The Stakeholder Group of Persons with Disabilities was again active throughout the fourth day of the HLPF. The day began with a discussion of 'National Mechanisms for Monitoring Progress and reporting on Implementation for the Achievement of the SDGs'. Ambrose Murangira made an intervention on behalf of the Stakeholder Group of Persons with Disabilities, highlighting the links between the SDGs and the CRPD, by explaining that "the findings of human rights treaty bodies offer important evidence on whether some people are being left behind. Yet the first round of national voluntary reviews has missed opportunities to use these findings, including in my own country Uganda." He then asked, What steps can be taken to ensure that, in future, national voluntary reviews routinely include evidence from the human rights treaty bodies?
The second session of the HLPF discussed 'Making the 2030 Agenda deliver for Small Island Developing States (SIDS): Building on the SAMOA Pathway'. Lauro Purcil, of the ASEAN Disability Forum, prepare a statement on behalf of the Stakeholder Group from the floor, linking this process to the rights of persons with disabilities, explaining that "the challenges facing Small Island Developing States are likely to hit persons with disabilities particularly hard, and the SAMOA Pathway correspondingly includes ten clear references to disability. The effects of climate change, including natural disasters make persons with disabilities disproportionately affected. During such emergency situations, persons with disabilities experience increased challenges with separation from family, loss of assistive and mobility devices, and barriers to accessing information. Additionally, the rate of disability increases during an emergency due to direct trauma, illness from poor living conditions, a lack of trained and skilled staff, and the breakdown of health services, an increase in psychological stress and lack of rehabilitation services. We urge Member States to make, in their climate resilience programmes and disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies and policies, disability a core, cross-cutting theme." Unfortunately time for the session ran out before he had an opportunity to deliver the statement, but it was submitted in writing.
Mosharraf Hossain, of ADD International, was a panelist in a side event discussion on 'The Role of Citizens in Data Collection and Accountability toward the HLPF' where he provided the disability perspective on sustainable development data collection and disaggregation. His message for inclusive data collection was reinforced by Ambassador Jouni Laaksonenthe of the Permeant Mission of Finland who also highlighted the need for disability to be included in SDG data collection.
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The final HLPF Session of the day was to discuss 'Countries in Special Situations'. Mohammed Ali Loutfy of DPI made an intervention from the floor, reminding participants that 'people in marginalised groups, who also live in countries in special situations, are likely to be some of the furthest behind.' He asked, How can countries in special situations could share learning on how to include marginalised groups in their national development plans and policies, to ensure that they ‘reach the furthest behind first’? And, How can humanitarian aid for these countries be inclusive of persons with disabilities? He offered the expertise and experience of organizations of persons with disabilities to support Member States and UN Agencies in designing and implementing humanitarian work.
The main sessions of the HLPF are broadcast live on the UN's WebTV with closed captioning, and will be made available for replaying later.
Follow us throughout the HLPF online here: http://www.internationaldisabilityalliance.org/events/high-level-political-forum-2016
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