Skip to main content

Mapping Inequity: Persons with Physical Disabilities in Jordan

Symbol: 
E/ESCWA/SDD/2009/7
Issued in: 
2009

Worldwide and in the ESCWA region, persons with physical disabilities face higher levels of unemployment, lower levels of education and higher infant mortality rates than the rest of the population. In the ESCWA region, both the documentation of the hardships faced by persons with disabilities and the analysis of the triggers of their exclusion are often scarce. In line with the ESCWA objective to strengthen national capacity to achieve inclusive and equitable social development in a globalized world, this report aims to deepen the understanding of the institutional and legal structures and the attitudinal processes that produce discriminatory asymmetries and that prevent persons with physical disabilities from fully enjoying their social, economic and political rights. Specifically, this report examines the situation of persons with disabilities in Jordan. It adopts a rights-based approach to map the access of persons with physical disabilities to social services in Jordan and assess the extent to which they enjoy equal opportunities and are socially integrated. It identifies the social, legal and institutional barriers preventing persons with physical disabilities from fully enjoying their right to education, health, employment and social protection. Moreover, it examines the ability of social policies to lift such barriers and overcome the inequity faced by this group. The report highlights the commitment of the Jordanian Government and its efforts to promote equitable opportunities for persons with physical disabilities, while also drawing attention to unequal progress made in different policy domains.