The Global Advocacy Campaigne was made possible by generous contributions from the Foundation to Promote Open Society, partner law firm Weil, Gotschal and Manges LLP, Mrs. Munira Al- Mutawa and the RI Foundation, Phase II of the Global Advocacy Campaign will expand RI’s efforts in awareness raising and advocacy on the global level, and also focus on the legal harmonization of the CRPD in Mexico, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Argentina, particularly in the area of legal capacity and access to justice.

Through this project, RI and local members and partners will build knowledge and capacity of disabled persons’ organizations, other civil society organizations, parliamentarians, government officials and the legal community on the CRPD, and facilitate the disability community in implementing the treaty. The 18-month project has 3 components: 1. creating information resources, including an online resource center; 2. promoting disability rights and inclusion through advocacy and outreach to regional and global multilateral institutions such as the Organization of American States and the United Nations, as well as disability organizations around the world; and 3. conducting research and preparing recommendations on national disability legislation, especially those laws related to access to justice and legal capacity, in Mexico, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Argentina.

The Legal reform work is in collaboration with Weil, Gotschal and Manges, private law firms interested in pro-bono work and disability organizations in each country. The analysis and recommendations will be presented in national workshops with relevant stakeholders, including the disability community, parliamentarians, government officials, lawyers, judges, and public notaries, to explore various perspectives and provide a forum for discussion and networking.

For a complete conference report on Mexico / Costa Rica