NCPD, UNICEF Sign MoU to Strengthen Rights, Protection, and Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Egypt

PRESS RELEASE

National Council for Persons with Disabilities and UNICEF Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Strengthen the Rights, Protection and Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Egypt

Dr. Iman Karim:

Partnership with UNICEF reinforces national efforts to protect children with disabilities and empower their families

Natalia Winder Rossi:

Every child with a disability has the right to protection, care, participation and equal opportunities in society

Cairo, 22 July 2026 -The National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation in advancing the rights, protection and inclusion of children with disabilities in Egypt.

The agreement, signed within the framework of cooperation between the Government of Egypt and UNICEF, aims to enhance access for children with disabilities and their families to inclusive, quality and child-responsive services, in line with Egypt’s national legislation, including Law No. 10 of 2018 on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Law No. 11 of 2019 establishing the National Council for Persons with Disabilities.

The MoU was signed by Dr. Iman Karim, General Supervisor of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities, and Ms. Natalie Meyer, Deputy Representative of UNICEF Egypt.

The partnership reflects a shared commitment to promoting the rights and well-being of children with disabilities and ensuring their full and meaningful participation in society. It seeks to strengthen systems and services across key sectors, including child protection, social protection, education and justice, while fostering a more inclusive and equitable environment for all children.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Dr. Iman Karim highlighted the importance of the partnership in advancing national efforts to support children with disabilities and their families.

“This Memorandum of Understanding marks an important step towards strengthening integrated support systems for children with disabilities. Through our partnership with UNICEF, we will continue to build institutional capacities, enhance service delivery mechanisms and promote greater awareness of the rights of children with disabilities. Our shared objective is to ensure that every child can access the support and opportunities they need to participate fully in society,” she said.

Dr. Karim further noted that the cooperation will support the strengthening of national and institutional capacities, improve grievance and referral mechanisms, and enhance coordination among service providers to ensure timely and effective responses to the needs of children with disabilities and their families.

Natalia Winder Rossi, UNICEF Representative in Egypt, emphasized the importance of translating commitments into tangible outcomes for children.

“Every child with a disability has the right to grow up protected, included and supported to reach their full potential. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to advancing those rights through stronger systems, improved services and greater inclusion. UNICEF will continue to support the Government of Egypt and national partners in building an environment where every child has an equal opportunity to learn, participate and thrive,” she said.

Under the Memorandum of Understanding, UNICEF and the National Council for Persons with Disabilities will collaborate on a range of initiatives aimed at strengthening child protection systems and promoting the inclusion of children with disabilities.

Key areas of cooperation include strengthening the Council’s complaints and response mechanisms through capacity-building and specialized training; enhancing knowledge and skills related to mental health and psychosocial support; and improving service quality for children with disabilities and their families.

The partnership will also support the development of a comprehensive national directory of services available to children with disabilities, as well as operational guidance for professionals working across the justice and social welfare sectors to facilitate access to child-friendly and disability-inclusive services.

In addition, the two partners will work together to implement awareness-raising initiatives that promote the rights of children with disabilities and encourage their full inclusion in protection, care, education and justice systems. Efforts will also focus on strengthening referral pathways and intersectoral coordination to ensure more effective and responsive support.

The cooperation further includes the development of technical guidance and knowledge products aimed at preventing violence, abuse and harmful practices affecting children with disabilities, while drawing on international and regional best practices. Research and evidence-generation activities will also be undertaken to identify barriers facing children with disabilities, particularly in accessing inclusive education, and to inform policies and programmes that advance their rights.

The partnership will additionally support the capacity development of civil society organizations and disability-focused associations, enabling them to better assist families, caregivers and service providers and contribute to stronger community-based support systems.

The NCPD and UNICEF reaffirmed their commitment to working together to ensure that children with disabilities in Egypt can fully enjoy their rights and participate equally in society, in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Egypt’s national development priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals.