15 to 18 April 2024, Santiago, Chile: Anielka Palma, a young woman with visual impairment from Nicaragua, represented the International Disability Alliance (IDA) and the Latin American Network of Non-Governmental Organizations of Persons With Disabilities and their Families (RIADIS) at the recently concluded Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Forum on Sustainable Development, hosted by the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). This forum organized ahead of the 2024 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), is an annual intergovernmental forum that serves as a critical platform for regional stakeholders to assess progress and exchange knowledge, best practices, and policy solutions to support the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Anielka served as a panelist at the Forum of Youth, Children, and Adolescents, advocating for inclusive policies and meaningful participation of youth with disabilities in decision-making processes. She also attended various discussions about the upcoming Summit of the Future.
Reflecting on her experience, Anielka said, "Participating in the Latin American Sustainable Development Forum meant one step forward in recognizing the leadership of young people with disabilities and amplifying our voices in decision-making spaces.”
Anielka's participation was supported by ECLAC, facilitated through negotiations within the civil society mechanism for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, wherein IDA, as part of the mainstream group of children, youth, and adolescents in Latin America advocated for the inclusion of persons with disabilities.
Prior to her involvement in the 2024 ECLAC Forum, Anielka actively contributed to youth consultations organized by IDA and Sightsavers, demonstrating her ongoing commitment to fostering inclusive dialogue and action.
Watch the live stream of the Forum in English and Spanish here.
More about the session of the Forum of children, adolescents and youth of Latin America and the Caribbean can be found here.
Read the Youth call to action in disability inclusive development here.