Prince Raad submits report on PWD status

Prince Raad, Chief Chamberlain and president of the Higher Council for the Affairs of Persons with Disabilities (HCD), on Tuesday referred the final draft of the first national report on the status of people with disabilities (PWD) in Jordan to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ministry will refer the report to the international monitoring committee of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) during its upcoming meeting in Geneva, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. The Cabinet issued a decision on December 1, 2009 entrusting the HCD with preparing the report, which is in accordance with the CRPD’s provisions. According to Article 35 of the convention: “Each state party shall submit to the committee, through the secretary general of the United Nations, a comprehensive report on measures taken to give effect to its obligations under the present conventions and on the progress made in this regard within two years after the entry into force.” The report includes the measures taken by the Kingdom to protect the rights of PWD including the endorsement of the National Strategy for PWD for the years 2007-2015, the endorsement of the Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2007, and the establishment of the HCD as a national independent institution entrusted with coordinating efforts with all concerned parties to improve living conditions for PWD in the country and integrate them into society. The report, which outlines the challenges and problems facing PWD, notes that healthcare institutions in the Kingdom lack the needed standards to provide services to PWD. Also on Tuesday, Prince Raad called on Finance Minister Suleiman Hafez to accelerate legal measures to exempt PWD from taxes on vehicles, Petra reported. During a meeting, the Prince briefed the minister on a draft law on customs exemptions for PWD prepared by the council. Article 4 of the 2007 Law for the Rights of People with Disabilities exempts PWD, as well as public and private organisations caring for their welfare, from customs duties and sales tax on several items. From JT