IDA and its members were heavily engaged and active throughout the Ninth Conference of States Parties to the CRPD, held At the United Nations in New York, in June 2016.
The Conference opened with an overwhelming number of Member States affirming support, and calling for increased participation, of civil society in the Conference. The President of the General Assembly had spoken at the Civil Society Forum (CSF) preceding the Conference, coordinated by IDA, at the beginning of the week, and cited it as an important dialogue between Member States and civil society. The CSF had given an opportunity to discuss how persons with disabilities and their representative organisations can and should be involved in the implementation of the SDGs, using the CRPD. IDA and the Permanent Mission of Australia also hosted a celebration marking ten years of the CRPD, bringing representatives from governments, civil society and the UN together. Throughout the week, IDA members organised 23 side events, from topics as varied as digital societies, humanitarian response, self advocacy and bridging the CRPD and SDGs through implementation and monitoring.
Side events IDA particiapted in throughout the conference:
Tuesday June 14
- 10:00am - 11:30am: Access to Assistive Technology for Inclusive Development (CR 4)
- 11:45am - 1:00pm: Fulfilling Sustainable Development Goals through inclusive budgeting (CR 12)
- 1:15pm - 2:30pm: Intersectionality between the CRPD and the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (CR 6)
- 1:15pm - 2:30pm: Situations of Risk and Humanitarian Emergencies: Article 11 in Practice (CR D)
- 1:15pm - 2:30pm: One decade of the UN CRPD and Women and Girls with Disabilities (CR 12)
- 3:00pm - 6:00pm: Global Meeting - Implementation of Global Development and Humanitarian Goals – the Leadership Role of Women with Disabilities (CR 6)
- 4:45pm - 6:00pm: Accessibility: Putting the CRPD Article 9 into practice at the regional and national level (CR 4)
Wednesday June 15
- 8:00am - 9:30am: How Can Digital Societies Contribute to Achieving the SDGs for Persons with Disabilities
- 8:00am - 9:30am: How Regional Collaboration Can Lead to More Effective Implementation of Persons with Disabilities in the 2030 Development Agenda of Political Rights (CR 7)
- 10:00am - 11:30am: Universal Access to Information using ICTs for Persons with Disabilities: Digital Empowerment for Inclusive Development (CR 12)
- 10:00am - 11:30am: Promoting the rights of persons with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities (CR D)
- 11:45am - 1:00pm: My Voice Matters! (CR D)
- 11:45am - 1:00pm: ICT supporting education for all (CR 12)
- 1:15pm - 2:30pm: Developing strong and inclusive institutional frameworks for the CRPD: Operationalizing and implementing Article 33
- 1:15pm - 2:30pm: Reporting obligations under the CRPD: Sharing best practices on follow-up to the recommendations of the CRPD Committee (CR 6) 3:00pm - 4:30pm: Intersectionality between CRPD and CERD - towards the implementation of the SDGs
- 4:45pm - 6:00pm: Accessibility: Putting the CRPD Article 9 into practie at the national and regional level
- 6:00pm - 8:00pm: Launch of WE DECIDE!
- 6:15pm - 8:00pm: Inclusive Rights for Autistic Adults
Thursday 16 June
- 10:00am - 11:30am: Follow up to the World Humanitarian Summit (CR 12)
- 1:15pm - 2:30pm: "Unusual" employment of persons with disabilities: from words to work
- 1:15pm - 2:30pm: Bridging the Gap: 2030 Agenda and the CRPD (CR 12)
- 6:15pm - 8:00pm: Challenges and Opportunities for Accessible Global Governance: Enhancing Participation for Persons with Disabilities in UN Processes