New York, June 9 (Petra) — Jordanian expert Muhannad Al-Azzeh has
won a second consecutive term on the United Nations Committee on the
Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) for the 2027–2030 cycle.

The election took place on Tuesday at the UN headquarters in New York
on the sidelines of the 19th Conference of States Parties to the
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP19).
Al-Azzeh secured his seat after receiving 122 votes from the
participating member states.

The election saw intense competition initially among 17 candidates.
Following the withdrawal of two contenders, 15 nominees vied for 9
vacant seats on the committee. Al-Azzeh stood as the sole Arab
candidate in this electoral cycle.

Al-Azzeh is recognized as a leading independent expert in human
rights and disability rights, backed by over 20 years of experience
in legal, human rights, and public policy frameworks.

During his first term on the committee, he assumed significant
leadership roles, including chairing the Working Group on the
Committee’s Methods and Mechanisms of Work, where he helped
streamline operational procedures and enhance engagement with states
parties and disabled persons’ organizations (DPOs).

He also served as a country rapporteur for several states parties and
participated in working groups handling individual communications,
the Optional Protocol, women with disabilities, and
de-institutionalization. Notably, he led the working group tasked
with drafting the specialized report on the situation of persons with
disabilities in the Gaza Strip and the occupied Palestinian
territories.

Commenting on the results, Al-Azzeh expressed his gratitude for the
international community’s renewed trust. He emphasized that his
re-election represents a commitment to continue working alongside
committee members, state parties, and advocacy groups to accelerate
the implementation of the CRPD and safeguard disability rights
globally.

Al-Azzeh extended his appreciation to HRH Prince Mired bin Raad,
Chief Chamberlain and President of the Higher Council for the Rights
of Persons with Disabilities (HCD), for his steadfast support, as
well as to the entire HCD team for their technical backing throughout
his initial tenure and re-election campaign.

He also commended the Ministry of Foreign and Expatriate Affairs and
Jordan’s Permanent Mission to the UN in New York, led by Ambassador
Walid Obeidat, for their extensive diplomatic campaign. He further
thanked the Minister of Social Development, Wafa Bani Mustafa, the
Arab League, and brotherly Arab nations for their endorsement during
the voting process.

The UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is the
independent international body responsible for monitoring the
implementation of the convention by states parties, interpreting its
provisions, and developing global compliance standards.

//Petra// AF