussein Society for the Habilitation / Rehabilitation of the Physically Challenged in Jordan, accompanied by Muhammad Jarrar of the same organization, and Ibrahim Makram, Director of Development at the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services in Egypt, along with representatives of Spanish and international press, Raquel Garcia Merino, Head of Service Department of the AECID NGOs, Pilar Ruiz of the NGO Department of AECID, Marco Rotunno, Head of Mission of the FPSC in Jordan, Enric Roig, Project Coordinator of the FPSC in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt, Macarena Cotelo, Director of Projects of FSPC, and Jumana Trad, president of READI, who served as moderator.

 

 

 

In the case of Lebanon, although parliament has not yet ratified the UN convention, it has set up a committee of experts which has allowed the development of legislation for the implementation of accessibility standards for public buildings collected in Law 220. Currently they are promoting awareness campaigns at all levels with professionals and organizations to take into account all accessibility standards at the time of construction or adaptation of buildings.

In Syria, the situation six months ago differed completely from the current, being able to track the activities of the convention. However, the current state of widespread conflict and the consequent uncertainty throughout the whole country, is hampering the work. It would also be advisable to focus future activities in the context of planning the reconstruction of the country should also take into account the large number of disabled people to be after the war.

 

Jordan was the first Arab country to sign and ratify the United Nations Convention, due to institutional effort and participation by the King. The main challenge has arisen in Jordan has been the change in attitude and legislation prior to the adoption of the UN Convention, focusing on charity rather than rights. A High Council has been created responsible for establishing policies, consolidating efforts and promoting awareness campaigns in society. It has developed a National Strategic Plan 2007-2015 with public, private and NGOs.

 

 

Egypt signed the convention in 2008 but this has not translated into the adoption of appropriate legislation. According to official estimates, Egypt has a population of at least 7 million people with disabilities. The revolution and the current transition have interrupted this process. Many new disabled as a result of the revolution are political activists who believe that we must take more account of their situation. This has begun to change, in the most extreme cases, as one of the articles on the situation of persons with disabilities is being drafted in the light of human rights. 

Finally the meeting was concluded with the presentation of the new open portal under the agreement http://www.accessibilityforpwd.org, a very useful tool in the face of the coordination between the organizations involved but also open to other organizations in the Arab world and beyond