RI Global: Office of Communications
Contact: Adrian Brune, +1 347-759-9501
Civil Society CRPD Forum
Conference Room 4, United Nations
New York, 9 June 2014 9:00am – 6:00pm
Co-organised by the International Disability Alliance, Disability Rights Fund, Human Rights Watch, the International Disability and Development Consortium and Rehabilitation International
Introduction
The Civil Society CRPD Forum (CSF) is a full day event that will be held on 9 June 2014, the day prior to the United Nations (UN) Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
The focus of this year’s CSF is the post-2015 development agenda, which currently represents one of the most relevant international advocacy goals for the disability community worldwide. Panel discussions will include an overview and explanation of the UN Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals, an important step in the process of defining the post-2015 framework.
Promoting the full inclusion of persons with disabilities in the post-2015 process remains a significant challenge. For this reason, it is important that the CSF facilitates a platform for discussion that will take stock of what has been done and lessons-learned from the process thus far, and provide up-to-date information on key processes taking place between June 2014 and the adoption of post-2015 development goals in September 2015.
By early June, the Open Working Group (OWG) will have concluded its eleventh session. Two final sessions will be held in June and July, in which the future Sustainable Development Goals will be refined. At this juncture, it is crucial for the disability community to unify its advocacy work regarding concrete and measurable targets for the relevant goals that are inclusive of persons with disabilities. The CSF sessions will focus on a number of ways in which this can occur, including coordinating national, regional and international advocacy work and building alliances with other vulnerable/marginalised groups such as women, children, youth, aging and indigenous. In this way, the disability community will be able to address potential inequalities in the Sustainable Development Goals and encourage Member States to uphold their responsibility to safeguard human rights for all, eliminate discrimination, diminish inequalities and ensure that no one is left behind.
Rehabilitation International Secretary General Venus Ilagan will co-chair Session 3 of the forum alongside Prince Mired of Jordan. Featured speakers will include representatives from Pacific Disability Forum, Uganda National Association of the Deaf, NGO Committee on Ageing, Beit Issie Shapiro, and Feminist Task Force. The objective of the session is to provide a forum for discussion to promote full inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in the post-2015 process through building alliances among vulnerable/marginalized groups, such as women, children, youth, ageing populations and indigenous people.
Draft programme
10:00-10:15 Opening Session
10:15-11:45 Session One
Main conclusions from the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals and the post-2015 development process so far; follow-up to the September 2013 High-Level Meeting on Disability and Development
11:45-13:15 Session Two
Aligning national, regional and global conversations: need for information sharing between these levels of advocacy
13:15-14:45 Lunch Break
14.45-16:15 Session Three
Forging partnerships: Building alliances with other vulnerable groups including women, children, youth, aging and indigenous
16:15-17:45 Session Four
Looking ahead: A roadmap for advocacy to ensure inclusion of
Practical Information
During the CSF, CART and International Sign Language will be provided.
Each session will include a short Q&A session open to CSF participants, including those participating via webcast.
The sessions will each have four to five panelists, speaking for approximately seven minutes each. This will leave 15-20 minutes for questions.
Please note you must have a United Nations identification card to enter the UN premises, where this meeting will take place.
Download CSF Concept Note and Agenda.
RI Global: Founded in 1922, Rehabilitation International (RI Global) is a worldwide network promoting the rights and inclusions of persons with disabilities (PwDs) through advocacy, habilitation and rehabilitation to achieve an inclusive world in which all people can enjoy full human rights.
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