Cairo: The Arab League has called on organizations and institutions for persons with disabilities across Arab countries, the International Disability Alliance, and all UN agencies to collaborate in developing strategies and interventions to support the rights of persons with disabilities in Gaza and other conflict-affected areas in the Arab world.
According to Qatar News Agency, in a statement on the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, observed annually on December 3, the Arab League condemned Israel’s inhumane actions, which have led to a continuous rise in the number of casualties and injuries. This has significantly increased the number of persons with disabilities in Gaza, a figure that is difficult to assess or categorize due to the challenges in reaching affected areas. The situation is similarly severe in Lebanon and Syria.
The statement expressed the Arab League’s full support for persons with disabilities in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and all other conflict zones, hoping for
stability that would allow the necessary interventions to help those affected.
The League emphasized the ongoing need to implement international agreements and treaties related to human rights, particularly the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the relevant targets of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. It also highlighted the importance of implementing the second Arab Disability Decade (2023-2032), approved by the Arab Summit held in Saudi Arabia in 2023.
The Arab League further called on the Global Disability Summit, scheduled to take place in Berlin on April 2-3, 2025, to consider the specific challenges faced by the Arab region in executing policies and programs that support persons with disabilities, which have hindered regional efforts to fulfill the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
The statement concluded by reaffirming the Arab League’s commitment, through coordination with all Arab countrie
s and the Arab Ministers of Social Affairs Council, to monitor the implementation of policies and programs related to the rights of persons with disabilities. This includes ensuring their integration into society with justice, security, and social harmony, and furthering initiatives across the region.