Closing Statement of the Regional Conference on
“Community Protection and Obstacles Facing Children with Disabilities”
Cairo: Sunday, January 28, 2024
Under the patronage of HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, President of the Arab Council for Childhood and Development (ACCD), and H.E. Dr. Nevine El-Kabbaj, Minister of Social Solidarity of Egypt, ACCD and Nidaa Association for the Rehabilitation of Hearing-Impaired Children and People with Multiple Disabilities (Nidaa Association) organized a Regional Conference entitled “Community Protection and Obstacles Facing Children with Disabilities” on Sunday, January 28, 2024 at the headquarters of ACCD.
The Conference was opened with a recorded speech from HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the President of ACCD, and a speech by H.E. Dr. Nevine El-Kabbaj, Minister of Social Solidarity, delivered on her behalf by Ms. Maha Al-Hilali, Technical Advisor to the Minister for Disability and Rehabilitation Affairs. The opening session also included a speech by Ms. Magda Fahmy, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Nidaa Association, and a speech by Prof. Hassan Al-Bilawi, the Secretary General of ACCD, delivered on his behalf by Eng. Mohamed Reda Fawzi, Director of the Research, Documentation and Knowledge Development Department.
The Conference was attended by 100 participants representing experts and the representatives of organizations related to the fields of disability and development. The Conference discussed 12 papers and interventions from various experts and specialists, according to its several topics: community protection, psychological and social adaptation for children with disabilities and their families; early detection and intervention, and the role of civil society institutions; and cultural awareness and the role of media in protecting children with disabilities.
This Regional Conference was held within the framework of celebrating the International and Arab Days of Persons with Disabilities, and in recognition of the importance of cooperation and collaboration to provide a supportive environment for those children. In addition, this Conference was held under the Cooperation Protocol between ACCD and Nidaa Association, which aims to raise awareness of early detection and intervention for children’s disabilities, capacity building and advocacy, as well as exchanging knowledge, experiences and work methodologies.
The attendees appreciated the scientific efforts exerted by ACCD and Nidaa Association in organizing this Conference, and confirmed the importance of contributing to providing and improving a supportive environment for children with disabilities to achieve sustainable enhancement and development of the services provided to them in their communities. The attendees also stressed the necessity of benefiting from ACCD’s Upbringing Model “Educating Hope” and its intellectual framework for raising awareness, awakening the creative self, and developing positive citizenship among children with disabilities to achieve comprehensive and integrated growth for them in all aspects. Stemming from all that, the participants recommended the following:
- The importance of providing and expanding genetic testing and counseling, because of its important role in diagnostic evaluation, preventive protection and reducing the effects of disability, while providing the necessary prosthetic devices to contribute to inclusion and empowerment.
- Calling for the use of the integrated treatment approach in early detection and intervention programs, while providing periodic follow-up of disability cases in a way that contributes to reducing their effects.
- Demanding the provision of more training to build the capabilities of specialized personnel in various fields of disability.
- It is necessary to work to complete the teaching and learning process for children with disabilities and raise the capabilities of those responsible for the affairs of children with disabilities.
- Calling for the establishment of professional and specialized programs and diplomas in disability sciences, which will contribute to providing specialists in the fields of special education.
- Calling on specialized bodies to issue a license for practitioners of measurement and evaluation for people with disabilities, and prohibiting practicing this work by anyone who does not obtain that license.
- Calling on upbringing institutions to provide programs and initiatives in the fields of physical education, arts and culture for children with disabilities in a way that contributes to developing their abilities and developing their creativity skills.
- Calling on the media to play its role in educating society about the importance of protecting the rights of children with disabilities, and monitoring violations against them, with the need to highlight their positive aspects and latent capabilities.
Date: January 28, 2024
