The 2023 edition of SESRIC’s report on “People with Disabilities and Special Needs in OIC Member Countries” was launched during the Second Session of the Ministerial Conference on Social Development, which was held on 5-6 June 2023 in Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt. H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, Director General of SESRIC, shared the main highlights of the report with the participants of the Conference.

The report looks at the state of people with disabilities and special needs in OIC countries by using data from various international sources and evaluates major socio-economic and cultural challenges that affect them with a view to drawing the attention of policymakers and stakeholders. Besides, the report emphasizes that developing effective policies and strategies to eliminate multidimensional challenges faced by people with disabilities and special needs is critical at the national level given the growing number of contemporary challenges like epidemics.

The report further points out that addressing the challenges faced by people with disabilities and special needs in the Islamic world is essential to realize inclusive and sustainable development. It is the way forward for OIC countries to achieve social development without leaving no one behind in their respective societies. Lastly, the report concludes with a series of policy recommendations for the betterment of the lives of people with disabilities and special needs in OIC countries. Importantly, the report stresses that the “OIC Plan of Action on People with Disabilities” could spearhead the intra-OIC cooperation in this important social domain by facilitating sharing of knowledge, experiences, and good practices among OIC countries.

Online Electronic Version

• People with Disabilities and Special Needs in OIC Member Countries (English) (Arabic) (French)