MoSD Launches Consultations on the Draft Decree-Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Its Implementation Mechanisms
Ramallah – The Ministry of Social Development launched consultations today, Wednesday, on the development of the Draft Decree-Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its implementation mechanisms in the State of Palestine. The launch took place during an expanded meeting attended by representatives of persons with disabilities and their organizations, government institutions, international organizations, civil society organizations, and members of the specialized technical committee.
The meeting was opened by Minister of Social Development and Acting Minister of State for Relief Dr. Samah Hamad, in the presence of UNICEF Chief of Social Policy Artur Ayvazov; Secretary-General of the Palestinian General Union of Persons with Disabilities Majdi Mar’i; Assistant Undersecretary for Family Welfare and Protection Akram Al-Hafi; Director General of the General Directorate for Persons with Disabilities Ajaj Ajaj; and Ministry staff representing the relevant departments and directorates. The meeting also brought together representatives of ministries, government institutions, the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers, organizations of persons with disabilities, international organizations, local civil society organizations, members of the technical committee, partners, and other relevant stakeholders.
Dr. Hamad affirmed that work on the Draft Decree-Law represents an important step towards establishing a comprehensive legal and legislative framework that safeguards the rights of persons with disabilities and clearly defines the responsibilities of the various stakeholders, as well as mechanisms for implementation, monitoring, and accountability. She stressed the need to ensure the genuine and meaningful participation of persons with disabilities and their representative organizations throughout all stages of drafting the law and to align it with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the State of Palestine’s international obligations.
She explained that persons with disabilities, alongside women, children, and older persons, are among those most exposed to risks amid the aggression against the Gaza Strip and the escalating attacks, closures, and forced displacement in the West Bank, including Jerusalem. This makes ensuring their access to protection, services, assistive devices, and rehabilitation a fundamental priority within humanitarian interventions, the social protection system, and recovery and reconstruction plans.
Dr. Hamad noted that the Ministry is working to develop its services and expand their accessibility by providing assistive devices and equipment, strengthening services delivered through its district offices, supporting the operation of Al-Thuraya Centre for Persons with Severe Disabilities in Nablus, and reforming and regulating the customs exemption system for vehicles used by persons with disabilities. She emphasized that finalizing the law requires a comprehensive legal, financial, and institutional review to produce a nationally agreed-upon draft that can be implemented in accordance with existing priorities and available resources.
Dr. Hamad further stressed that the law must be comprehensive and responsive to the changing realities and growing needs imposed by the Palestinian context, particularly the unprecedented rise in the number of persons with disabilities resulting from the genocide in the Gaza Strip. She explained that the preparation of the law will be accompanied by a study assessing its financial impact and identifying the resources and priorities required for its implementation. A realistic and phased implementation plan will also be developed, taking into consideration the particularities of the Palestinian context and the resources available, to ensure that the law’s provisions are translated into enforceable rights and accessible services.
For his part, UNICEF Chief of Social Policy Artur Ayvazov emphasized the importance of developing a comprehensive and implementable legislative framework that translates the rights of persons with disabilities into tangible policies, programmes, and services. He highlighted the importance of linking the legislative process with the financial assessment to identify priorities, required resources, and phases of implementation in a realistic and sustainable manner.
Secretary-General of the Palestinian General Union of Persons with Disabilities Majdi Mar’i stressed that persons with disabilities and their representative organizations must be key partners in drafting, reviewing, and monitoring the implementation of the law. This would ensure that the legislation reflects their actual needs and lived experiences and advances their rights to equality, non-discrimination, accessibility, and full participation in society.
The meeting featured a series of presentations and interventions by Ministry representatives, members of the technical committee, and partners. These addressed the current state of the rights of persons with disabilities and the main challenges they face, as well as the legal process for developing the Draft Decree-Law, the methodology for assessing its financial impact, the work plan, the consultation process, and the forthcoming implementation steps.
The meeting also included an extensive discussion among representatives of government institutions, organizations of persons with disabilities, international organizations, and civil society organizations on the provisions of the Draft Decree-Law, rights- and service-related priorities, and mechanisms for ensuring the meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in the drafting and review process.
The meeting concluded by reaffirming the commitment to continued cooperation and coordination among the Ministry, persons with disabilities and their representative organizations, and all partners, with the aim of developing a comprehensive and implementable national law that safeguards the rights of persons with disabilities and promotes their independence, participation, and full inclusion in society.
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