Egypt, UNICEF Sign Partnership to Expand Services for Children with Disabilities

Egypt's National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Wednesday to strengthen the protection, inclusion and rights of children with disabilities through improved access to quality services and stronger institutional support.

The agreement, signed under the framework of cooperation between the Egyptian government and UNICEF, aims to expand access to inclusive, child-responsive services for children with disabilities and their families, in line with Egypt's Law No. 10 of 2018 on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Law No. 11 of 2019 establishing the NCPD.

The MoU was signed by NCPD General Supervisor Iman Karim and UNICEF Egypt Deputy Representative Natalie Meyer.

The partnership seeks to enhance child protection, social protection, education and justice systems while promoting the full participation of children with disabilities in society.

"This MoU marks an important step towards strengthening integrated support systems for children with disabilities," Karim said, adding that the partnership would help build institutional capacity, improve service delivery and raise awareness of children's rights.

She said the cooperation would also strengthen grievance and referral mechanisms and improve coordination among service providers to ensure timely support for children with disabilities and their families.

UNICEF Representative in Egypt Natalia Winder Rossi said the agreement reflects a shared commitment to translating children's rights into practical outcomes.

"Every child with a disability has the right to grow up protected, included and supported to reach their full potential," Winder Rossi said. "This partnership reflects our shared commitment to advancing those rights through stronger systems, improved services and greater inclusion."

Under the agreement, the two sides will collaborate to strengthen complaints and response mechanisms through specialized training, improve mental health and psychosocial support services, and enhance the quality of services provided to children with disabilities.

The partnership also includes developing a national directory of disability-related services, preparing operational guidance for professionals in the justice and social welfare sectors, and strengthening referral systems to improve access to child-friendly, disability-inclusive services.

Other areas of cooperation include awareness campaigns promoting the rights of children with disabilities, technical guidance to prevent violence and abuse, research to identify barriers to inclusive education, and capacity-building for civil society organizations and disability-focused associations.

The NCPD and UNICEF said the partnership supports Egypt's national development priorities and aligns with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Sustainable Development Goals.