The Lebanese Wheelchair Union participated in the Disability and Work Conference, organized by ESCWA at its headquarters in Beirut on December 14, 2017.

At the conference, ESCWA’s Executive Director Dr. Khawla Matar spoke, the head of the Department of Disability Affairs, Ms. Mary Al-Hajj, delivered the Ministry of Social Affairs speech, and the head of the Social Inclusion and Disability Section of ESCWA’s Social Development Division, Ms. Gizala Nawuk Gizala Nawuk. The President of the Lebanese Wheelchair Union (LWU), Ms. Silvana Lakkis, presented the experience of the “Tourism for All Project in Lebanon” as part of the presentation of best practices in the private sector, followed by the experience of “Sanita Company”, highlighting the technical support provided by LWU to become inclusive and ready to employ persons with disabilities, and then presented the experiences of Arab countries in employing persons with disabilities.

On the sidelines of the conference, a two-day training on the inclusion of persons with disabilities was organized. The Federation’s role was characterized by the presentation of a pioneering experience in the socio-economic integration of persons with disabilities, linked to the development goals and the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and technical support was provided to participating Arab countries.