The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), in coordination with the Arab Republic of Egypt, chair of the 2nd Ministerial Conference on Social Development, organized a virtual workshop titled: “Promoting Welfare and Integration of Persons with Disabilities” on Monday 11 December 2023 on the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities observed on 3 December every year.
Dr Amina Al-Hajri, Director General of Cultural, Social, and Family Affairs delivered the speech of the OIC General Secretariat. In her speech, she explained that the workshop was held in the context of following up on resolutions of the 2nd Ministerial Conference on Social Development and of reviewing the OIC’s policies on the welfare and integration of persons with disabilities, including the draft OIC Plan of Action for this segment and the ongoing efforts of OIC organs in this regard.
Dr Al-Hajri noted that the OIC, in coordination with its institutions, including the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) had developed the OIC policy on social protection, which encompasses special needs and disabilities. This is to provide strategies and guidelines for the use of Member States in this regard, asserting that the workshop was in the implementation of resolutions of the Council of Foreign Ministers on cultural, social, and family affairs.
The workshop reviewed the OIC’s policies and Plan of Action on persons with disabilities with SESRIC making a visual presentation on the plan of action for those policies. Member States reviewed their efforts and achievements in this domain with a view to exchanging experiences among themselves and exploring ways to better the conditions of persons with disabilities so as to achieve justice and equality.—PR
