Fourth Convention of State Parties (COSP) to the

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) New York September 7-9 2011

BACKGROUND

“States Parties shall meet regularly in order to consider any matter with regard to the implementation” of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), states the treaty’s Article 40.

Overview

• The COSP includes representatives from UN bodies, regional bodies (e.g. ESCAP), civil society and DPOS and is a valuable meeting venue to exchange on matters around CRPD implementation.

Format:– Opening section - countries make a statement around the

implementation of the CRPD, – Roundtables - different topics led by panellists with

opportunity for government and civil society to comment and ask questions

– Closing session - address by the Committee for the CRPD.

AUSTRALIAN DELEGATIONNick Hartland, FaHCSIA Rosemary Mckay, Disability Inclusive Development, AusAID David Coleman, Education Advisor, AusAID; andHelen Horsington, Australian Mission to the UN

Held from 7-9 September 2011 at UN Headquarters

COSP 2011 – Opening Session

Over 600 attendees participated under the theme:

“Enabling Development, Realizing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities through Participation, Employment and International Cooperation”

Roundtable “International Cooperation”

• Chaired by Sihasak Phuangketkeow; Thailand Ambassador to the UN, with panellists:

– Shuaib Chalklen (UN Special Rapporteur on Disability)– Maria Reina (Global Partnerships for Disability and

Development)– Yasunobu Ishii (Nippon Foundation)– Diana Mulligan (Equality 2025 of the UK)– Vanda Guimar Pignato (First Lady of El Salvador) – Josephine Sinyo (Kenya Law Reform Commission)

Roundtable “Ensuring effective and full participation in political and public life”

• Chaired by Shekou M Touray, Sierra Leone Ambassador to the UN, with panellists:

– Julias Nye Cuffie (Parliament of Sierra Leone)– Steven Estey (Disabled Peoples International, Canada)– Monthian Buntan (Senator of Thailand)– Andrew Bruce (UN Department of Political Affairs)– Theresia Degener (Committee to the CRPD) – Maria Alejandra Villanueva (Peruvian Down Syndrome

Society)

Maria Alejandra Villaneuva (Peruvian Down Syndrome Society)

Roundtable “Realising the right to work and employment”

• Chaired by Gergely Tapolczai, Member of Parliament, Hungary and Yannis Vardakastanis, President of the European Disability Forum, with panellists:– Barbra Murray (International Labour Organisation)– Javed Abidi (National Centre for Promotion of Employment

for Disabled People, India)– Jia Yang (Committee to the CRPD)– Ronald McCallum (Chair of Committee to the CRPD)– Stig Langvad (Committee to the CRPD) – Annie Gracia (SM Supermalls, Philippines)– Ronnie Goldberg (US Council for International Business)

Ron McCallum, Chair of the CRPD Committee

AusAID – USAID Side Event “Implementing Article 24: Inclusive

Education in Practice”

AusAID presented at the UNICEF side event “Early childhood and disability”

Panelists included: UNICEF, WHO, UNESCO, Inclusion International and the International

Disability AllianceOutcome:

UNICEF and WHO will develop a discussion paper and have requested input from AusAID

Where to from here?

•High Level Meeting on Disability Development

•UN Partnership to Promote the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Multi Donor Trust Fund)

ANY QUESTIONS?

THANK YOU