By IDA

 - July 3, 2017

The International Disability Alliance Secretariat is pleased to welcome its newest staff member Silvia Quan, as IDA’s Senior Human Rights Advisor for the Treaty Bodies Unit. Between 2011 and 2016, Silvia served as an expert in the UN CRPD Committee, and served as Vice-Chairperson during the last two years. Silvia has been engaged in promoting the CRPD since its drafting by the UN Ad Hoc Committee in 2003. After its adoption Silvia was active in endorsing the CRPD in the Latin America Region, and in her country of Guatemala. Silvia has continued to promote the compliance of the CRPD and conducted capacity building with organisations of Persons with Disabilities (DPOs) through trainings on disability rights and the CRPD.

In her new role with IDA, Silvia will lead the work of the Secretariat in relation with the UN Treaty Bodies in order to mainstream CRPD standards and facilitate the participation of DPOs in the work of the UN Treaty Bodies, in particular the CRPD Committee. Silvia will be working closely with international human rights organisations to engage in joint strategies to promote substantive and procedural coherence across the Treaty Bodies System. Silvia will be based in the IDA Geneva Office.