Secretary-General’s remarks at the 15th Session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
This 15th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is an important moment for stocktaking and reflection.
With 185 ratifications since its adoption in 2006, the Convention has crystallized the commitment of the international community to realize an inclusive, accessible, and sustainable world for all.
The progress driven by the Convention has been broad, swift, and tangible:
Ninety two percent of States Parties have adopted national disability laws including accessibility provisions.
More than 60 percent have taken actions to prohibit discrimination against persons with disabilities in the labour market.
And almost 90 percent have passed laws protecting the rights of children with disabilities to education – and the percentage of countries with school materials supporting the inclusion of students with disabilities has more than doubled.
Unfortunately, progress has been upended by the COVID-19 pandemic – which exposed existing inequalities and gave rise to new threats.
Even before the pandemic, persons with disabilities were less likely to enjoy access to education, healthcare, and livelihoods – and more likely to live in poverty and experience higher rates of violence, neglect, and abuse.
When COVID-19 struck communities, persons with disabilities were among the worst affected.
This is true for other crises.
In armed conflicts, persons with disabilities are often unable to flee the violence and do not receive adequate humanitarian support.
The war in Ukraine has accelerated a food, energy, and finance crisis in relation to which persons with disabilities are particularly vulnerable.
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as well as Security Council Resolution 2475 call on Member States to ensure the equal protection of persons with disabilities and provide safe, timely and unimpeded access to humanitarian assistance to them.
I urge all Member States to fulfil those obligations.
Over 15 years since the adoption of the Convention, we still face a steep climb to fully realize the rights of persons with disabilities around the world.
This Conference highlights three critical avenues to move forward.
First, harnessing the power of technology to advance disability inclusion.
Technology can promote equality of opportunity, break down barriers, and create disability-inclusive environments.
Over one billion people globally require assistive technology – yet in many countries those essential tools remain inaccessible to nearly everyone.
Embracing the promise of technology means closing the digital divide; expanding accessibility and inclusivity; and better protection for people against its perils.
Second, this Conference puts a spotlight on promoting economic empowerment and entrepreneurship to advance the participation of persons with disabilities in the labor market on equal terms.
This is more critical than ever given the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in all its dimensions on persons with disabilities – and the inequalities that persist in recovery.
And third, we are focusing on boosting the participation of persons with disabilities and their representative organizations in climate action.
Persons with disabilities are 2 to 4 times more likely to die during hurricanes, tsunamis and other natural disasters.
At the same time, persons with disabilities are a unique resource of knowledge and experience to build more resilient societies.
Across all three priorities, we need broader and deeper cooperation between governments, international organizations, civil society, and the private sector.
But the cornerstone of this cooperation must be the active participation of persons with disabilities in their full diversity, and their full inclusion in all decision-making-processes.
We need the leadership of persons with disabilities, particularly women, and their representative organizations.
Let our actions be guided by the clear and vital call of persons with disabilities: ‘Nothing about us, without us’.
