Karine Grigoryan, President of “Agate” NGO, and Gayane Grigoryan, Head of Programs, participated in the Global Disability Summit held in Berlin on April 1–3, along with the pre-summit Civil Society Forum.
The Summit was organized in the Federal Republic of Germany in collaboration with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. It opened with remarks by the Federal Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz; His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan; and UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed.
The agenda addressed a range of topics related to the inclusion of persons with disabilities, international commitments to the realization of their rights, outcomes of regional conferences, and the promotion of decent work for persons with disabilities.
One of the Summit’s most significant achievements was the Republic of Armenia’s endorsement of the Amman-Berlin Declaration, which provides renewed momentum for the global inclusion and protection of the rights of persons with disabilities.
This declaration aims to promote the realization of the rights of persons with disabilities and highlights the importance of their inclusion in international development cooperation and humanitarian actions. (globaldisabilitysummit.org)
The main objectives of the declaration are:
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Ensuring that all international development programs are inclusive and accessible to persons with disabilities, guaranteeing equality and preventing discrimination.
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Setting a goal that at least 15% of country-level development programs specifically address disability inclusion, referred to as the “15% for 15%” principle. (globaldisabilitysummit.org)
This declaration marks an important step in advancing the rights of persons with disabilities, encouraging countries and organizations to commit to concrete actions for inclusive development.
For us, the summit was also an important opportunity to connect with international partners, engage in meaningful discussions, and explore new collaborations.