A high-level meeting between HRH Prince Mired Raad Zeid Al-Hussein, President of the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (HCD), and Dr. Lorenz Petersen, Country Director of GIZ Jordan, has reinforced the commitment to advancing disability inclusion across the Kingdom. The discussion focused on how development cooperation can better support participation and equal opportunities for persons with disabilities through systemic change and sector-wide collaboration.
Prioritizing National Leadership And Integrated Inclusion
During the exchange, HRH Prince Mired underscored the necessity of national ownership in advocating for disability rights, stating that Jordan must take the lead in driving these initiatives. A central theme of the discussion was the move away from viewing disability inclusion as an “add-on” to development projects. Instead, the Prince emphasized that inclusive practices must be integrated into the design phase of all national development initiatives from the outset.
Strengthening Inclusive Systems Across Key Sectors
GIZ Jordan, acting on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and other international donors, continues to work with Jordanian institutions to embed inclusive policies within various social frameworks. The collaboration focuses on several critical areas:
- Education: Developing policies that ensure students with disabilities have equal access to learning environments.
- Employment: Expanding economic opportunities and supporting inclusive workplace practices.
- Social Protection: Strengthening the services provided by national institutions to ensure a comprehensive safety net.
- Expertise Sharing: Utilizing GIZ’s role as an expert organization to share technical knowledge with all local partners to ensure disability considerations are universal.
Global Commitment To Disability Rights
The partnership builds upon a long-standing cooperation between Jordan and Germany, particularly their joint efforts through the Global Disability Summit. By coordinating efforts across sectors, the HCD and GIZ aim to transform inclusive development from a series of isolated projects into a cohesive national strategy that guarantees equal participation for all citizens.
About GIZ Jordan
GIZ Jordan is the local office of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, a global provider of international cooperation services for sustainable development. In Jordan, GIZ works on behalf of the German government and other donors to support the country’s development goals in areas such as water management, sustainable economic growth, education, and social inclusion. The organization focuses on technical capacity building and sharing international expertise to support stable and inclusive national systems.
Source: GIZ Jordan
