2018 International Day of Persons with Disabilities – IDPD
Since 1992, the United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) has been annually observed on 3 December around the world. The theme for this year’s IDPD is “Empowering persons with disabilities and ensuring inclusiveness and equality”. This theme focuses on the empowering persons with disabilities for the inclusive, equitable and sustainable development envisaged […]
UN marks its first International Day of Sign Languages
According to the World Federation of the Deaf, there are approximately 72 million deaf people worldwide. More than 80% of them live in developing countries. Collectively, they use more than 300 different sign languages. Sign languages are fully fledged natural languages, structurally distinct from the spoken languages. There is also an international sign language, which […]
New President of General Assembly cited disability as one of the 7 top priorities of her presidency
Her Excellency Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, the new President of the General Assembly at the first meeting commencing the 73rd session of the General Assembly on 18 September, committed herself and her good office to “making the United Nations relevant to all people”, and in this regard, she outlined 7 priority issues to address […]
Report of the 11th Session of the Conference of States Parties to the CRPD
The eleventh session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was held at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 12 to 14 June 2018. Six meetings were held at the eleventh session of the Conference. On 12 June, the 1st and 2nd meetings were convened […]
Everyone has a ‘moral imperative’ to uphold the rights of persons with disabilities
Cementing and protecting the rights of around 1.5 billion people around the world in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is a “moral imperative” said United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday. He was addressing a conference of signatories to the Convention at UN Headquarters in New York, describing it […]
11th session of the Conference of States Parties to the CRPD, 12 to 14 June 2018
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) was adopted by the General Assembly by its resolution 61/106 of 13 December 2006. It came into force on 3 May 2008 upon the 20th ratification. Article 40 of the Convention stipulates that “The States Parties shall meet regularly in a Conference of States Parties in […]
Report of the 56th Session of the Commission for Social Development (CSocD56)
The fifty-sixth session of the Commission for Social Development (CSocD56) was held on 10 February 2017 and from 29 January to 7 February 2018, with the priority theme of “Strategies for eradicating poverty to achieve sustainable development for all ”. This was the policy year of the two-year review and policy cycle. The Commission also reviewed relevant United Nations […]
World Autism Awareness Day on “Empowering Women and Girls with Autism”
2018 World Autism Awareness Day observance on “Empowering Women and Girls with Autism” Thursday, 5 April 2018 Economic and Social Council Chamber, United Nations Headquarters The 2018 World Autism Awareness Day observance at United Nations Headquarters New York will focus on the importance of empowering women and girls with autism and involving them and their representative organizations […]


