AMMAN — A three-day training workshop to enhance the capacities of persons with disabilities, organised by the Al Hayat Centre (RASED) with the support of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and in partnership with the Government of Norway, concluded on 28 September.
Members of the Jordanian Persons with Disability Coalition took part in the training, which came as part of phase 2 of the Local Government Network project. The training targeted the member organisations of the Jordanian Coalition for Persons with Disabilities, and included 39 trainees, 12 of whom were persons with disabilities from all governorates. The Coalition comprises 30 member associations in various governorates with 1,900 beneficiaries, according to a statement from UNDP.
Director of the Jordanian Persons with Disability Coalition Dr. Ahmed Al Louzi expressed his thanks and appreciation for supporting the Coalition, which was established in 2011. The participants underlined the need for continued support to the Coalition, since it is the civil umbrella for raising awareness and defending the rights of persons with disabilities and enabling them to participate in all spheres of life.
The training programme included four main modules: leadership skills and problem-solving strategies, proposal writing and reporting skills, advocacy and alliance building and a detailed overview of the Persons with Disabilities Law N.20 of 2017 and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the related rights of persons with disabilities, the statement said.
In the opening session a dialogue about the outcomes of the Royal Committee for the Modernisation of the Political System, moderated by Dr. Amer Bani Amer, with the participation of Senator Khalid Bakar, Chair of the Election Committee, and Adnan Al Sawair, Chair of the Political Parties Committee in the Royal Committee. According to the statement, the participants were briefed on the most important outcomes related to persons with disabilities of the Law on Election and the Law on Political Parties and the importance of capitalising on political modernisation to enhance the political representation of persons with disabilities.
In the closing session, Norwegian Ambassador Espen Lindbæck stated that he was pleased to participate in the closing session, especially as the Local Government Network project is aimed to promote the participation and representation of the most disadvantaged groups at the local level, including youth, women and persons with disabilities.
“Supporting the capacity development of marginalised individuals and groups is key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and advancing human development,” Lindbæck added.
Deputy Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Majda Alassaf confirmed that UNDP continues to support the Coalition, and strengthens its capacity to advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which call for leaving no one behind and stress the need to reach out everyone. This comes as an effort to realise the CRPD, which the Kingdom ratified in 2008. CRPD states the right of persons with disabilities to participate as active community members on an equal basis with others in all political, social, economic, environmental and cultural areas, according to the UNDP statement.
In the closing session, the participants were briefed on the structure and content of the Coalition's website. A number of recommendations and measures were agreed upon by the participants, including developing the coalition into a federation, expanding membership, supporting opportunities of capacity-building, research, and policy sessions with experts covering all areas of sustainable development. The participants also recommended broad support for the coalition’s initiatives and projects in support of the rights of persons with disabilities, the statement said.
