Global Forum on Disability, Migration and Forced Displacement

About the event

The Global Forum on Disability, Migration and Forced Displacement is a free, global online forum that brings together persons with disabilities, organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs), UN agencies, government representatives, civil society, academia, humanitarian and development organisations, and international institutions to examine migration and refugee systems from a disability perspective.

The Forum is the first global event on disability in labour migration and refugee governance designed, convened and led by OPDs, including networks representing migrants and refugees with disabilities.

Across two days, the Forum will explore how disability intersects with labour migration, forced displacement and refugee governance. Discussions will examine the barriers faced by migrants and refugees with disabilities and identify practical reforms to make migration and refugee systems more inclusive and responsive to the rights of persons with disabilities.

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The Forum aims to:

• Explore the connections between the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), International Labour Standards, refugee frameworks and wider migration governance frameworks.
• Share evidence and lived experiences of how migration and refugee policies, procedures and systems affect persons with disabilities.
• Centre the voices and meaningful participation of OPDs, including organisations led by migrants and refugees with disabilities.
• Identify practical reforms and areas for future action across labour migration and refugee governance.
• Strengthen collaboration between the disability, migration, labour and refugee movements.

The Forum is convened by a transnational consortium bringing together four disability-led and disability-focused networks:

• Global Network of Refugees with Disabilities (GNRD)
• Korean Disability Forum (KDF)
• Disability Migration Network (DMN)
• Disability and Migration Network (DAMN)

Accessibility

Accessibility is built into the design of the Forum.

The Forum will provide:

• International sign interpretation.
• Professional live captioning throughout all sessions.
• Interpretation into 10 languages: Spanish, French, Arabic, Swahili, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Lao, Myanmar and Khmer.
• An accessible online platform with technical support.

IDA at the Forum

The International Disability Alliance has supported the development of the Forum programme and is coordinating service providers to help ensure that the Forum is accessible and that persons with disabilities from different regions can participate meaningfully. IDA is also supporting the Forum as a funder, contributing to this OPD-led initiative to strengthen the inclusion of persons with disabilities in migration and refugee governance.

José María Viera, Executive Director of the International Disability Alliance, will deliver the keynote address during Session 3, "Lessons from the disability movement for labour migration and refugee justice," on 24 September. The session will focus on practical learning for OPDs, including migrant- and refugee-led organisations, to engage with migration and refugee governance structures. It will explore advocacy strategies, policy engagement and participation in global review and follow-up processes.

IDA’s engagement reflects the importance of ensuring that persons with disabilities, including migrants and refugees with disabilities, are meaningfully represented in the policies and systems that directly affect their lives.

From dialogue to action

The Forum is intended to go beyond discussion. Participants will identify priorities, barriers and opportunities for change, with contributions from the Forum informing a Call to Action on disability, migration and forced displacement.

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