Sharjah, Sept 15 (Petra) – Prince Mired bin Raad, Chief Chamberlain and President of the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (HCD), on Monday outlined Jordan’s efforts to create supportive family and community environments that ensure full inclusion for persons with disabilities.

In a recorded address to the opening of the 18th World Conference 2025 "We Are Inclusion," Prince Mired praised the success of Jordan’s structured plans in housing, education, independent living, and employment, with priority given to persons with intellectual disabilities. He commended the conference’s role in promoting fundamental rights and freedoms of persons with disabilities, particularly in Arab countries where greater support is needed.

The conference was opened by Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, which is hosting the event for the first time in the Middle East and North Africa. It is organized by Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services.

Sheikha Jamila bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, president of the City, welcomed participants in a recorded message, saying: "We chose the theme ‘We Are Inclusion’ because we believe inclusion is not merely an idea or goal but an essential part of our values. This gathering, which unites the voices of advocates, families, decision-makers, and communities, proves that when our voices come together, they become a force capable of shaping a more inclusive and just world." She highlighted the City’s four-decade-long efforts in defending the rights of persons with disabilities, integrating them into society, and empowering them. She also stressed the importance of the conference in raising awareness and advancing services for persons with disabilities, noting that self-advocates must be aware of their rights and have the support needed to make their own decisions and work collectively on issues that concern them.

The three-day conference brings together representatives from 74 countries, 125 institutions, 134 self-advocates, 152 speakers, and more than 500 participants across 59 sessions, including nine parallel discussions each day. It will chart a comprehensive roadmap moving from community-based initiatives to actionable national policies.

The agenda aims to strengthen the role of self-advocates by training them in decision-making and advocacy skills, highlighting intellectual disability issues from global human rights and humanitarian perspectives, sharing success stories from different countries, and developing supportive policies for inclusion and diversity. The event also seeks to foster partnerships between civil society organizations, governments, and the private sector.

//Petra// AF