Berlin Hosts the 3rd Edition of the Global Disability Summit: A Key Step Towards the Inclusion of People with Disabilities
The German capital is set to host the third edition of the Global Disability Summit (GDS) on April 2 and 3, 2025, marking the largest global event dedicated to the rights of persons with disabilities. Co-organized by the governments of Germany and Jordan, in partnership with the International Disability Alliance (IDA), this summit will represent a significant milestone for global inclusion.
A prominent Moroccan delegation, led by the Minister of Solidarity, Social Inclusion, and Family, Naïma Ben Yahya, will participate in this event alongside notable personalities such as His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed.
Under the slogan “Nothing About Us Without Us,” the summit will bring together more than 3,000 participants, including representatives from governments, organizations of persons with disabilities (DPOs), international institutions, civil society actors, the private sector, and academia.
This edition will focus on several crucial priorities, including transforming labor markets to make them more inclusive, improving accessibility in urban planning, and ensuring equity in healthcare systems for persons with disabilities. Inclusive education, funding for disability-appropriate programs, and bridging the digital divide will also be central to discussions.
The Berlin summit will also explore ways to enhance the participation of persons with disabilities in public life and decision-making processes, while emphasizing the importance of incorporating inclusion into climate action.
In the lead-up to this event, the Civil Society Forum (CSF) took place on April 1, 2025, enabling DPOs and their advocates to discuss the integration of disability into development and humanitarian action policies. This forum provided a platform for exchanging urgent issues and fostering partnerships to strengthen advocacy beyond the event.
Since its inception in 2017, the GDS has established itself as a key platform for advancing inclusion and promoting the rights of persons with disabilities. Previous editions, held in London in 2018 and online in 2022, led to significant progress, with concrete commitments, policy advancements, and enhanced cooperation among various stakeholders.
The GDS 2025 aims to continue this momentum by placing a particular emphasis on the systematic integration of disability into global development and humanitarian action policies.
