This COSP19 side event, organized by the World Bank Group and the Government of Saudi Arabia, with support from UNICEF, Egypt, the League of Arab States, and civil society, explores how countries can build integrated care ecosystems that uphold the rights of persons with disabilities across the life course.
Many disability support systems worldwide remain fragmented, under-resourced, or overly dependent on unpaid family care. The session highlights how coordinated approaches, linking disability services, long‑term care, social protection, health, education, early childhood development, and employment, can advance CRPD implementation, strengthen community inclusion, reduce caregiver burdens, and expand autonomy. Drawing on leadership and emerging models from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the broader MENA region, as well as global frameworks from the World Bank and UNICEF, the event will showcase practical pathways, financing options, institutional arrangements, and partnerships needed to scale sustainable and rights-based care ecosystems. Voices of persons with disabilities and civil society will anchor the discussion in lived experience and human rights principles.
