The International Disability Alliance (IDA) held a workshop in Erbil, Iraq, on July 10th to 12th, with representatives from the Iraqi Alliance of Disability Organizations (IADO) a member of the Arab Organization of Persons with Disabilities (AOPD), and with the support of Handicap International Iraq, to finalize the drafting of their alternative report and to prepare them to participate in front of the CRPD Committee prior to the adoption of the list of issues during the 20th session in September, and prior to the interactive dialogue with State representatives during the 21st session of the Committee.
The workshop was co-facilitated by IDA’s Senior Human Rights Advisor, Silvia Quan, and by former IDA fellow, Alradi Abdalla from Sudan.
IADO representatives expressed great knowledge about the situation of the rights of persons with disabilities in Iraq, and much interest in actively participating in the UN human rights system with the aim of advocating for the advancement of CRPD compliance. Some of the concerns that were raised by IADO referred to the legal restrictions to legal capacity, many disadvantages faced by women and girls with disabilities, no protection mechanisms against violence and abuse, no formal procedure for consultation of organizations of persons with disabilities, and a weak institutional framework to comply with the CRPD.
IDA is looking forward to meeting IADO in September in Geneva, and will continue its collaboration by providing technical support and guidance to IADO to finalize their alternative report, and to prepare them to attend the CRPD Committee sessions to advocate for CRPD compliance in Iraq. IDA’s Secretariat also expresses its gratitude to Alradi Abdalla for his enormous contribution to this workshop, his knowledge of the Arabic culture and language as well as disability rights expertise, made the workshop smooth and enriching.
