Table 1

A summary of the international and national policies supporting the rights and needs of persons with disabilities (PWDs)

International and national policies for PWDs	Overview
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)	The right to disability rights is established in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948). Play, sport and physical activity are implicitly recognised as rights in the Universal Declaration.
The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006)	As stipulated in Article 30 of the UN’s (2006) CRPWDs, signatories ‘…recognize the right of persons with disabilities to participate on an equal basis with others in cultural life’ (defined as recreation, leisure, the arts, sport and tourism). The article highlights the importance of treating PWDs equally, and states should improve access to and support the inclusion of PWDs in recreational, leisure and sporting activities (article 4).
UNESCO’s KAZAN Action Plan	The Action Plan states that to reduce inequalities at the national and international levels, inclusive sport policies are necessary. Therefore, physical education, physical activity and sport should be at the core of all national and international sport policies.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development	The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognises sport as an important enabler for sustainable development and peace, and a vital tool for youth, women and communities to reach health, education and social inclusion objectives.
Qatar Law No. 2 for 2004	Qatar Law No. 2 of 2004 establishes a comprehensive legal framework for PWDs, including 14 articles that ensure their care and legal protection, so they can exercise their rights equally with everyone else. In 2008, Qatar had ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and in April 2015 it had adopted a law on persons with disabilities, which covered the rights contained in the Convention, and had established the National Committee with representatives of persons with disabilities whose mandate was to monitor compliance with the Convention.
The 2019 Doha Declaration	The movement towards inclusion in Qatar has gained new impetus with the formal commitment to enact the 2019 Doha Declaration, ‘a core reference point internationally for policy development about human rights and sustainable development in the context of disability’. This Declaration was the landmark outcome of the Doha International Conference on Disability and Development, held on 7–8 December 2019, under the guidance and patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Founder of Qatar Foundation for Social Work and its affiliated civil society centres. This Declaration, that sets forth 11 recommendations to make Qatar (and other countries who may come to commit to it) actively adjusting itself to the needs of PWDs, is an incentive to all those who are already on the ground working towards making Qatar a more welcoming and inclusive country.