Promoting Inclusion: 16th Conference on Disability Rights

Welcome to the 16th session of The Conference of States Parties to the Convention on Rights of Person with Disabilities.

In 2006 The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) was adopted at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The Convention came in to force 2008 and is ratified by 186 countries, including Sweden.    

The Convention is a major step forward in the work of recognizing the inherent rights, emphasizes active participation in society and aims to protect and promote the rights of persons with disability and sustainable social development in general. By explaining how these rights apply and identifying instances of rights violations, the Convention underscores the importance of necessary adjustments for full rights exercise and reinforces their protection.

The Convention also stipulates that member states should meet regularly in a Conference of State Parties in order to discuss the implementation of the convention and the progress made regarding the rights of individuals with disabilities.

This year will be the 16th session of the Conference of States Parties to the CRPD (COSP16) and it will take place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on June 13-15. During the conference multiple side events will occur with a majority of them being livestreamed.

Selected events during the Conference

The impact of disability strategies

June 13, 19:15 – 20.30 (local time 1:15 pm - 2:30 pm)

This event focuses on the power and impact of disability strategies and action plans, with an emphasis on successful implementation. It aims to explore ways to maximize, understand and monitor the impact of these strategies, as well as identify success factors for driving societal change.

The event is hosted by the Permanent Mission of Sweden to the UN and co-hosted by the Delegation of the European Union to the UN and the European Disability Forum.

Read more about the event (teamup.com).

Watch the seminar live (media.un.org).

Co-creating digital solutions for persons with disabilities

June 13, 19:15 – 20.30 (local time 1:15 pm - 2:30 pm)

This event focuses on co-creating digital solutions for persons with disabilities, with a focus on accessibility and user-friendliness. By embracing innovation, universal design, and user involvement, public welfare services can become more accessible, efficient, and responsive to the needs of all citizens. Formulärets överkant

The event is organized by the Iceland and Nordic Council of Ministers.

Read more about the event (teamup.com).

Watch the seminar live (media.un.org).

Promote democratic participation to ensure inclusive elections

June 14, 16.30 – 18.45 (local time 11:30 am - 12:45 pm)

In this event, knowledge, policy and practical examples of how to reach equality within the area of democratic participation will be discussed. One focus will be on the preparation for and organization of elections.

The event is hosted by the Permanent Representation of Norway to the UN, co-hosted by the Permanent Representation of Sweden to the UN and sponsored by the European Disability Forum, Inclusion International and Down Syndrome International.

Read more about the event (teamup.com).

Watch the seminar live (media.un.org).