Haneen Al-Wazani

Jordanian disability rights activist who transformed accessibility laws in the Middle East

Haneen Al-Wazani (b. 1989) is a Jordanian disability rights advocate whose 2016 campaign led to groundbreaking accessibility reforms across the Arab world. After surviving a car accident that left her paralyzed, she founded Enable Jordan in 2014, which grew into the region's largest accessibility consultancy. Her 2017 viral video exposing public transport barriers pressured Jordan's government to pass the 2018 Accessibility Law, adopted by 4 Arab countries by 2020. Al-Wazani developed the first Arabic accessibility audit tool used in 150+ cities, and her World Economic Forum work shaped UNDP's regional disability strategy. She co-designed the Amman Smart City accessibility framework, integrating IoT solutions for disabled users. Her 2019 TEDx talk redefining disability as innovation has 1.8 million views. Al-Wazani's autobiography 《Beyond Barriers》 was a regional bestseller. Her work inspired Qatar's 2022 World Cup accessibility standards and UAE's 2020 disability inclusion mandate.