HCD, PDTRA sign MoU to enhance accessibility for persons with disabilities to Petra archaeological sites

AMMAN — HH Prince Mired Bin Raad, chief chamberlain and president of the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (HCD), on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Chief Commissioner of the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority (PDTRA) Fares Breizat.

The agreement aims to enhance accessibility for persons with disabilities to tourism facilities and archaeological sites within PDTRA, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The memorandum outlines a joint plan to improve accessibility by upgrading environmental and engineering infrastructure at sites and facilities, in line with building codes for persons with disabilities.

It also includes raising awareness among engineers and staff, training employees in the PDTRA on rights-based approaches for interacting with persons with disabilities, and implementing measures to facilitate their right to visit tourist sites.

A key focus of the agreement is promoting awareness of the disability identification card issued by the council, which specifies the type and degree of disability based on assessments by specialised medical committees. 

The MoU also stipulates coordination to form committees in PDTRA to facilitate access for persons with disabilities to tourist sites in southern Jordan.

The memorandum further addresses expanding economic empowerment opportunities for persons with disabilities by training employers and tourism establishments to increase their employment rates.

 The agreement also aims to integrate individuals with disabilities into the workforce and collaborate with the Vocational Training Corporation in Petra to include students with disabilities in vocational training programmes.