Biographical Note

Secretary-General Appoints Lenín Voltaire Moreno Garces of Ecuador

 

Special Envoy on Disability and Accessibility

 

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Lenín Voltaire Moreno Garces of Ecuador as his Special Envoy on Disability and Accessibility.

He is currently Chairperson of the Committee for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities of the Organization of American States.  From 2007 to 2013, he was Vice-President of Ecuador.

Mr. Moreno is a globally acclaimed advocate for persons with disabilities and inclusive society.  Under his leadership as Vice-President, Ecuador greatly advanced social inclusion and the integration of persons with disabilities into national development efforts as well as regional and international cooperation.

In recognition of his achievements, Mr. Moreno was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2012 by members of Ecuador’s National Assembly.  He has received a number of awards, including the Grand Cross Grade of the Andean Parliament.  Born in 1953, he is married and has three children.

There are more than 1 billion people with disabilities, accounting for 15 per cent of the world population.  In spite of remarkable advances towards accessible and disability-inclusive societies, an enormous gap remains between commitments made and the daily experiences of persons with disabilities.  As Special Envoy, Mr. Moreno will help promote the rights of persons with disabilities, with a particular emphasis on accessibility for all.

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For information media • not an official record