HH Prince Mired bin Raad, Lord Chamberlain and president of the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (HCD), and Italian Ambassador to Jordan Luciano Pezzotti on Tuesday signed a cooperation agreement to implement a strategic national project aimed at a comprehensive transformation of Jordan's mental health sector.The agreement, which aligns with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), initiates a 24-month national initiative to promote an inclusive approach to mental health for individuals with psychosocial disabilities, according to a HCD statement.A human rights-based approachDuring the signing ceremony, His Highness praised the “deep-rooted” partnership between the two countries. Prince Mired emphasised that this agreement represents a pivotal step in developing Jordan’s mental health system based on human rights and community-inclusive principles."This strategic cooperation with Italy allows us to benefit from the pioneering experience of the city of Trieste, placing Jordan on a clear path to becoming a regional leader in mental health policy and service development," His Highness added.Addressing key gapsThe project targets long-standing gaps in the sector, focusing on accessibility through improving physical and systemic access to services, autonomy through ensuring free and informed consent for patients, de-stigmatization via reducing social stigma and discrimination, and quality of care through enhancing services for those facing dual challenges and social exclusion.Implementation and trainingDrawing on the "Trieste Model"—a global gold standard in community-based mental health—the two-year project will include policy reform through reviewing and updating national legislation and mental health strategies and capacity building through training 130 primary healthcare workers and 30 mental health specialists.It also includes knowledge exchange through organising a high-level government study visit to Trieste, Italy; clinical standards through developing informed consent tools, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and ethical frameworks for outpatient services; and infrastructure via rehabilitating outpatient mental health clinics at Princess Basma Hospital.Impact and reachThe initiative is expected to directly benefit approximately 500 individuals, with over 2,000 people receiving indirect support. Ultimately, the project aims to create long-term systemic improvements for more than 200,000 people with psychosocial disabilities through a decentralised, rights-based national system.Pezzotti expressed Italy’s pride in collaborating with Jordan, saying that the partnership reflects a shared belief that mental health is a fundamental human right and a pillar of sustainable development.Coordination and oversightHCD will lead the project’s coordination and policy direction. This will be done in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Royal Medical Services, World Health Organisation (WHO) partners, civil society and Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), and technical experts from Trieste.Supported by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), this collaboration embodies a mutual commitment to advancing the rights of persons with disabilities and building sustainable, community-based national systems. (ICE AMMAN)

Fonte notizia: jordan times