The Sixth Session of the Conference of States Parties (COP) to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) took place from 17 to 19 July 2013 at the UN Headquarters, in New York. The theme of the COP was “Ensuring adequate standard of living: empowerment and participation of persons with disabilities within the framework of the CRPD”.
At the opening of the conference, IDA Chair Mr Yannis Vardakastanis, speaking on behalf of civil society and DPOs in particular, highlighted the importance of mainstreaming disability in future global development goals, noting that this issue currently represents the most important advocacy activity for the disability community worldwide. Chairperson of Disabled People’s International and IDA board member Mr Javed Abidi participated in the roundtable on economic empowerment; and Mr Nawaf Kabbara, in his role as third vice-chair of IDA, co-chaired the informal session on community-based rehabilitation with the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Bulgaria.
Session of the Conference
- Round table 1: Economic empowerment through inclusive social protection and poverty reduction strategies (background paper 1);
- Round table 2: Disability-inclusive development in national, regional and international processes (background paper 2);
- Informal panel: Community-based rehabilitation and habilitation for an inclusive society (background paper 3);
- Interactive dialogue on the implementation of the Convention
Civil Society CRPD Forum
On 16 July, the day prior to the COP, IDA coordinated the Civil Society CRPD Forum (CSF) with the support of Disabled People’s International, Disability Rights Fund, Global Partnership for Disability and Development, International Development and Disability Consortium and Rehabilitation International, and co-sponsored by UN DESA and the United Nations Member States of Australia, Bulgaria, Mexico and New Zealand. The CSF reviewed the negotiation process of the post-2015 framework and its inclusion of the rights and participation of persons with disabilities. Civil society exchanged views with key stakeholders in order to ensure a disability rights-inclusive and CRPD-driven future development agenda.
Related resources:
More information on the Sixth Conference of States Parties
Civil Society CRPD Forum
Compilation expressions of interest to make a presentation during the lunch break session of the Civil Society CRPD Forum
IDA Press Release, Civil Society CRPD Forum, 16 July 2013
IDA Press Release: Opening 6th Conference of States Parties to the CRPD, 17 July 2013