UNDESA/DISD and UN-Women/DIIP in collaboration with the UN Inter-Agency Support Group on the CRPD (IASG-CRPD), organiozed an Expert Group Meeting (EGM) entitled: “The Participation and Leadership of Persons with Disabilities in Building a Disability-Inclusive, Accessible and Sustainable post-COVID-19 World” in a virtual format, from 3 to 6 August 2021.
The EGM included expert participants from around the world, in their individual capacity, including those with experience in: disability and development, gender equality, humanitarian emergencies and the leadership of disadvantaged groups at the local, national and global levels.
The Meeting resulted in a set of practical recommendations to advance the participation and leadership of persons with disabilities, especially women and girls with disabilities, at all levels of COVID-19 recovery toward the further realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The results of the Meeting are also expected to contribute to the international policy discourse on the disability-inclusive global agenda, including through the intergovernmental meetings, such as the General Assembly and the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
The objective of the EGM is to:
- Develop an overview of the barriers and obstacles faced by persons with disabilities and specific challenges women and girls with disabilities confronted, and good practices for enabling the participation/leadership of persons with disabilities in COVID-19 response and recovery, as well as in the current process of Building Back Better; and
- Formulate a list of practical recommendations for the implementation of strategies for the promotion of the leadership of persons with disabilities in the aforementioned initiatives.
Papers
- Autistic Minority International, “Austic Voices Muzzled: Diversity or Uniformity After COVID-19?” by Erich Kofmel
- “The Experiences of Persons with Disabilities with COVID-19″ by Mohammed Ali Loutfy
- Stakeholder Group of Persons with Disabilities Research Study
- Hear Us Out A VIPER guide to participation in decision making by Zara Todd
- “Promoting participation – and how to achieve it” by Jazz Shaban
- “Youth with Disabilities and COVID-19″ by Karina Chupina
- Nationwide Organization of Visually-Impaired Empowered Ladies (NOVEL) by Shiela May Aggarao
- World Federation of the Deaf Youth Section (WFDYS) by Ashley Bergeron
- “Participation and Leadership of Persons with Disabilities in Building a Disability-Inclusive, Accessible and Sustainable post-COVID-19 World” by Kudakwashe Dube
- “Analytical paper on the effects of COVID-19 on access to maternal, sexual and reproductive health services for persons with disabilities” by Florence Ndagire
Presentations
- Supaanong “NuNu” Panyasirimongkol, Global Forum on the Leadership of Women and Girls with Disabilities Oral
- Shiela May Inmenzo Aggarao, Nationwide Organization of Visually Impaired Empowered Ladies Oral | Visual
- Meenakshi Balasubramanian, Center for Inclusive Policy Oral
- Florence Ndagire, Chairperson of the UN Women Regional Civil Society Advisory Group of East and Southern Africa Oral
- Teresa Thomson, Gender Equality and Intersectionality Consultant, Paper Cup Consulting Visual
- Jazz Shaban, Leonard Cheshire Visual
- Abia Akram, Global Forum on the Leadership of Women and Girls with Disabilities Visual
- Karina Chupina, Individual expert on disability inclusion Oral
- Franck Folino, Intersectionalities Officer, International Disability Alliance Oral
- Dr. Mohammed Ali Loutfy, Stakeholder Group of Persons with Disabilities Oral
- Mosharraf Hossain, Independent Global South Expert on Disability Inclusive Developmen Visual
- Yosuke Ishikawa, Nippon Foundation Visual
