Jordan is taking big steps towards supporting people with disabilities to live independently in their communities. 

The “Supporting the National Strategy of Deinstitutionalisation for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities in Jordan ” project, funded by the European Union, is leading this change.

Running from July 2022 to February 2025, the project aims to support women with intellectual disabilities to move out of Tafilah Institution in South Jordan and to be included in their communities.

As part of a pilot program, 40 out of 107 women will move into community living. 

The project will also help 60 people on the government’s waiting list avoid institutionalisation. and support the transition to inclusive day-care services and community support.

We demand that all institutions are closed and that no new institutions or institutional type settings are built again.

Call to Action from Self-Advocates at the Inclusion International 2018 General Assembly

Current Situation in Jordan

Jordan has 34 residential institutions, housing 1,471 people.

What is an institution? An institution is any place in which people who have been labelled as having an intellectual disability are isolated, segregated and/or congregated. An institution is any place in which people do not have, or are [not] allowed to exercise control over their lives and the day-to-day decisions.

But people with intellectual disabilities have the right to choose their place or residence and where and with whom they live.

Community support services must be in place to support living in the community and to prevent isolation and segregation.

The project team is working with various partners to create a comprehensive approach to deinstitutionalisation that includes community support services.

Project Approach

Inclusion International, partnering with Humanity & Inclusion – Jordan, is spearheading this project. In 2023, they began implementing the project at the Tafilah institution.

Education

A key aspect of this approach is empowerment through education. The project is hosting self-advocacy training for women with disabilities in institutions. 

Using the Empower Us program, project leads have delivered information sessions on self-advocacy and basic skills to 74 women with intellectual disabilities. 

After the sessions, 18 women expressed their interest in joining the self-advocates group to speak up about their rights and continue fighting for deinstitutionalisation.

The training has laid a strong foundation for future phases, empowering these women with greater autonomy over their lives and decision-making.

It also included information on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and person-centred approaches for 30 institution staff members, aiming to strengthen staff abilities, particularly as the institutions transition to day-care centres.

Community Support

The project also aims to create a supportive environment for including people with intellectual disabilities in the community.

Comprehensive training on inclusive participation based on the Listen, Include, Respect global guidelines, Article 19 of UNCRPD and the DI guidelines was also held for 22 representatives from community-based and civil society organisations across Jordan.

Family Support

The project plans to host a family summit, bringing together families from Jordan and the wider Middle East and North Africa region to create a network of understanding and shared experiences.

It is also organising sexual and reproductive health training for the centre’s staff to protect residents from abuse or harassment and raise awareness among the women and their families about sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Future Plans

Looking ahead, Jordan aims to close all institutions within 10 years and fully include people with disabilities in the community. The first step involves transforming residential centres into inclusive day-care centres, changing how care is provided.

Project manager, Ibaa Khalil is particularly excited about the self-advocacy training. 

We strive to dismantle barriers for women with intellectual disabilities in Jordan, enabling them to leave institutions, advocate for their rights, and live with dignity and inclusion in their communities.

Ibaa Khalil, Project Manager

Inclusion International has set up an advisory group to provide guidance and recommendations to support the project’s implementation.

As the project continues, the team will work closely with the government to develop supportive policies. 

This collaborative effort marks a significant step towards a more inclusive Jordan, where people with disabilities can thrive in their communities.