(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency) His Royal Highness Prince Mired bin Raad, president of the Higher Council for the Affairs of Persons with Disabilities (HCD), Tuesday called for coming up with a national initiative to change the society's attitude toward disabled people.
He told the fourth meeting of human rights liaison officers in public and private institutions and universities that the disabled people were being subjected to discrimination and were facing other obstacles that curtail their participation in society on the basis of equality with others.
They were also deprived of their right to integrate in education and employment and participate in sports, cultural and other activities, added the prince.
"Based upon our commitments towards the system of human rights and upgrading it through spreading the human rights culture in the Kingdom, a national strategy on persons with disabilities, 2007-2015, was drafted under royal directives that placed the issue of disability top of the national priorities", he told the gathering, organised by the government coordination team for human rights.
Prince Mired also noted that under the strategy, the 2007 persons with disabilities law was issued, which marked a shift from the sponsorship concept to the human rights concept, and also noted the setting up of the HCD as a national institution tasked with charting policies on the disabled in cooperation with relevant entities.
He also outlined the council's achievements in defending the rights of the disabled, notably drawing up a blueprint amendment to the 2007 law on persons with disabilities that was in line with the provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as well as holding a series of meetings with ministries and public agencies.
The prince also pointed to the impediments and challenges facing the endeavour of achieving equality and non-discrimination against persons with disabilities, namely the right to work, education, health, recruitment, environmental facilities, social services and institutional care.
He called for putting forward joint executive plans with relevant authorities to promote the rights of persons with disabilities and drawing up a national strategy for the next stage, 2016-2021.
Government Coordinator on Human Rights at the prime ministry Basel Tarawneh said the governmental coordination team issues periodic reports outlining the measures taken and progress made in the area of human rights in the Kingdom. He said the task force will devise a comprehensive national plan for the next five years to offer optimal services to all people residing in the country and ensure they enjoy human rights.
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