Kuwait’s UN envoy highlights GCC’s commitment to empower women with disabilities

• The combined impact of discrimination and systemic obstacles hinders full equality for women and girls with disabilities, making them among the most vulnerable and marginalized groups.

• The GCC countries prioritize the rights of persons with disabilities, continuously advancing legislative, technical, and financial measures to ensure their full inclusion and equality.

• The GCC countries empower women and girls with disabilities through leadership training, capacity building, and dedicated financial resources.

Kuwait’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, and other international organizations in Geneva, H. E. Ambassador Nasser Al-Hayen, reaffirmed today, Monday, 10th March, the Gulf Cooperation Council’s steadfast commitment to empowering women and girls with disabilities and safeguarding their rights in society.

This statement was delivered by Ambassador Al-Hayen in his capacity as Chairman of the Council of Ambassadors of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries during an interactive dialogue session with the UN Special Rapporteur, on Persons with Disabilities, as part of the 58th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Ambassador Al-Hayen emphasized the need to strengthen international efforts to bridge the gaps that hinder full equality for women and girls with disabilities. He explained that, the double factors of discrimination and the obstacles faced by women and girls with disabilities prevent the achievement of full equality and make them among the most vulnerable and marginalized groups, despite the progress achieved at the international level.

In this context, he emphasized the priority that the rights of persons with disabilities hold for the GCC countries, highlighting their ongoing efforts to develop legislative, technical, and financial measures to ensure the full enjoyment of these rights. He also pointed to the GCC’s commitment to leveraging economic, technological, and health advancements to enhance the social and economic integration of persons with disabilities.

Ambassador Al-Hayen highlighted that all GCC countries have ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and have implemented national legislation and programs to promote their integration. He emphasized the special focus on women and girls, aiming to remove systemic barriers that hinder their access to education, employment, healthcare, and social services.

Furthermore, Ambassador Al-Hayen emphasized the “holistic approach” adopted by the GCC countries to strengthen the participation of women and girls with disabilities in public life, assume leadership roles, and engage more widely in decision-making processes. During the dialogue session, he highlighted various pioneering initiatives and efforts undertaken by GCC countries to empower women and girls with disabilities, including leadership training programs, capacity building, and the allocation of financial resources. He also noted the launch of national and regional platforms and competitions designed to amplify their voices and enhance their presence across various fields.

Ambassador Al-Hayen stated that these initiatives have led to the women and girls form Gulf assuming prominent positions in recent years, enabling them to contribute effectively in the cultural, political, and scientific fields at both the national and international levels.

Moreover, Ambassador Al-Hayen highlighted the GCC’s adoption of the Unified Law for the Protection of Persons with Disabilities in 2019, which aims to strengthen the legal rights of this group across all member states. He emphasized that the law seeks to remove obstacles, empower persons with disabilities, and enhance their contribution to community development.

Ambassador Al-Hayen reaffirmed the GCC countries’ commitment to continuing their efforts to support and empower women and girls with disabilities while collaborating with the international community to promote their rights and achieve comprehensive development for them.

Source: Al Jarida