The Minister: Ensuring an Integrated Path for Persons with Disabilities

Minister of Social Affairs Hinnan al-Sidé met with Italian Minister of Disability Affairs Alessandra Locatelli during her official visit to Rome, discussing ways to strengthen cooperation between Lebanon and Italy in the field of rights for persons with disabilities, particularly the transition from legislative frameworks and policies to practical implementation, and enhancing the independence and social and economic inclusion of persons with disabilities.

The ongoing Lebanon-Italy cooperation project was a central focus of the meeting. Funded by the Italian government through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), the project aims to contribute to reforming Lebanon’s support system for persons with disabilities by establishing a partnership involving the Ministries of Social Affairs, Public Health, and Higher Education and Training alongside specialized Italian institutions and expertise.

The project is developing a new approach to assessing and classifying disabilities, shifting from the traditional medical model to a more comprehensive approach centered on the individual, their needs, and their capacity to participate in society, based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).

It also includes developing an integrated pathway starting from early detection and functional assessment, progressing to recognition of disability, linking individuals to services and follow-up, and case management, along with strengthening coordination and information sharing among the three ministries.

Al-Sidé emphasized that "the importance of this partnership lies in the fact that it does not fund a separate service, but helps us build a new institutional model where the state, across all its ministries, collaborates to ensure an integrated path for persons with disabilities."

She added: "We have accomplished a significant portion of the technical work with our Italian partners, and the priority today is moving from designing the model to testing, implementing, and gradually scaling it up nationally."

In this context, al-Sidé discussed with Locatelli possibilities for enhancing Italian support for the next phase of the project, particularly regarding the implementation of the pilot model, building multidisciplinary team capacities, developing referral and case management systems, and strengthening public institutions’ ability to deliver more integrated services for persons with disabilities and their families.

Locatelli also presented Italy’s experience in the field of disability rights, especially the "Progetto di Vita" (Project Life) approach, which places the person at the center of service and support planning and takes a holistic view of education, employment, health, social participation, and daily life. Both sides stressed the importance of leveraging international experiences while adapting them to the Lebanese context, and underscored the essential role of persons with disabilities and their representative organizations in designing and implementing policies.

The meeting also addressed the economic inclusion of persons with disabilities as a new avenue for cooperation between the two countries. Al-Sidé affirmed that social protection should not be limited to assistance and services, but must open real pathways toward employment and economic independence. The two sides explored opportunities to leverage Italian expertise to develop programs in Lebanon covering training and skills development, employment opportunities, entrepreneurship, and collaboration with the private sector.

The two sides agreed to continue dialogue at both ministerial and technical levels and explore expanding the existing cooperation, transforming the Lebanon-Italy disability partnership into a long-term institutional pathway that supports Lebanon’s transition from a fragmented service delivery model to an integrated system based on rights, inclusion, independence, and equal opportunity.