(5th meeting) 19th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP19)

This is a mic check for closed captioning. 1, 2, 3. Thank you. Good morning. I call to order the 5th meeting of the 98th session of the Conference of State Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Excellency, ladies and gentlemen, we will continue the general debate under Item 5A of the agenda. We still have a long list of speakers inscribed. I would appreciate all speakers observing the 3-minute limit for your statements. With this— with this, I invite the distinguished representative from Democratic People's Republic of Korea to make a statement.

Thank you, Madam President. Delegation of the DPRK expressed its expectation that this meeting will make a contribution to coordinating international cooperation for realization of the CRPD under your able leadership. Today, protection and promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities is not merely a matter of social welfare, but an important social task for achieving sustainable development and social integration, as well as essential— sorry— requirement for ensuring that all persons can participate in social development on equal footing with dignity and rights. DPRK regards the principle of the people first as its fundamental political ideology and maintains it as the highest principle of state activity. In particular, DPRK is paying great attention to ensuring equal access to education for persons with disabilities through a new educational system. At the same time, necessary measures are being taken to ensure that persons with disabilities can receive higher and professional education tailored to their abilities and aspirations. In addition, efforts are being made to improve accessibility to public facilities, transportation, information, and communication services so that a person with a disability can participate in social life more independently and without inconvenience. Furthermore, DPRK has regarded protection and promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities as important national policy priority and has continuously strengthened relevant institutional, legal, and administrative framework. In this process, it newly adopted the Law on Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2023. Madam President, DPRK considers protection of the rights of persons with disabilities as an important component of the national development and is steadily advancing the improvement of the condition in the field of education, public health, labor, and culture. DPRK will continue to develop its policies for protection and promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities on the basis of its people-first ideology and will actively advance efforts to build a society where all people may fully enjoy their rights and dignity without discrimination. As a State Party to CRPD, DPRK will faithfully fulfill its obligation and expand exchange and cooperation in the various fields whereby are making active contribution to international efforts for protection and promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities. I thank you.

Thank you very much. I now give the floor to the distinguished Representative from L'Arche International.

Hello there, my name is Donald Macklin and I represent L'Arche International, a global federation of over 160 communities in 37 countries. Together we share a vision for a world Where every person belongs. I am a member of L'Arche in Belfast in Northern Ireland. Today we are here to talk about sub-theme 3, participation, leadership, and advocacy. People with different abilities must be supported to share their voices and participate in leadership, but often advocacy and decision-making is not designed to include everyone. For example, when conversations only use traditional speech or to document writing, this can block some people from joining. Everyone should be able to share their voices and contribute to conversations and decisions in our world. Theatre, music, photography, and other arts are ways we can include more people. For example, I love film, and I've noticed over the years that in film, people with abilities have been— people with different abilities have been misrepresented or underrepresented, but we can change that. The arts are powerful ways to communicate. Powerful art can change minds and hearts. For example, Large Belfast created a photography project and shared important messages like "Don't diss my ability," "I belong," and "Stronger together." On purpose, the participants did not add labels to their photos, so this is an additional message for the audience: you cannot know a person or their strengths from looking at them from the outside. When diversity in communication is welcomed, we can be more effective in shaping the next phase of our world in ways that are better for all. Thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative from Panama.

Thank you, Madam Vice Chair. 20 years ago, the Convention set a historic milestone in that it fully recognized persons with disabilities as rights holders and it promoted their full participation in all spheres of society. As a country that pioneered the implementation of the Convention, Panama has established the National Secretariat for Disabilities in 2007. Promoting the implementation of public policies that are human rights-based. We have established the National Consultative Disability Council, chaired by His Excellency the President of the Republic, and today comprising more than 100 institutions at the national and local levels, and it has the participation of more than 120 representative organizations under the principle of nothing about us without us. In 2025, the second national disability survey determined that the rate of disability in Panama was 18% and it established that women account for 58.4% of that population. Indigenous areas contain the most vulnerable population. These results allow us to strengthen evidence-based decision-making. With the support of strategic stakeholders in the United Nations system, our country has strengthened its institutional capacities to make progress in implementing the National Plan for Universal Accessibility 2022-2032, the implementation of the National Strategic Disability Plan 2025-2029, and the consolidation of a model for certifying disabilities 10 years from its implementation based on the International Classification of more functioning, disability and health. We have also developed training programmes for technicians, carers and family members. We have built capacities to provide more inclusive care, shared responsibility and a gender-based approach. As things stand, we recognize the progress that's been made but also the challenges that remain. In a context of profound change, the inclusion of persons with disabilities must remain front and center of the sustainable development agenda. Panama reaffirms its commitment to accelerating the effective implementation of the convention. Our goal is clear: building a more inclusive, accessible, and equitable society based on unfettered respect for human rights and the conviction that nobody must be left behind. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative from Republic of Moldova.

President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, as we celebrate 20 years of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Republic of Moldova joins the international community in recognizing the remarkable progress achieved in advancing the rights, dignity, and inclusion of persons with disabilities. Undeniably, the Convention has been a powerful catalyst for transforming policies, institutions, and attitudes, and it continues to guide us, our efforts towards a more inclusive society. In very— Moldova, we have strengthened our legal and policy frameworks to ensure equality and non-discrimination, for we adopted the laws On equality, on equal opportunities, and on social inclusion of persons with disabilities, we have reinforced protection against discrimination and promoted the full participation of persons with disabilities in all areas of life. A key achievement has been the expansion of community-based services that support independent living. Today, people with disabilities benefit from a ground— growing network of protected housing, community homes, personal assistance mobile teams, day centers, and social services. More than 6,600 personal assistants help persons with disability to live independently and participate actively in their communities. Excellencies, the Republic of Moldova has made important progress in protecting women and girls with disabilities from violence and abuse. In 2025, extensive training was provided to social workers, psychologists, and service providers, while accessibility for victim support services was strengthened. New communications channels, including SMS, phone calls, live chat, and email counseling, have improved access to safe, friendly, and accessible space created specifically to provide women and girls with concrete tools for recognition, reporting, and protection against abuse. In 2025, the Republic of Moldova launched its first national platform dedicated to preventing digital violence and supporting women and girls online, reflecting our commitment to adapting protection mechanisms to the realities of a rapidly evolving digital world. Another important achievement is the strengthening of the participation of persons with disabilities in public and political life. Through the National Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and consultations mechanism, organizations of persons with disabilities are actively involved in shaping policies and monitoring the implementation of the Convention. As we look forward, the Republic of Moldova is in the process of analyzing the National Program for Social Inclusion. Thank you.

Next, I give the floor to the distinguished representative from Malawi.

Chairperson, the Government of Malawi joins the rest of the member states in commemorating 20 years of the IRPD existence and would like to congratulate all the countries that are party to the Convention for the collaborative and individual efforts that have taken us this far in promoting the well-being of persons with disabilities. Chairperson, in compliance with the Convention, the Government of Malawi enacted the Persons with Disabilities Act in 2024. The Act domesticates the objective and the aspirations of the Convention and provides a robust legal framework for the promotion and protection of their rights. The government also reviewed the 2006 National Policy on the Equalization and Opportunities of Persons with Disabilities and came up with a new National Disability Policy. This new policy promotes planning of disability interventions by different sectors within their respective budgets. Policies and programs. To enhance access to social services and financing for the disabled persons and the whole sector, the Government of Malawi established a Disability Trust Fund that provides additional finances to meet resource gaps that are affecting disability interventions and services. Malawi has also undertaken measures to promote disability inclusion which includes: 1, adoption of standards of accessibility, including usability of built environment; 2, adoption of sector policies, including National Medical Rehabilitation Policy and National Inclusive Education Policy; 3, adoption of national list of assistive technology; 4, creation of National Technical Working Group on Disability Affairs; Madam Chair, despite recording notable achievements, Malawi shares the belief that CRBT implementation has been widely characterized by inconsistencies resulting from inadequate resources, inaccessibility to infrastructure, security, and systemic social stigma. Malawi, like most developing countries, continue to face resource challenges for effective implementation of progressive disability policies and programs. While the Government of Malawi continues to allocate resources to disability through national budget, they also do that to— they have a big financial gap. Further access to social services among persons with disabilities has remained low due to inadequate infrastructure and facilities compounded with negative attitudes towards matters of the public, including some from policymakers. In conclusion, I would like to reiterate Malawi's commitment to promote

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to the distinguished representative from Korean Disability Forum.

Good afternoon. I am Lee Hyung-soo, co-chair of the Korean Disability Forum. Today I would like to address the unique identity of independent living centers in the implementation of Article 19 of the UN CRPD. The right to live in the community is not fulfilled merely by providing services. It becomes real only when persons with disabilities to organize themselves, advocate for them the rights, and participate the decision-making procedures that affect their lives. This is what we call empowerment. Independent Living Centers in Korea are the results of such empowerment. They have served as self-help groups where disabled people become leaders of advocacy and social change. However, the Korean government has recently enacted legislation that weakened these rules of Independent Living Centers without meaningful consultation. We call on the state parties to implement the UNCRPD in the manner of strengthening the independence, advocacy roles, and self-representative of independent living centers. Persons with disabilities are not merely recipients of services, they are rights holders in shaping policies in society. Thank you.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to the distinguished Representative from Estonia.

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, Estonia aligns itself with the statement of the European Union. As we mark the 20th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Estonia reaffirms its strong commitment to its full implementation in close cooperation with persons with disabilities and civil society. Our cross-cutting priority is to advance accessibility and ensure equal participation. This involves strengthening policies to promote equal treatment and remove barriers, and improving accessibility to services and digital environments. As social policies increasingly rely on technology and innovation, we are working to make services more personalized and proactive. Automatically organized services reduce administrative burden and free up resources for meaningful support. In Estonia, multiple digital systems are in use that can exchange information with each other. This enables smoother access to services ranging from applications, assessments such as the degree of disability and workability, and entitlement to benefits and allowances. This approach reduces the burden of collecting documents from different authorities and, for instance, means that if a person is entitled to support, the state offers it automatically. We are also working towards a society free from exploitation, violence, and abuse, including in digital space. To support safe and equal participation, we continue to strengthen accessibility and provide 24/7 support through children's helpline and the victim support crisis line. Sign language users can access these services through a solution that enables connection with an interpreter through a dedicated application. Finally, we are advancing the transition from a large institutional setting towards community-based support. Civil society remains a key partner in this effort. To further strengthen this partnership, We recently allocated €1.5 million through its Strategic Partnership Framework to the Estonian Chamber of People with Disabilities, representing nearly 300 organizations across Estonia. Estonia remains committed to advancing the rights, inclusion, and full participation of persons with disabilities in all areas of life, in line with the Convention. Thank you.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to the distinguished representative from Zambia.

Chairperson, distinguished delegates, Zambia is honored to participate in this landmark session marking 20 years of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This occasion provides an opportunity to reflect on progress achieved and renew our commitment to accelerating inclusion. Zambia remains firmly committed to advancing the rights, dignity, and full participation of persons with disabilities as enshrined in the Convention and our national frameworks. We recognize disability inclusion as a key driver of equitable and sustainable development. Over the past years, Over the past year, Zambia has continued to expand social protection, improve access to essential services, and strengthen participation in national development through social cash transfer, community-based inclusive development, livelihood programs, and targeted welfare support. We are working to ensure that persons with disabilities are not left behind. We have also further mainstreamed disability inclusion across education, health, employment, and governance while working with civil society, traditional leaders, and organizations of persons with disabilities to address stigma and advance equality. Distinguished delegates, Zambia believes that meaningful inclusion must include self-representation in decision-making. In this regard, the recent constitutional amendment has introduced mixed member proportional representation system which provides for the representation of persons with disabilities in the National Assembly and local government. This important reform ensures that persons with disabilities are not only beneficiaries of policy, but active participants in shaping it, giving practical effect to the principle of nothing about us without us. Chairperson, as we navigate global challenges, including climate shocks, economic pressures, Public health emergencies and rapid technological change, Zambia remains committed to building inclusive and resilient systems. Disability inclusion is being integrated across national planning, development programs, and disaster preparedness efforts. At the same time, we recognize that challenges remain, particularly for persons with disabilities in rural areas who continue to face barriers to services. Assistive technology, accessible infrastructure, and economic opportunities. Excellencies, as we commemorate 20 years of the CRPD, Zambia reaffirms its commitment to the Convention, the United Nations, and wider partnership. Our vision is a society where every person with a disability can participate fully, contribute meaningfully, and live with dignity. I thank you.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to the distinguished representative from Queensland Advocacy for Inclusion.

Thank you, Chair. My name is Cassie Brophy, and I'm a proud Yirra Yurrunt woman from the Kownyama region of Far North Queensland, Australia, and the CEO of Mob4Mob, Queensland's peak body for Indigenous people with disabilities. Disability. We're here today supported by Queensland Advocacy for Inclusion, QAI. Today I speak about the voices behind the Convention. Before today, many of these stories lived in silence, held in people's hearts, families, communities, and grief. Through our Living Letters project, Indigenous people with disability shared experiences of violence, exclusion, disconnection from culture, and systems that failed to see them as whole people. One person told us they were punished for their trauma rather than supported through it. Another shared experiences of detention and solitary confinement, isolated from family, culture and support. Another shared the pain of being removed from Country after an injury and being unable to return home because culturally safe housing and support simply did not exist. These are not separate issues. When equality is denied, harm grows. Connection to culture, community, and belonging is disrupted. And when systems fail to respond, the impacts are carried across generations. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is more than a collection of articles. Behind every article is a human life. But we cannot continue to place people in solitary confinement, however defined, and call it a human rights approach. Back home in Australia, our Disability Royal Commission made 222 recommendations for change, yet more than 2 years on, fewer than a dozen of those 222 recommendations have been completed. Recommendation 8.3 was clear: prohibit the solitary confinement of children in detention. Yet Queensland, home to both Mob4Mob and QAI, remains the only state that has refused to take a clear position on ending it. Compounding this, the very funding for people with disability is currently under threat by cuts to our National Disability Insurance Scheme. We call on the government to stop the cuts and consult. We need investment in wraparound supports that strengthen the whole person, the whole family, and the whole community. We need connection before problems arise, not after harm has already occurred. Today we ask this: do more than listen to our stories. We ask you to act on them, to ensure that culture, disability, family and community are recognised as interconnected realities that must shape policy, services and accountability. Because the voices you heard today are not asking for special treatment. They are asking for dignity. They are asking for safety. They are asking to remain connected to family, culture and community. and they are asking for the rights promised by the Convention to become a reality in their everyday lives. Thank you.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to the distinguished representative from Kazakhstan.

Thank you, Madam Vice President, distinguished delegates. At this session marking the 20th anniversary of the CRPD. We stand at a historic juncture. The milestone allows us to celebrate our collective achievements and strategically shape the next phase of implementation within a rapidly changing global landscape. For Kazakhstan, the principle of leaving no one behind is fundamental. It is actively embodied within President Tokayev's Fair Kazakhstan concept, driving our systemic shift from medical model of disability to a rights-based approach. Following CRPD ratification, Kazakhstan solidified its legal accountability by ratifying its Optional Protocol. Our initial review before the UN CRPD Committee provided a comprehensive roadmap for ongoing domestic reform anchored by our new social code, which modernized social security and targeted care. Through our modernized social services portal, citizens can directly choose and receive customized rehabilitation devices and services, bypassing bureaucratic obstacles. We have also expanded digital medical social assessments to streamline accessibility for remote regions, ensuring personal assistance and sign language services to those in need. Through Inclusion, however, demands representation in decision-making. Guided by the principle "nothing about us without us," Kazakhstan implemented mandatory legislative quotas for persons with disabilities in national and local legislative bodies. Working alongside the Senate Council on Inclusion, these leaders are directly authorizing the laws that shape their lives. Concurrently, we have tightened our laws to enforce zero tolerance against against exploitation and abuse, expanding national preventive mechanisms to guarantee safety in all institutions. Reflecting this commitment on the global stage, we are deeply honored by the election of Madam Kaltayeva on June 9th as the first-ever representative from Kazakhstan and Central Asia to the CRPD. Dear colleagues, the next phase of CRPD implementation requires us to proactively counter the new vulnerabilities in this ever-changing world. We must ensure that rapid digitalization serves as an instrument of empowerment, closing the digital divide for all. Furthermore, as we face economic shifts, our strategies must prioritize inclusive and resilient social safety nets that shield the most vulnerable. In conclusion, Kazakhstan reaffirms its strong commitment to working with the governments, civil society, and UN entities to turn those commitments into resilient systemic action. I thank you.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to the distinguished representative from Liberia.

Thank you, Madam Chair. As we gather today to reflect on progress made in advancing the rights, dignity, and inclusion of persons with disabilities, Libya reaffirms its commitment to the full implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Optional Protocol. We remain guided by the principles of dignity, equality, and non-discrimination, accessibility, and the meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in all aspects of society. Liberia recognizes that disability inclusion is essential to achieving the 2030 Development Agenda. 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its pledge to leave no one behind. We are equally guided by the aspirations of the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Africa, which call for inclusive, equitable, and accessible societies. Since ratifying— ratifying the Convention in 2012, Libya has undertaken important legislative policy and institutional reforms to advance the rights of persons with disabilities. The National Commission on Disabilities, established in 2005, continues to play a central role in coordinating disability inclusion efforts and promoting the rights and welfare of persons with disabilities across the country. We are collaborating with organizations of persons with disabilities to provide access to training and livelihood opportunities for persons with disability. While progress has been made, significant challenges of multidimensional nature remain. Persons with disabilities continue to face barriers related to poverty, limited accessibility, inadequate infrastructure, stigma, discrimination, among others. These challenges are further exacerbated by climate change, public health emergencies, humanitarian crisis. And economic vulnerabilities. Liberia therefore calls for strengthening international cooperation, enhanced capacity building, and increased investment in disability-inclusive development. In conclusion, Liberia remains firmly committed to fulfilling its obligations under the CRPD and to working collaboratively with member states, the United Nations system, civil society, and organizations of persons with disabilities to advance a world in which all persons with disabilities can fulfill, can fully enjoy their human rights, realize their potential, and contribute meaningfully to sustainable development, peace, and prosperity. And I thank you.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to the distinguished representative from Belarus.

Thank you, Madam President. Belarus aligns itself with the joint statement delivered by Azerbaijan. We underscore the importance of integrating disability issues in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, including the prevention of acquired disability and effective anti-immune activities. Belarus is actively implementing a social policy aimed at supporting persons with disabilities. We have eliminated extreme poverty and the low income level in the country in 2025 was 3.4%. Persons with disabilities make up around 6% of the population. The state makes sure that persons with disabilities have pensions, payments, social benefits, services, and assistive technologies. Particular attention is paid to families raising children with disabilities, including the maintenance of support measures after children become adults. In 2024 and 2025, Belarus continued its improvement of its legislation in the prevention of domestic violence, including creating a system for the management of such cases, the training of experts, experts and the production of easy-to-read materials to work with vulnerable citizen groups. As part of the state program, the Society of Equal Opportunities 2026 to 2030, the priorities are developing social rehabilitation, accessible environment, digital literacy, and employability of persons with disabilities. We plan to expand the scope of social rehabilitation up to 95% by 2030. Each year, more than 75,000 citizens are provided with technical rehabilitation technologies, assistive technologies. We are continuing to develop new devices and digital solutions to improve the quality of life of persons with disabilities. Creating an accessible environment is one of the key areas of state policy. Since 2025, there has been an automated accessible environment system, making it possible to assess the accessibility of social infrastructure facilities. By 2030, the share of fully accessible facilities will be increased up to 36%. Today, in Belarus's economy, around 71,000 persons with disabilities are employed. In order to support employability, a supportive employability system has been introduced, which is 98% effective. Belarus is continuing to implement the National Plan of Action to implement the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2026 to 2030, enshrining the principles of equality, accessibility, and full participation of persons with disabilities in all spheres of life. Thank you for your attention.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to the distinguished representative from Progetto Filippide.

Thank you, Moderator. Excellencies, distinguished delegate, Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends, it is with my immense pleasure that I have the great honor today to be able to speak at the General Debate as NGO. All of us over these 20 years have worked together to affirm the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. We have come a long way, but looking to the future, we still have a lot of work to do. All together. I'm the president of Progetto Filippi de Ovidali, international NGO and special sport program for persons with severe autism, who run marathon 42 kilometers, half marathon 21 kilometers, and 10 kilometers race. And we are affiliated at the COSP. The situation 20 years ago is not the situation today, but still the rights of the persons with disabilities are affirmed, at least not all. Now, I think only if all us together can work to affirm the Convention, we will be able to affirm written rights. If 20 years have passed, we do not want to wait another 20 years for the Convention to be established. We can wait another 10 years, perhaps that is too much, better 5 years, but we would really like to apply the Convention. Thank you to all for you, for each of you for the wonderful work who have done over the years. Now we still have a wonderful job to do together, all together. Thank you at all.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to the distinguished representative from Pakistan.

I thank you, Madam President. Madam President, as we mark 20 years of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, we must recognize both progress and unfinished work. Persons with disabilities continue to face barriers in education, employment, healthcare, transport, information, digital technologies, political participation, and humanitarian response. These barriers are not created by disability, disability itself, but by inaccessible systems. Inadequate resources, and persistent stigma. The CRPD has helped shift the global approach from charity to rights, but implementation remains uneven and must now be accelerated. As a State Party to the Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Pakistan continues to fulfill its obligations. Efforts have been made to strengthen legal and institutional frameworks for the protection and empowerment of persons with disabilities, promote inclusive education, expand social protection, improve access to assistive devices, and enhance participation of persons with disabilities. Madam President, As we shape the next phase of implementation, we would like to suggest the following. First, states must move from policy commitments to measurable implementation through policy, legal, and administrative measures with timelines, budgets, institutional responsibility, and independent monitoring. Second, accessibility must be treated as a legal and development obligation. Public buildings, transport, schools, hospitals, polling stations, digital platforms, and emergency information must comply with universal design and accessibility standards. Third, disability inclusion must be adequately financed. International cooperation should support developing countries through concessional financing, capacity building, technology transfer, and investment in accessible infrastructure, assistive technology, and community-based services. Madam President, fourth, the Sustainable Development Goals must be implemented through a disability-inclusive lens, particularly in poverty eradication, health, education, decent work.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to the distinguished representative from the Leprosy Mission International.

Delegates and dignitaries and friends, greetings from Papua New Guinea, where I represent a newly formed organization of Patients affected by leprosy. I want to speak today to anyone connected with my country, whether that is a partner or funding government, as a regional partner, a UN agency, or representative of the PNG government. Together, we urgently need to find solution to the epidemic of violence against women in PNG that is affecting almost all women. But especially women with disabilities. 2 out of every 3 women in Papua New Guinea report experiencing physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. I think we can all imagine that the number is even higher for women with disability. I am one of those women. My husband attacked me with a bush knife and years later with an axe. After decades of —fear, I fled with my children to the capital city to survive. At the UN, we recognize the value of every person and essential need to each of us to access our rights. How far away is PNG from achieving this if 2 out of every 3 women experience violence? We desperately need your help. How can you help? In any way you can, contribute so that a nation can address gender stereotypes, build education and skills for women, and ensure financial independence. We need to establish disability desks in police stations and hospitals. We need to train HR divisions in government and the private sector to adopt disability inclusion policies. We must fund safe houses and counseling services that are accessible to persons with disability. Crucially, for a nation with a violence epidemic, we must integrate disability inclusion into national gender-based violence strategies, ensuring that the voice of women are heard in that process. Last year, the Government of PNG passed the National Disability Service Bill. The bill calls for the establishment of the National Advisory Committee on Disability, and I hope many women will find their voices there. If we manage to stem the tide of gender-based violence in PNG, I pray that the women with disability won't be the last ones to feel the benefit. I ask you to help us make this possible. Thank you.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to the distinguished representative from Lebanon.

Madam Chair, Lebanon is participating in this session putting the accent on its engagement and its commitment to the convention and an essential principle according to which Disabled persons must be able to enjoy their rights fully and entirely. But Lebanon is today speaking about a crisis that is very intense and that has effects on disabled persons. Among 1 million displaced persons, persons with disabilities are facing increased difficulties in having access to essential services, health services, rehabilitation services, and social protection. Many of them live also in difficult displacement conditions in collective shelters. There are more than 2,600 persons with disabilities in those centers. Women and girls with disabilities remain the most at risk— amid increasing exposure to gender-based violence, difficulties in accessing protection services and sexual and reproductive health services. And there are additional burdens imposed by poverty, displacement, and the loss of support networks. Despite these challenges, the Lebanese state is still working towards fulfilling its obligations and its duties towards persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities. The Ministry of Social Affairs has put in place social protection programs that are shock responsive to ensure the continuation of cash assistance and rights-based social safety nets. It's also adopted the first national strategy for the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities for 2026 to '30. That is a national roadmap to translate the the principles of the Convention into concrete right-based policies and measures based on full citizenship and equality. We emphasize reconstruction and rehabilitation, and we have extended our humanitarian appeal For the period from June to August 2026, we're trying to reach 1.4 million people, including the people in the greatest need, including persons with disabilities and their families, to ensure the continuity of essential services and protection for the most vulnerable. There can be no real recovery if persons with disabilities are left behind. We must be inclusive. But assistance is becoming more and more scarce, particularly in terms of social protection and the health sector. We need flexible assistance over a number of years and the microphone has been cut off.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to the distinguished representative from Ukraine.

Madam President, as this conference discusses inclusion, accessibility, and independent living, Ukraine continues to confront a war that produces the exact opposite: injury, trauma, exclusion, and disability on a massive scale. Russia's full-scale aggression continues to inflict immense suffering on our people. Since 2022, the number of people with disabilities in Ukraine has increased by more than 50% and now exceeds 3.6 million people. Every missile strike on a residential building, Every attack on civilian infrastructure, every injury caused by explosive weapons creates new amputations, blindness, mobility impairments, and psychological trauma. In the occupied territories, institutions became deadly traps. Thousands of residents of psychoneurological and geriatric facilities were left behind without opportunities for evacuation. Forced deportations, denial of essential care, Torture and conflict-related sexual violence have been documented. Many Ukrainian prisoners of war returned from Russian captivity with severe physical and psychological injuries requiring long-term rehabilitation and support. Russia also continues to hold Ukrainian political prisoners with disabilities despite serious medical conditions and in some cases contrary even to its own legislation. These realities have reinforced an important lesson for our country: disability inclusion cannot be postponed until after a crisis. It must be integrated into humanitarian response, recovery, and reconstruction from the outset. Just two weeks ago, Ukraine marked National Accessibility Week as part of implementing the National Strategy for Creating a Barrier-Free Environment through 2030. Across the country, public institutions, civil society organizations, and local communities promoted accessibility and equal opportunities for all. Ukraine is also implementing its deinstitutionalization strategies through 2034, replacing outdated models with community-based services, supported living, and home-based care. More than 280 resilience centers have been providing psychological support to over 700,000 people. We continue expanding early intervention services for children and families. New employment legislation strengthens workplace inclusion through financing of reasonable accommodation. The government has also approved a roadmap for reforming the prosthetics and rehabilitation system, introducing greater transparency, accessibility, and digitalization. These reforms are important, but they are not enough. As long as Russia continues its aggression against Ukraine, it will continue to create new disabilities, destroy the infrastructure on which the persons with disabilities depend, and undermine the very principle this Convention seeks to uphold. It is our common duty to ensure that—

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to the distinguished representative from Commonwealth Disabled People's Forum.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, my name is Sarah Kamau from Commonwealth Disabled People Forum and a member of the United Disabled Persons of Kenya. As we celebrate and mark 20 years of the CRPD, CDPF is calling for no attacks on human rights, for inclusion, and advocating for Protection and Defending Disabled People's Rights. Representatives of government and OPDs meet for COSP19 at a time of dangerous and unstable political, economic, and social crisis. Disabled people are still marginalized at the best of times, are severely impacted by food shortages, rising prices, war and conflict, floods, droughts, natural disasters, and climate emergencies. How much more we are impacted is a measure of how how far governments of the world still have to go to implement our full human rights. That these are not a fad or political fashion to be attacked as woke diversity, equality, and inclusion, but are our fundamental rights as human beings that prior to the UNCRPD had previously been ignored. We all need to redouble and combine our efforts to achieve substantial progress on the goals of UNCRPD in this anniversary year and stand firm against the populist and neo-fascist forces that deny our rights. The Commonwealth promotes democracy and equality across its member states with over 2.5 billion citizens. That includes over 430 million persons with disabilities who are mainly youth. The Commonwealth Charter in these times of growing autocracy, insecurity, and inequality, though not perfect, provides an alternative way of maintaining parliamentary democracy independent judiciary, and a free media. The self-advocacy of CDPF and its collaboration, capacity building, and advocacy play a crucial role in implementing the CRPD and the SDGs. CDPF has over 100 member DPOs across 56 countries, including 50 DPOs' national umbrella organizations, and have found that although 55 of our member countries have ratified the UNCRPD, implementation of the rights, protections, and freedoms from discrimination for disabled people is not happening or is very patchy, and we call for those states that have not ratified to do so. The Commonwealth has now developed the Commonwealth Disabled Inclusion Action Plan with support from CDPF, which will be presented to the Commonwealth Heads of Government during CHOGOM in Antigua, November 2026, for approval. This can be viewed on our website CommonwealthDPF.org, and I welcome you to a side event today on promoting its implementation in Conference Room C from 1:15 to 2:30. The action plan coming in the 20th year of UNCRPD will mark a new era of fast-tracking disability rights implementation and a one-day symposium in Antigua on 5th November during CHOGOM, and governments are requested to support DPOs to attend.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to the distinguished representative from Fiji.

Madam President, distinguished representatives, the Government of the Republic of Madam President, distinguished representatives, the Government of the Republic of Fiji reaffirms its commitment to advancing the rights, dignity, and full participation of persons with disabilities as a central pillar of our national development agenda and our global commitments under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Fiji's ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2017 and robust national legislative reform is part of ensuring the protection and security of vulnerable marginalized groups are considered towards meaningful participation nationally and internationally, further positioning Fiji as a regional leader in rights-based disability governance. Fiji's transformative steps to leaving no one behind is a commitment that fully integrates disability inclusion in the National Development Plan 2025-29 and the Vision 2050 that recognizes inclusive development in achieving sustainable economic growth, social cohesion, and resilience. Fiji has therefore included the following six preconditions: accessibility, assistive technology, support services, non-discrimination, community-based inclusive development, and social protection, thus directly contributing to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals 1, 4, 5, 8, 10, and 16. Fiji recognizes that disability inclusion is not the responsibility of a single agency, but a shared national obligation and civil responsibility that involves institutional strengthening of the Fiji National Council for Disabled Persons and formal partnerships with civil society, development partners, and organizations of persons with disabilities in policy design, monitoring, and implementation. The 2025-2035 Fiji Disability Policy and Fiji's National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls has demanded inclusivity, financing, and evidence-based framework integrating the needs of all genders and disabilities to establish measurable targets and accountability mechanisms across the whole of government. Fiji has also embedded disability inclusions across life cycle social protection framework, ensuring that persons with disabilities are supported at all stages of life. Fiji's Disability Allowance Scheme, Social Pension Scheme, Family Assistance Scheme, and targeted grants to OPDs for community outreach and awareness have advanced national plans and policies. Fiji is transitioning from medical model to rights-based approach, whereby services are centered on dignity, autonomy, and individual needs. With the assistance of the Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission's critical role, in safeguarding rights, addressing discrimination, and promoting accountability. The government acknowledges that there are gaps in disability disaggregated data and data from 0- to 5-year-olds with disability, and it is working to strengthen data systems to inform evidence-based policymaking. In closing, disability inclusion requires political will, sustained investment and policy coherence, and partnerships with persons with disability

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to the distinguished representative from Switzerland. You have 4 minutes.

Madame la vice-présidente, this year is the 20th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Our conference is a unique opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to the convention and to underscore the need to strengthen the rights of persons with disabilities. Switzerland welcomes the fact that this conference allows us to take stock of the progress made highlight the remaining challenges, and shape the next steps together. Switzerland aligns itself with the Joint Statement of the Group of Friends of Persons with Disabilities. As emphasized in that statement, the full and effective participation of persons with disabilities remains a priority. Achieving such participation requires coherent measures and close cooperation with persons with disabilities and the organizations that represent them. Switzerland also attaches great importance to the effective protection of persons with disabilities, in particular women and children with disabilities, against violence, and exploitation. It accords particular importance to the accessibility of prevention measures and protection services for victims of violence with disabilities. Switzerland is convinced that the fight against discrimination, the promotion of full and equal participation, and the strengthening of the autonomy of persons with disabilities help a very great deal to reduce their exposure to violence and exploitation. Switzerland will continue to ensure that people with disabilities can fully exercise their political rights and participate in political life without barriers. Switzerland also ensures that people with disabilities and their organizations are closely involved in decision-making processes. Madame Vice-President, the growing awareness of the importance of the rights of persons with disabilities is reflected in the popular initiative currently being debated in Switzerland. This is an initiative to enshrine the principle of equality more explicitly in our federal consultation— Constitution, and it's the result of the commitment of many persons with disabilities and their organizations. The government and the parliament are currently examining how to proceed with that initiative. Switzerland will continue to advocate for the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, on the basis of inclusive policies that deliver measurable progress. I thank you for your attention.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to the distinguished representative from Nepal.

Thank you, Madam Chair, Excellencies, Distinguished delegates, around the world, persons with disabilities continue to confront barriers that diminish lives and limit potential. For Nepal, providing every human being with equal dignity, equal rights, and equal worth is not an abstract principle. It is a constitutional guarantee, a moral imperative, and a development priority. Our constitution guarantees equal equality, social justice, and inclusion for persons with disability. It ensures their representation in Parliament and secures reservation quotas in the civil service. It prohibits discrimination on the grounds of disability. It mandates affirmative measures for protection, empowerment, and sustainable livelihoods. We have continued to strengthen our legal and institutional architecture We have introduced national accessibility standards for public infrastructure and public services. Similarly, we have expanded social protection and disability allowances, which have delivered a meaningful and measurable impact. Madam Chair, yet challenges remain, and they are real. Nepal faces persistent resource constraint as the least developed and landlocked developing countries. Accessibility gaps endure across sectors and geographies, so does the technology gap. Similarly, institutional capacity must be further reinforced to fully implement the conventions and to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Against this backdrop, Madam Chair, allow me to underscore the following points. First, disability inclusion must be embedded across all policies, budgets, and development programs, supported by stronger national institutions and global partnerships. Second, the voice and meaningful participation of persons with disabilities are essential to designing effective, rights-based, and sustainable solutions. Third, accessible infrastructure, services, technologies and digital systems unlock opportunities, drive economic gains, and strengthen communities. Fourth, we must invest in inclusive education, accessible healthcare, decent work, social protection, and digital accessibility, backed by robust disability disaggregated data and evidence-based policymaking. Fifth, stronger international cooperation Through financing, technical assistance, capacity building, and policy support is vital to implement CRPD and align national frameworks with global digital standards. In conclusion, Madam Chair, Nepal reaffirms its commitment to the CRPD.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to the distinguished representative from United Nations Association of Australia Incorporated.

Thank you, Chair. My name is Clare Gibilini, a member of the United Nations Association of Australia and the Assistant Secretary for Equalities with the Commonwealth Disabled People's Forum. But I'm also here today to speak on behalf of my friends and colleagues who are not able to be here, not by choice, but by design and deliberate exclusion. We welcome the theme of moving from participation to representation, but we must be clear: representation cannot be achieved while certain voices are being actively erased. Across UN spaces, we are witnessing a pattern of systematic sideline of LGBT persons with disability. This is not always explicit. More often it occurs through omission, removal from negotiated text, sidelines side events quietly being reshaped, or speakers excluded to avoid political discomfort. In recent UN negotiations, agreed language referencing SOGI-esque identity has been challenged or stripped, even when it is essential to understanding the intersectional discrimination that we face. At the same time, LGBT organisations, particularly those led by persons with disabilities, face barriers to accreditation, reduced access to funding, and limited speaking opportunities in official forums. This erasure has consequences. When LGBT persons with disabilities are not visible in policy discussions, our experience of violence, abuse, and exclusion from services remains unaddressed. In humanitarian settings, we're excluded from protection mechanisms. In civic life, we face compounded barriers to leadership and participation shaped by both ableism and discrimination based on our identity. If we are serious about enhancing civic engagement and leadership, about making sure that we achieve inclusion for all, then inclusion must be deliberate, not selective. We call for member states and UN entities to actively protect and retain inclusive language in all CRPD-related processes, including explicit recognition recognition of SOGI-esque identity. We as civil society must work to ensure these identities— sorry, these entities remain accountable, not just those that explicitly work with LGBT people, all of us. Participation mechanisms must be strengthened to ensure that LGBT persons with disability, particularly from the Global South, can safely access, contribute to, and lead in UN spaces. This includes accessible funding, accreditation pathways, and protection from reprisals. We need to move beyond tokenistic participation. Representation means resourcing leadership, supporting organisations led by LGBT persons with disabilities to shape agendas, not just respond to them. Nothing about us means all of us. If we allow some voices to be erased, we weaken the identity— integrity of the CRPD itself, But if we commit to full inclusion—

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to the distinguished representative from Uganda.

Madam President, on behalf of the government and the people of the Republic of Uganda, I have the honor to address the 2019 session of the Conference of States, parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Uganda joins the international community in commemorating the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This milestone provides an opportunity to celebrate achievements made in advancing the rights of persons with disabilities while reflecting on the actions needed to accelerate the implementation of rights-based and inclusion approach in an increasingly dynamic and changing world. In creating a world free from exploitation, violence, and abuse, Uganda recognizes that persons with disabilities, particularly women, girls, and children with disabilities, continue to face disproportionate risks of exploitation, violence, and abuse. In response, Uganda has strengthened its legislative and institutional frameworks through the Persons with Disabilities Act 2020, which expressly prohibits cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, forced sterilization, harmful cruel practices, and all forms of discrimination against persons with disabilities. Uganda firmly believes that resilient and inclusive societies are built upon strong care and support systems that promote dignity, autonomy, and independent living. In this regard, Uganda has adopted disability-inclusive social protection programs aimed at reducing poverty and addressing the additional costs associated with disability. Uganda has also taken significant steps to to strengthen support systems for children with severe disabilities through a new social protection program called the National Child Disability Assistance Program, which aims to provide regular income support to families caring for children with severe disabilities while linking them to rehabilitation, health, education, and social services. Uganda has entrenched affirmative action measures to persons with disabilities within its institutional and governance structures. Persons with disabilities are represented at all levels of governance, including Parliament, local governments, and statutory bodies, thereby ensuring that their voices contribute directly to public policy and decision-making, including disability people's organization. Madam President, in conclusion, as we celebrate 20 years of the convention, Uganda reaffirms its unwavering commitment to promoting protecting and fulfilling the rights of persons with disabilities. We call for strengthening international cooperation, increased investment in disability-inclusive development programs, access technologies, and greater support. I thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you very much. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative from Cambodia.

Thank you. Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, Cambodia reaffirms its steadfast commitment to full implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, placing persons with disabilities at the center of our national development efforts. Since ratifying the Convention in 2010, 2012, Cambodia has integrated its principles into the legal and policy frameworks. As we approach the decades since— two decades since the adoption of the CRPD, we welcome this opportunity to reflect on progress made and the work that remains to ensure the full realization of the rights, dignities, and inclusion of persons with disabilities. For Cambodia, the CRPD carries particular significance. Decades of conflict left our country heavily contaminated with landmines and explosive remnants of war. Since 1979, more than 65,000 casualties have been recorded and thousands of Cambodians continue to live with disabilities resulting from these hazards. Building on efforts of successive governments and under the leadership of our current Prime Minister, Samreit Thipodei Hun Manet, Cambodia is transforming these legacies of suffering into the model of inclusion. Our National Disability Strategic Plan for 2024-2028 serves as the key framework for advancing disability rights and promoting equal opportunity for all. Important progress has been achieved in improving accessibility, expanding inclusive education, strengthening healthcare and rehabilitation services, promoting employment and social protection, and integrating disability perspective into disaster risk management. At the same time, challenges remained, including securing sustainable resources, expanding access to service, strengthening psychological support and vocational training, advancing digital inclusions, and improving data coordinations. Cambodia remains committed to addressing these challenges through stronger implementation, decentralization service delivery, and enhanced international cooperation. Madam President, Cambodia stands ready to work with all member states and partners to ensure that the promise of the Convention becomes a reality for every person with disability living

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to the distinguished representative from United Cities and Local Governments.

Buenos días, mi nombre es Patricia Morla. Good morning, my name is Patricia Morla and I'm the Vice President of the Court of Auditors of the municipality of Villa Carlos Paz in Argentina. I'm the first woman with a disability with disability to hold an elected office in my city. I'd like to begin by thanking the Bureau of the Conference of States Parties for this opportunity in this very special year, the 20th anniversary of the Convention. Although we've made significant progress since the adoption, architectural, technological, and social barriers continue to limit the meaningful participation and representation of persons with disabilities. On behalf of my city, Therefore, and as a member of United Cities and Local Governments, that's the world's largest organization of local and regional governments, and that I'm also representing here today, I'd like to reaffirm our commitment to the localization of the Convention, which is a key mechanism for accelerating the implementation of the rights of persons with disabilities. As local and regional governments, we are the level of government that is closest to the people. But in terms of accessibility and working together with organizations of persons with disabilities, we still face difficulties. One challenge for local and regional governments in strengthening localization is the lack of meaningful partnerships with organizations of persons with disabilities to allow us to co-create, design, monitor, and evaluate policies, programs, and public services. Through our Community of Practice on inclusive and accessible cities and territories, we are actively working to implement activities that strengthen our ability to respond to this challenge and the various articles of the Convention through peer learning, research, pilot projects, and cooperation with various institutions, including organizations of persons with disabilities, and member states. The work of the Community of Practice has transformed our organisation. It now includes disability and accessibility as cross-cutting themes for the localisation of global agendas. And it has therefore led us to participate with the first official delegation of local governments in the Global Disability Summit in Berlin, where our collective presented more than 20 commitments. In two weeks' time, our World Congress will be held in the city of Tangiers, and on that occasion, we'll present the first report on the progress towards those commitments and the universal guidelines on the local inclusion agenda. It's essential for us to promote the meaningful involvement of persons with disabilities and their representative organizations through a new model of multilateralism and social contracts in order to achieve multi-level governance that brings policies closer to the real expectations of all persons with disabilities and raises awareness within society. Many thanks.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to the distinguished representative from Maldives.

Thank you, Vice President, and I thank the Bureau for their efforts in leading this session. Our society was designed with disregard for persons with disabilities. Accommodations are tools that enable navigation and participation in this society. 20 years ago, we crafted the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities for this same purpose: to recognize barriers and redesign systems to uphold the rights and dignity of each and every person. This is the transformative vision behind the first National Action Plan on Disability Inclusion 2026 to 2030, launched by the Maldives in February this year. A working group consisting of organizations of persons with disabilities and civil society organizations identified barriers, defined priorities, and shaped actions included in the plan. The Maldives reaffirms strong commitment to disability inclusion, informed by lived experience and guided by the principle: nothing about us Without us, the NAPDI adopts a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach across 5 priority areas: health and well-being, inclusive education, decent work, accessible and sustainable communities, and access to justice and inclusive institutions. As a SIDS with capacity constraints, these are— these areas align with existing obligations under the Convention, the 2030 Agenda, and the Jakarta Declaration to avoid duplication and focus resources. SIDS continue to spend more on debt servicing than social development. National effort alone isn't enough. Reform of the international financial architecture is essential to unlock affordable finance for social development. By 2030, the Maldives intends to expand accessible healthcare and specialist services across atolls, improve access to assistive devices, strengthen early identification and intervention, advance inclusive education and employment, and make infrastructure, institutions, and emergency systems more accessible. The Convention guides, the Plan builds, and persons with disabilities lead. There needs to be a transformation in our understanding and tacit acceptance of society as is. We must make vision and policies into lived reality. Redesign society, restore possibilities, restore agency, and restore dignity. And I thank you.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to the distinguished representative from Cuba.

Señora Presidenta, Madam President, we are profoundly convinced that a more inclusive world, an accessible, tolerant, and respectful of diversity and differences is essential in order to leave no one behind. Cuba pays the highest attention to the integration of persons with disabilities and makes huge efforts to attend to their specific needs. Just look at the progress made since the adoption of the 2019 Constitution and the perfection of the institutional system and the resources channeled to ensuring the full inclusion, dignity, and participation of all persons with disabilities. This isn't an easy task because of the economic complexity faced by the country, not just because it's a developing country, but because it's subject to a tightened blockade, tightened to extremes. It's even become an energy siege and there are secondary measures, so-called, which affect the quality of life of persons with disabilities who are now facing prolonged power cuts, problems with water supply, and scarcity of public transport. The crisis also affects hospitals and teachers, including schools. They affect special education programs for our children and young people with disabilities. The harm is real and painful. 19 minutes of the blockading are equivalent to the cost of an electric and conventional wheelchairs that are required to attend to the needs of the special education system of the country. 10 minutes of the blockade are equivalent to the financing needed to cover the demand for auditive prostheses for children and adolescents taking classes in the country. Cuba is committed to the human rights of persons with disabilities. We will continue to make every effort to guarantee a safe and peaceful environment for them, although that is threatened very much today by the threats of force against the island. We will not rest until we achieve a more inclusive and just society for all. And in conclusion, Cuba is making progress in producing its second report to this committee and in complying with its previous commitments. We would once again state our commitment to the full implementation of the convention. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to the distinguished representative from Guinea.

Madame President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, members of the committee. First of all, I would like to convey on behalf of His Excellency Monsieur Mamadou Doumbouya, President of the Republic of Guinea, our warm greetings and our fervent desire of success for the present session. The delegation of Guinea would like to thank you for this opportunity to present the— the progress that it's made in the promotion, protection, and realization of the rights of persons with disabilities. We are delighted to take part in this 19th session, which marks the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the convention, and we reaffirm our staunch commitment to an inclusive society based on respect of human dignity, equal opportunities, non-discrimination, and effective participation. In the last 12 months, important steps Steps have been taken in enhancing the legal and institutional framework to protect the rights of persons with disabilities. The adoption of the new constitution in September 2025 was a significant step forward in consolidating fundamental rights and the promotion of social inclusion for all parts of that population. And that impetus was enhanced by the promulgation of the Law on the Promotion and of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which is an essential reference document for the implementation of the principles enshrined by the Convention. This revised law on disabilities also makes provision for measures related to accessibility, inclusive education, employment, health, social protection, and civic participation. Guinea is also making efforts to integrate disability issues fully into sectoral public policies through the fourth general census of its Population whose results are currently being disseminated, particular attention was paid or is being paid to the disaggregation of data on disabilities. However, major challenges remain. Obstacles linked to physical accessibility, the availability of specialised services, access to information, employment and political participation continue to affect many people with disabilities, in particular women, children and people people living in rural areas. We therefore reiterate our desire to enhance our cooperation with United Nations bodies, technical and financial partners, and civil society organizations to accelerate the implementation of the convention. The Republic of Guinea remains determined to build a society in which no one is left behind and in which everybody can contribute fully international development with full respect for their dignity and their rights. I thank you.

Next, I give the floor to the distinguished representative from Fondation Jérôme Lejeune.

Thank you, Madam Chair, distinguished representatives. 20 years ago, the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities marked a turning point, a solemn promise that dignity is not that rights are not selective, and that no human being should be left behind because of cognitive or physical differences. The Jérôme Lejeune Foundation is honored to take the floor today. Our mission is rooted in the conviction that science must serve humanity, all of humanity. We accompany every day thousands of people living with intellectual disabilities and their families, and it is in their name that we speak. Let's celebrate 20 years of real progress, More children with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities are going to school, are finding work, are building relationships and living abundant lives. Science has advanced. Awareness has grown. And yet, we must be honest, the gap between the text of this Convention and the actual reality lived by so many individuals with intellectual disabilities remains deeply troubling. Dignity cannot be proclaimed in international halls while being quietly denied in medical offices. Processes, research laboratories, or public policies. We are concerned that scientific and technological progress, when not guided by ethical— an ethical compass, risks serving exclusion rather than inclusion. Artificial intelligence, genetic screening, and prenatal diagnoses hold immense promise, but only if they are developed and applied with the unconditional respect for every human life at every stage. Research must be a part of the answer. The Jérôme Lejeune Foundation calls on states to invest in biomedical research aimed at improving the health and autonomy of persons with intellectual disabilities, not to eliminate them, but to care for them, to treat them, and to accompany them. This is the direction which Dr. Jérôme Lejeune himself championed: science at the service of the person. Families, too, must not be forgotten. They are often the invisible backbone of inclusion. They need support, recognition, and access to competent professionals who can accompany them, not with pity, but with expertise and respect. As we mark this 20th anniversary, let us be clear: the measure of our progress is not the sophistication of our declarations. It is whether the person with an intellectual disability can look at this world and feel that they belong in it fully, unconditionally, and with dignity. The Jaume Rajón Foundation reaffirms its commitment to that vision and calls on states to translate the promise of the CRPD into lived reality today and in the 20 years to come. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you very much for your statements. Colleagues, I will now suspend the meeting for a 2-minute housekeeping arrangements for the third roundtable meeting, which will start in this room immediately. Since we have not exhausted our list of speakers of the general debate, as decided by Davutoglu, this afternoon from 3 PM we shall continue with agenda item 5A in order to hear the reminder of the speakers of the general debate. Please check the updated live e-speaker list Now I invite the two co-chairs and all panelists of the Roundtable 3 meeting to please take your seat at the podium. Thank you. Aha. Can I go in? Just kidding. I give her the breakfast. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, I now call to order Roundtable 3 of the sub-theme, From Participation to Representation: Enhancing Accessible Civic Engagement, Leadership, and Advocacy in Political and Public Life. I have the pleasure of co-chairing this roundtable along with my civil society colleague, Mr. Juan Ángel de Gouveia. Mr. de Gouveia is President of RIADIS, the Latin American Network of Non-Governmental Organizations of Persons with Disabilities and Their Families, and Vice President of the International Disability Alliance. Since 2018, he has been accredited as an expert member by civil society before the Committee for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities, CEDIS, of OAS. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the World Federation of the Deaf and serves as President of the Deaf Confederation of Venezuela. In addition, he is also the Director of the Vanessa Peretti Foundation. To introduce myself, my name is Elizabeth Tudor-Bezier, Vice Chair of the session of COSP-CRPD and Second Secretary of the Permanent Mission of Canada to the UN. For those who can't see me, I'm a young female with light brown hair, short and large hazel eyes. Today, together with Mr. de Gouveia, we will facilitate this roundtable discussion entitled "From Participation to Representation: Enhancing Accessible Civic Engagement, Leadership, and Advocacy in Political and Public Life." Distinguished panelists, delegates, and civil society partners, To kick off our discussion today, I would like to begin with a few points. In our current turbulent times, the world faces a myriad of interlocking challenges and threats. Of considerable concern is the backsliding of democracy and the erosion of fundamental rights. People everywhere are facing growing limitations on their ability to determine the matters, processes, and decisions that profoundly shape and affect their their everyday lives, a trend which is increasingly fomenting and entrenching exclusion, exclusion and disenfranchisement. Indeed, over the last few decades and across the globe, fewer and fewer people are turning out to vote in elections. Crackdowns on civil and political liberties, particularly on the freedoms of peaceful assembly and association and of expression, are worsening and becoming more frequent. Mis— wide misinformation, widespread misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech, mainly disseminated online and amplified through the use of digital technologies, contribute to widening polarization and pose risks to democracy, transparency, and accountability. As we mark the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the CRPD, it is therefore vital to ensure that political participation of persons with disabilities as an effective means of bolstering democratic governance and strengthening the civic space, as well as to amplify efforts to realize the rights enshrined in the CRPD for and with and by persons with disabilities. To achieve this, it is fundamental that all barriers are dismantled to enhance the accessible civic engagement, leadership, and advocacy of persons with disabilities in all aspects of political and public life. Life. However, evidence suggests that persons with disabilities are less likely to vote than their peers without disabilities, known as the disability gap. Similarly, persons with disabilities are underrepresented in public office and are less likely, for instance, to work as legislators, whether at the national, municipal, or local level. In still many countries, persons with disabilities are subject to legal provisions that impose disability-based restrictions on the right to vote or to stand in elections and hold public office. During elections, persons with disabilities must overcome the lack of accessibility in physical infrastructure, from inaccessible public transport to inaccessible polling booths, the lack of accessibility and information regarding the time and date of elections, candidate lists and ballot papers, party manifestos, and the lack of inclusive communication, such as sign language, closed captioning, braille, and easy-to-read. Deplorably, despite two decades of the CRPD ushering in a paradigm shift of our understanding of disability, persons with disabilities standing as candidates during elections must confront entrenched stigma and are too often perceived as less competent, unstable, or unable to withstand the demands and responsibilities of holding public office. Such discriminatory purposes and attitudes, stereotypes and beliefs are reinforced and perpetrated through limited and biased representations of disability in the media, as well as the algorithm-induced echo chambers in digital spaces. Although the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has affirmed the right of persons with disabilities to freely and easily establish organizations representing them, in some jurisdictions persons with disabilities encounter restrictive and overly burdensome registration and administrative requirements when attempting to do so. Some gains have been made in the inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities in public affairs and their conduct, with organizations of persons with disabilities being consulted more frequently and on a broader range of issues. Nevertheless, consultation processes are overall not accessible, lack— lacking reasonable accommodations, physically inaccessible buildings and spaces, and informational and communicational barriers preventing persons with disabilities and their representative organizations from fully and meaningfully participating and contributing to public decision-making. In addition to these challenges, emerging threats pose new challenges. The continuing digitalization of civic space propelled by the expansion of digital technologies and AI has had a profound impact on the right to freedom of expression and opinion and the right to information. Within an increasingly digitalized environment, persons with disabilities are disproportionately exposed to a higher risk of hate speech, violence, and abuse, potentially leading to their exclusion from public life. In short, our discussion today could not be more timely or pressing. Dear colleagues, dear friends, it is my honor to introduce and extend a warm welcome to all of our distinguished distinguished panelists here today, starting with Mr. Amon Anastase Mpanju, Ministry of Community Development, Gender, Women, and Special Groups of Tanzania. Ms. Ana Carla Pereira, Director for Equality and Non-Discrimination, DG Justice and Consumers of the EU Commission. Mr. Dan Rachelle, Commissioner for Equal Rights of Persons with Disabilities from the Ministry of Justice of Israel. Mr. Floyd Morris, from the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and Ms. Janet Tchartchouk of Down Syndrome International Canada. We will shortly invite each of our panelists to deliver their presentation, to share their thoughts and insights of crucial issue. We do want to give some more time to panelists to— for people to deliver interventions and to ask questions, so we will have to unfortunately cut— to shorten our remarks a little bit a little bit here on the panelists' side as well, I believe, just for a couple of minutes, just so we can give more people time to ask questions. So we'll ask for 7 minutes of interventions for each panelist, if they do not mind. Following the presentations, we will invite delegations and observers to participate in the interactive dialogue through a Q&A session and to pose questions to the panel. Participants who wish to take the floor are invited to press the button on their desk after the co-chair opens the floor. So when you give the— when you're given the floor, please unmute your microphone and identify yourself, your delegation, and organization, and then pose your questions. They are limited to 2 minutes, and please be kind to us. We do know that there are going to be likely a lot of questions, and we are going to try to get through as many as possible, but with the short timeframe, we will have to ask for 2 minutes, and we may not get to everybody. I will stop there, and I will now turn the floor over to our co-chair, Mr. Dugovaya, to continue chairing this session. Over to you.

Thank you, Ms. Tudor-Vasile. Dear delegates, it is my great honor to introduce and invite our first panelist, Mr. Amon Anastas Mpanju, to the floor. Mr. Mpanju is a Tanzanian lawyer and a prominent public servant currently serving as a Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Community Development, Gender, Women, and Special Groups. He holds a Bachelor of Law degree with honors from the University of Dar es Salaam and a postgraduate diploma in legal practice from from the Law School of Tanzania. A person who is blind, he is widely recognized as a champion for the rights of persons with— of people with disabilities both nationally and internationally. He was also a member of the Tanzania Special National Constituent Assembly representing people with disabilities during the drafting of the proposed Tanzanian Constitution back in 2014. Mr. Epanju, welcome. The floor is yours. Please remember to keep to the 7-minute time limit for your presentation.

Thank you. Thank you, co-chairs, esteemed fellows, panelists, excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. Good morning. It is my distinct honor to address this roundtable. Roundtable 3, From Participation to Representation: Enhancing Accessible Civic Engagement, Leadership, and Advocacy of Persons with Disabilities in Political and Public Life. Looking at the nature, I mean, the topic in front of us, it entails and encompasses a lot of things which you need to look at, but looking at it, It is in line with the 20 years of celebration and the evolving nature of inclusive governance. Now, I'll go straight to what participation and what representation is. For a very long time, and for the existence of 20 years of CRPD, we all agree that CRPD has influenced regional, sub-regional, and national legal systems, constitution, policies, and administrative measures to ensure that persons with disabilities participate in the development within our respective areas. And looking at what is being portrayed to us, it is really an achievement to have persons with disabilities as participants in the process.— is a fundamental principle towards inclusion. But it is unfortunate to note that the representation of persons with disabilities in different decision-making bodies is still a nightmare, whereby few persons with disabilities have made it into the leadership cadre in their respective countries, and the challenge remains even across the global community, even at the UN systems. You find that we don't have directors heading the UN systems, even if for African Union or European, we don't have persons with disabilities heading the most important position. The same applies to our respective countries. Now, that being said, I would use Tanzania as an example to explain what could be done to ensure that we have effective, meaningful representation of persons with disabilities —across the government structures, in the Parliament, executive bodies, in the councils, and the different levels of the decision. For Tanzania, right after ratification of the UN CRPD in the year 2009, we enacted specific disability laws, the one for Tanzania mainland and the other for Tanzania Zanzibar, which put in place and reflect the content of Article 29 of the CRPD. Article 29 CRTPD requires member states to ensure that we put in place measures that will guarantee participation of persons with disabilities in political and public life, but to ensure that persons with disabilities are active members in terms of election, but also in holding offices. For Tanzania, we made sure that Section 51 of the Persons with Disabilities Act, Act Number 9 of 2010, and the Zanzibar Privilege— Rights and Privileges Act also guarantees the participation of persons with disabilities in all democratic processes, in the election, but holding offices. We did not end up there. We made sure that our constitution embraces articles that guarantees participation of persons with disabilities, Article 11 and Article 18, which guarantees freedom of expression for persons with disabilities, and Article Article 20, that the grantees, association of persons with disability, and Article 21, in terms of expression and of their will and opinion. And also we went further to amend the electoral laws, to reform electoral laws, whereby the Election Act, Presidential, Parliamentary, and Councillors' Election Act, Act Number 1 of 2024, It was reformed to ensure that it embraces the content of Article 29 of CRPD by putting in place the favorable environment for persons with disabilities to be able to participate in the electoral processes, but also in the governance process. As a result of those interventions, Tanzania has made notable progress in terms of including persons with disabilities as representatives in different levels of governance. For 3 years consecutively, we have a member person with disability in the cabinet representing us as Deputy Minister, whereby all the issues that are deliberated at the cabinet levels take into account issues of persons with disability. But also we have permanent secretaries or principal secretaries, full 2 persons with disability out of 25 ministries, and the deputy permanent secretaries with disability there too. But we did not end up there. We have executive officers. We have a Solicitor General with albinism. You can imagine a person with albinism heading the prosecution process. At the end of the day, we are granted issues of disability to be catered for. But we have judges and magistrates with disabilities. We have honorable members of parliament with disabilities. We are now The numbers, already from 2010, there were 3, now there are 5 members of parliament in the National Assembly with disabilities. But not only that, we have ambassadors with disabilities. Our ambassador in Geneva, out of 21 ambassadors, 2 of them were persons with disabilities. And we have directors, we have counselors, we have across the government. But it did not come at once. We had to pay the price. We had to get into collective negotiation beginning with the political parties, especially the ruling parties and even the opposition parties, to understand our issues. Sometimes we could force our way through. You need to be bigger. Persons with disabilities, they need to be bigger. They need to be courageous enough to jump all the barriers that may limit having effective representation or having persons with disabilities in the meaningful leadership positions. But also now, looking at what I explained, it is not true that we have all— we have been there. We still have challenges that limit participation of persons with disabilities, ranging from attitudinal barriers, the way persons with disabilities are perceived by the community. So we need to invest more in terms of advocacy, in collaboration with organizations of persons with disabilities, But civil society organizations, we still have that challenge. We need to look on how we can invest, but also we need to invest in terms of leadership development of persons with disability from their young age. But also we need to— because the world is now in the third era of human rights generation, where groups of human rights keeps coming, so we need to identify who are our allies. We need to engage with women to ensure that women with disability They possess all the required criteria and credentials to be able to be voted in by women with disabilities without looking whether he or she has that disability. The challenge is that if at all we dwell that a person can be voted in or need to be measured as a target that a person with disability has to hold office, that is not enough. We need to understand the environment around us. We need to possess the credentials that is required. We need to possess all the qualities that may make people in a given community to vote that person in. We need to ensure that we invest into our people with disability to know their countries, to know— for instance, we are in the UN. We need a person with disability who can deliver by knowing the UN system, the way they work, because disability— We did not stand alone. In conclusion, the home take of which I think we need you all to look at is the member states. We need to come up with strategies that are measurable to ensure that we could have representations of persons with disabilities across the board. We need to invest in terms of empowering organizations of persons with disabilities and persons with disabilities themselves to be able to stand and fight against the barriers because there are barriers that are there to stay. Atidiro barriers cannot end today. As you can name, we have global south, global north, the black, white, women, female, all these are here to stay. So we need to fight against, I mean, to fight through those. Serem Panjo.

Yes, please. Thank you very much. Thank you for sticking to the time. Thank you for your excellent presentation. Our next speaker will be Ms. Ana Carla Pereira. Ms. Ana Carla Pereira is a Director for Equity and Non-Discrimination at DG Justice and Consumers of the EU Commission. Where she is responsible for policies combating discrimination on the grounds of sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation. Previously, she served as a cabinet expert and employment and social policy advisor to Nicolas Smith, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights. As cabinet expert, she steered flagship initiatives such as the Minimum Wage Directive, the Platform Work Directive, and work on social dialogue. Prior to that, she was head of the Unity in Directorate General Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion at the European Commission, firstly being responsible for skills and qualifications policies and later on for social protection policies. Ms. Pereira, welcome to the panel. The floor is yours.

Thank you, Chair, and good afternoon, everyone. I really would like to start by congratulating the Bureau for putting this so central topic on our agenda because we believe as European Union and European Commission that the participation and representation of people with disabilities in public life and political life is very central to the implementation of the Convention. So I'm really honored to represent here the European Union as a focal point and share our commitment to this very important principle of the Convention. I would like to mention what we are doing in the European Union in this respect, and I would like to start by saying that for us, participation, meaningful participation Participation of persons with disabilities means having participation in the political process, as actually it has been mentioned by my co-panelist. For us, this means that by ensuring participation in the political process, both at EU level and its member states, we are making sure that organizations are not are not just simply consulted, but they share their expertise, their experience, their priorities, and in this way they contribute to policy design, implementation, and monitoring. At the European level, we have the European, the European strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities that was adopted in 2021 and stems until 2030. 2030, and we have recently adopted new measures that reinforce the action under this strategy. And a very important element was actually to consult persons with disabilities, their representatives, and civil society on the preparation of this strategy. So the strategy has three main angles that I would like to refer here, we believe are relevant for this debate. The first is the direct support we give to organizations of persons with disabilities in the EU. We have what we call the Disability Platform, which is an outlet of dialogue between the focal points of the member states with the Commission, which is the focal point for the European Union, and organizations of persons with disabilities and civil society. And this platform meets very regularly throughout the years to discuss the topics and priorities for implementation. We also provide direct financial support, and this year we have channeled €8 million for the support of organizations of Persons with disabilities, and this is just an example because we do this on a yearly basis. And we also make sure that the consultations themselves are accessible and inclusive because, of course, it's necessary that the consultation is in accessible formats, easy-to-read versions, and targeted outreach to organizations representing the diversity of persons with disabilities. The second point I want to mention is what we do to improve participation in political and public life. And to recall that for us, this is not just a matter of disability rights. This is a fundamental issue to ensure an inclusive democratic governance, because we know that when everyone votes, when everyone is represented, that you have vibrant and healthy democracies. So in the EU, we have been working to make this a reality. We are committed to this obligation that the Convention puts upon us, recognizing that persons with disabilities have the right to participate in political and public life on an equal basis with others, whether it's through voting, standing for election, elections or engaging through their representative organizations. We know that we still have challenges ahead, and so this is what we have been working— and I'll share just a few actions that we have recently taken. We have stimulated the use of alternative voting methods. We improved the polling stations' disability, and we have made more accessible electoral materials. And we have studied what has happened in the last elections for the European Parliament, and we are happy to hear from the monitoring and evaluations that there has been progress when it comes to the participation of persons with disabilities. We have also exchanged good good practices through the European Cooperation Network on Elections, and we have developed a guide of good electoral practices as means of guiding all those who are willing to take a step forward. I would like to mention that accessibility is key in this respect, because it's not only about having the legal right but is also making sure that this legal right is a de facto right and a de facto possibility. Accessibility for us remains key for the participation of people with disabilities, and digital participation is essential because we know that inaccessible digital systems and technologies risk creating new forms of exclusion. Digital accessibility, assistive technologies, and the applications of artificial intelligence for persons with disabilities are at the core of our action. I would like to recall we have a European Accessibility Act. This establishes accessibility requirements on a range of key products and services like banking services, ebooks, e-commerce. And we believe that these measures are important not only from a consumer perspective, but also because access to information and communication and digital services are increasingly necessary for civic and political participation. I will end here because I know we are short of time. Just to confirm that we as European Union, as European Commission remain steadfast on our commitment to the Convention, and we are happy to work with all the partners across the globe who wish to pursue this endeavor. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Thank you very much for keeping to time. Thank you, Ms. Pereira, for your contribution. Now it is my honor to present our next panelist. Mr. Dan Rashal. Mr. Rashal has served since 2021 as Commissioner for Equal Rights of Persons with Disabilities at Israel's Ministry of Justice. In this capacity, he leads national policy, regulation, and enforcement efforts to advance the rights, inclusion, and participation of people with disabilities. In line with Israel's domestic legal framework, and the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities. His work focuses on strengthening accessibility, equality, and rights-based implementation across government, public bodies, civil society, and the private sector, while also promoting cross-sector and international cooperation on legislation, policy development, regulatory frameworks, and enforcement Mr. Rishal, you have the floor.

Thank you. I am proud to represent the State of Israel and the Commission for Equal Rights of Persons with Disabilities within the Ministry of Justice. My core message today is simple: participation matters, but participation alone is not enough. We should measure success not only by whether persons with disabilities are present in civic spaces, but by whether they are represented in decision-making, can stand for office, can hold public functions, and can influence the policies that shape their lives. That is the shift I hope we can make in this Roundtable, from access to innovation to access to power sharing. This issue is urgent because democratic systems are already under pressure. The UN Disability and Development Report of 2024 shows that persons with disabilities are still being left behind across multiple SDG targets. So disability-inclusive political participation is not a specialist side issue. It is part of rebuilding democratic legitimacy itself. The legal baseline is already robust. Article 29 guarantees political rights on an equal basis with others, including accessible voting procedures, secret ballots, the right to stand for election, to hold office, and to participate in political parties and representative organizations. Article 33 of the Convention, as well as General Comment No. 7, adds that States must closely consult and actively involve persons with disabilities through their representative organizations in implementation and monitoring. And the CRPD Committee's 2025 Day of General Discussion was convened specifically to prepare a future general comment on Article 29, which underlines that this is an implementation priority and is subject to further deliberations such as the one we are having now. The implementation gap is visible across the system. The Special Rapporteur's 2026 report notes that persons with disabilities remain significantly underrepresented in political decision-making, with legal restrictions linked to legal capacity, stigma, inaccessible political environments, lack of accommodation, financial constraints, and limited leadership pathways all playing a role. The UN Disability and Development Report of 2024 adds that persons with disabilities are underrepresented in public service, that about 30% find voting inaccessible, and that in some countries, persons without disabilities are twice as likely to work as legislators, senior officials, or managers. Women with disabilities are especially underrepresented. Available data from various countries suggest that only 3% work as legislators, senior officials, or managers, compared with 4% of women without disabilities. We don't need to start from scratch. Practical reforms are already well understood. What matters is whether states and institutions treat accessibility as a default feature of political life, whether parties create real pathways into leadership, whether reasonable accommodations and disability-related participation costs are funded, and whether representation is supported after entry into office. The central message is that implementation should be systematic. Information must be accessible. Participation pathways must be open. Institutions must be usable in practice. And accountability must be built into implementation. The first, what can be called package, is in line with the CRPD, is for states and election management bodies. Mr. Rahal, you have 1 minute remaining, please. My closing ask is this: let us raise the benchmark. We should no longer be satisfied when persons with disabilities are merely invited into civic and political spaces. We should ask whether they can set agendas, lead institutions, organize collectively, and obtain remedy when their rights are denied. Over the next set period of time, states, civil society and international bodies should be able to point to four deliverables: discriminatory rules removed, accessibility operationalized, leadership pipelines funded, and progress publicly measured. That is what moving from participation to representation should mean in practice. Thank you.

Ladies and gentlemen, I now invite our next panelist to take the floor. Mr. Floyd Morris. Mr. Morris is a professor, a professor in political communication and disability studies and the director of the Center of Disability Studies at the University of West Indies. The first person with a visual disability, he's a blind person, to be promoted to this rank at the institution. He has researched and published extensively on the subject of political communication and disability studies, evidenced by over 30 international publications. Mr. Morris was first appointed as a senator in 1998, becoming the first person, the first blind person in Jamaica to be appointed to the Senate. He was promoted to Minister of State in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security in 2001 and was instrumental in the design and the passage of the Disabilities Act of Jamaica. For his tremendous effort, he was elected to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2020 and re-elected back in 2024. Mr. Morris, you have the floor. 7 minutes, please.

Thank you. Thank you very much, Chairpersons, and I want to acknowledge all the distinguished guests and panelists, including The chairpersons and members of the CRPD Committee led by Ms. Mian Kim. Persons with disabilities are not objects of charity. We have the right to participate in all areas of life as articulated in the CRPD of 2007. This includes the participation of persons with disabilities in public life. 20 years have elapsed since the CRPD was established, and it constitutes a critical juncture for evaluation. During this time, I have been able to look from a vantage point as a member of the CRPD CRPD Committee, and one who was instrumental in leading the negotiations for Jamaica on the CRPD in 2002 to 2007, of which Jamaica was the first country in the world to sign and ratify the treaty in March 2007. I am currently serving on the CRPD Committee and doing my second term. And I must indicate the CRPD Committee constitutes a dedicated body of competent individuals who have been charged to monitor the implementation of the treaty. And here I want to make an appeal on behalf of the Committee to all States Parties to make sure that we honor obligations, financial obligations to the UN, so that the CRPD Committee and other treaty bodies can complete and advance the important work that have been mandated to them. I have personally participated in over 60 country evaluations on the CRPD Committee over the past 6 years, and in this We have seen a number of challenges, including problems with accessibility, problems with access to justice, independent living, deinstitutionalization, inclusive education, access to employment, access to healthcare, social protection, adequate social protection. And there is a commonality that exists between these countries in the evaluation, where persons with disabilities have been absent from the decision-making table. Persons with disabilities need to sit and participate at the decision-making table where it matters to their lives. Limited involvement of persons with disabilities in political representation, exists across the world. There is approximately 46,500 persons at— in national parliaments across the world. And of this, it is estimated that only 1% constitute persons with disabilities, where we have the global population of persons with disabilities representing 16% are 1.3 billion individuals. There therefore exists a disproportionality in terms of representation of persons with disabilities in national parliaments across the world. There needs to be what I regard as a grassroots political model of disability that represents the next frontier of disability advocacy. Persons with disabilities and their families must join together to use their votes to advocate for programs and policies relating to them. When the 16% of the global population of persons with disabilities join with mother, father, children, it mushrooms to over 48% of of the global population. Politicians do not ignore large numbers of organized groups. Persons with disabilities and their families must organize around this noble objective to get things done for them. In conclusion, persons with disabilities need to move from being mere voters to participants at the decision-making table. The power of our vote must become an intrinsic value. We must join with family members for greater empowerment. NGOs and organizations of persons with disabilities must be involved with setting the agenda with grassroots groups of persons with disabilities. Our vote Our vote is power. Our vote can speak. Our vote has value. We must make it matter in the next disability frontier. I thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr. Morris, for your excellent presentation and to stick to the time. Dear delegates, civil society friends, I will now hand over the co-chairmanship back to Mrs. Studdol-Vessiers, who will continue to moderate our meeting today. Over to you, Mrs. Studdol-Vessiers.

Thank you so much, Mr. de Gouveia, for his excellent co-chairing of this roundtable. I now invite our fifth and final panelist, Ms. Janet Charchook, representing Down Syndrome International, to deliver her presentation.. A little bit about her, Ms. Janet Tchartchouk is a self-advocate and motivational speaker from Alberton, Prince Edward Island, Canada. She is Canada's ambassador with Down Syndrome International and a trustee on their board. Her speaking engagements have taken her across the world, and she has spoken to parents, self-advocates, teachers, educators, medical professionals, lawyers, and politicians about the importance of inclusion for everyone in all aspects of their life. Ms. Charczyk lives independently, volunteers in her community, works as a ranch hand at the equine therapy facility, and believes in showing her abilities. Ms. Charczyk, welcome. You have the floor.

Okay, thank you. Thank you, Doug. All right, so my name is Gina Charczyk, and I am from Canada. I am a board member with Down Syndrome International. We are a global network of people with Down syndrome and their families. I want to start with a question. Imagine if this building had no ramp. There would be an outrage. Imagine if there was no sign language, no captions. We will all say this is against the Convention, and we will be right. But right now in this building, most of what is happening is not accessible to me. The long words, the fast speech, and the thick documents. It somehow that does not cause outrage. I want to ask you today, why not? Because if we do not answer that question, we cannot move from participation to representation. We will only move some of us. There are at least 3 barriers for keeping keep people with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities out of politics and decision-making. Number one, it is the law. Number two is the way the elections are run. And number three is the table where decisions are made. The first barrier is the law. In many countries, people with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities are not allowed to vote. We are not allowed to run for election. We are not allowed to be politicians. This is because the law treats us as if we cannot make our own decisions. Sometimes a judge decides this. Sometimes a doctor does. Often it happens automatically like that with no way to challenge it. But change is possible. Some countries have done it. In Canada, my country, the federal court decided in 19— 1988 that you cannot take away someone's vote because of a disability. That was almost 40 years ago. So when people say this kind of change is too hard or too soon, I want to say it is too late. And it is definitely long overdue. The second barrier is the way the elections are run. Even when the law says we can vote, elections are often set up in a way that means we cannot really take part. Polling stations are hard to find and hard to get into. Ballot papers are written in language that nobody can understand. Information about voting is really in a way that we can understand. Websites are not accessible. And it is not just voting. It is the campaigns, the debates, the political parties themselves. They are not built for us to take part. For wheelchair users, we now expect ramps. For deaf people, we now expect sign language. But for people with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities, easy-to-understand information is still treated as optional. It's nice to have. It's something— it's something you do if you have time or money left over. In 2022, Inclusion International and Down Syndrome International published Listen, Include, Respect. It is a global guideline on how to include people with disabilities. So the question is not how, the question is why it is still not happening. The third barrier is the table or decisions are made. This is the most painful barrier because this is the room where we are supposed to be heard. The Convention says that government must consult people with disabilities through our organizations, Article 4.3 and Article 33. Nothing about us without us. But here is our network tells us our members are often not invited at all. Decisions get made about us without us. Laws that affect our lives are written and we never even heard about them until afterwards, and that is not right. And when we, and when we are invited, the meeting is often not designed to take part for us to take part. The papers are too long, the meeting moves too fast, and nobody asks if we understood. So we are in the room, but we cannot really be in the conversation. That is not participation, that is decoration. But it can be different. I know because I've seen it work for firsthand. I am a board member with DSI. I am given materials in plain language and ahead of time. I am allowed to have a support work person with me. I am asked my opinions and I am listened to. That is what real participation looks like, and that is what every government should be doing. So we ask for— we are asking for 3 things from every government in this room. Number 1 is to change every law that takes away our right to vote or to run for election because of our disability, no exceptions. Number 2 is to make easy-to-understand information the default in elections. In laws, in public life. Not a request, it has to be the default. This means that easy read, plain language videos that explain things simply, whatever the person needs to take part. And number 3, governments, when governments consult people with disabilities, you need to include people with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities. You need to invite us, send us papers that we can read, give us time, and ask us what we think, because we are people first. And then we can actually listen. These three things are not radical. They are what the Convention already says. If a country would never tolerate an inaccessible building, It should never tolerate inaccessible democracy. I think 20 years is long enough of a wait. Thank you very much.

I'd like to thank Ms. Charchuk for your presentation. Thank you very much once again. Distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, we are now at the close of the presentations. Thank you to all panelists for their excellent interventions and contributions to this roundtable. Without further ado, let's move on to the next segment of the roundtable, which is the interactive discussion between panelists, delegates, and participants. For this purpose, delegates and other participants may press the button at their desk to request the floor. All interested delegations, accredited NGOs, and observers, observers from UN entities and national human rights institutions institutions are able to inscribe. This is a first-come, first-served basis. We will call and give the floor to the first 3 inscribed government delegations, followed by 1 NGO, 1 UN entity, and 1 NHRI, and microphones shall be unmuted when they are given the floor. When you're given the floor, please identify yourself, the title of your delegation and organization that you are representing. Please pose specific questions. Please be brief in your questions. I may have to ask that. And of course, we encourage you to use plain and easy-to-understand language, as Ms. Tarchuk has just mentioned. All interventions, please, must not be longer than 2 minutes. I will be ruthless in cutting the microphone since in the interest of time for everybody. And I now, without further ado, open the floor to inscriptions. All right. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the United Arab Emirates. You have the floor.

Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, distinguished delegates, dear colleagues and partners, peace and God's blessings be upon you. My name is Fatma Al-Msharbak and I'm from the Ministry of Family Affairs from the United Arab Emirates. Our debate today comes at an important time as we are reviewing what has been achieved achieved after two, two decades have passed to the adoption of the CRPD and what, what awaits us to implement it. And participation does not mean simply having more people or opening the door to dialogue, but it also means that the voices of persons with disabilities are part of setting priorities and making policies and influencing decisions that affect their daily lives. In the United Arab Emirates, we use the expression of people with determination to express the dignity, the ability, and the contribution of persons with disabilities. And this is accompanied by a national program that makes sure to have actual participation in policymaking and setting the services, not simply being users of those services. And there, the civil participation requires very clear requirements. They require information that is easily accessible, that is clearly stated, consultations and representation that reflects the different kinds of disabilities and experience, and safe channels to express opinions, and forces for leadership and for championing courses. And this is all reflected interested in how policies are made, and we make sure that persons with disabilities and their families play an important role in tying policies with lived experiences in terms of legislation, services, education, employment, and social life would be more effective when— microphone has been switched off.

To thank the UAE for their presentation, I now give the floor to El Salvador. El Salvador, you have floor.

Madam Co-chair, distinguished delegations, the subject that brings us here today will determine the future of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, how to open up spaces and turn them into centers for power and political leadership. The state of El Salvador is driving forward a Transformation to break down the bureaucratic walls that have traditionally limited the participation of persons with disabilities through new institutional design. The state has included persons with disabilities in public governance. They do not participate as observers, but they act as decision makers with full abilities to design our new national inclusion policy that is fully in line with the convention. True civic participation requires accessible, universal, and binding channels that go beyond traditional assistentialist approaches with a passive role. We are promoting mechanisms that allow persons with disabilities to make a direct contribution to the formulation, implementation, and assessment of policies and strategies that impact their lives. A tangible example is our administrative institution. Executive board includes, according to a legal mandate, a representative of civil society from the sector with clear rules about voting and quorums that ensures direct, unmediated, and barrier-free participation. Persons with disabilities participate in inter-institutional coordination and oversight, and that strengthens their impact on public policy. This shows that inclusion cannot be limited to symbolic consultation or physical inclusion. It needs to generate real opportunities for persons with disabilities to exercise leadership, to have an impact on public policy, and to make an active contribution to the development of their communities. In this context, we would like to ask the panelists—

I'd like to thank the distinguished delegate from El Salvador for their intervention. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Malta. Malta, you have the floor.

Malta thanks the Bureau and all the panelists for this important discussion. At the heart of Malta's approach is the principle of empowerment. Both our National Disability Strategy and National Autism Strategy are built to ensuring that persons with disabilities are able to to participate and lead in public life on an equal basis with others. A key milestone in this regard has been the Personal Autonomy Act, which affirms the legal capacity of all persons and guarantees access to the supports needed to exercise that capacity. This has been essential in enabling genuine participation in civic and political life. Support measures such as personal assistance, assistive technologies, and sign language interpretation services play a crucial role in ensuring accessibility and equal participation. Without these, participation risks remaining theoretical rather than real. Malta has moved beyond consultation towards active involvement. The Engage Committee ensures direct participation in policy and legislative processes alongside statutory representation on key national boards. We have also strengthened accessibility in public consultations through easy-read and plain language materials and targeted engagement sessions. Structured bodies such as the CRPD Council The Consultative Committee for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities and the Maltese Sign Language Council, as well as the Autism Advisory Council, further ensure sustained participation and voice. All these efforts are translating into real representation. Malta remains committed to ensuring that persons with disabilities are—

I'd like to thank the distinguished delegate of Malta. I now invite the representative from an NGO to deliver their statement.

Hola, mi nombre es Jessica Gutiérrez. I am from Argentina and we are working with the organization Women Knocking Down Barriers and the Latin American Justice Group. I'm taking the floor today because clearly we are talking about leadership and participation, but it's necessary necessary for us to talk about the barriers that women with disabilities face when we are simply trying to live or survive. We face various different forms of violence that we have to go through and overcome little by little with support. But that is when we say that power reaches other spaces where our voices need to be heard. For that to happen, there needs to be a process prior to that. Our familiar supports us, but they need to have the tools that they need to be able to support that woman with disabilities. First of all, so that they can get out of their houses, and next, to be able to overcome all of the barriers that they face in education, healthcare, and in every area. And after that, we need a context of civil society organizations that can support and maintain those women in their activities. It's also important that states and organizations at the global and international levels be able to manage the systems needed to ensure that those voices are heard because today being able to be heard is not a privilege that is enjoyed by all women. It's not just about wanting to do it. You also need to generate the spaces and contexts and structures necessary to ensure that the voices of women with disabilities are no longer silenced, to make sure that they are heard and that they are taken into account in decision-making spaces. Leadership, political participation by women with disabilities is possible, but it cannot be possible without first taking into account the barriers and the violence that we face.

I'd like to thank the representative from the NGO. I now give the floor to the representative from the NHRI. You have the floor.

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim. In the name of God, most gracious, most merciful. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, distinguished delegates, distinguished stakeholders, I have the honor to speak on behalf of the National Human Rights Commission in the State of Qatar and to participate in this very important discussion on enhancing civil participation and leadership and advocacy for persons Disabilities in political and public life. The National Human Rights Committee does not, does not deal with the disability file as a simply marginalized one. Rather, it is a fundamental one related to rights and requires permanent attention and renewed interest. And based on this position, the Commission has participated effectively in drafting the Law on Persons with Disabilities No. 22 of the year 2025 and also and we have advocated for adopting it. It is a law that is a qualitative shift towards the rights of persons with disabilities and guaranteeing their full participation in public life. And in recognition of the need for specialization in dealing with persons with disabilities, we've established a specialized unit for persons with disabilities to follow up on their issues regularly and sustainably. And we work diligently to remove any obstacles that may may prevent them from fully enjoying their guaranteed rights. And based on this, the Commission at the end of 2023 hosted the Second National Human Rights Conference under the title Human Rights for Persons with Disabilities: Protection and Empowerment. And we invited specialized experts and organizations from all over the world, and we have issued very valuable recommendations. And as we are committed to transforming these recommendations into tangible procedures. Therefore, we are following the implementation on the ground very diligently. And we must note that challenges still exist because the gap between what laws guarantee and what people actually experience in life requires— these gaps require us to do more work and in more solidarity. Therefore, all governments and international organizations and society must work together. Microphones, please.

I'd like to thank the representative from the NHRI. I now invite a further round of questions or comments from 3 more States Parties. I do recognize that we are having struggles with the 2-minute time, and I appreciate everyone's interventions, but if we could maybe ask the question so panelists could also answer it, so if we could shorten our interventions, yeah, or ask the questions first, as so helpfully said by my colleague Floyd, if it's— if you could ask ask the question first and then we can go on to the general statement. Thank you so much for your understanding. I now recognize the distinguished delegate from Singapore. Singapore, you have the floor.

Co-chairs, my name is Ong Hwa Han, and today I'm honored to share my lived experience as a person with physical disability, a former parliamentarian, as well as a corporate and community leader in Singapore. Representation in leadership brings diverse perspectives to the table, creating the conditions for outcomes that benefit everyone. Let me provide some examples. When I served in Parliament, I championed disability inclusion. Beyond this, I spoke on a wide range of topics, including AI and financial literacy for young students, public transport, healthcare, and many more. With persons with disabilities in the room, the quality of policymaking and public discourse both improve. We surface needs that others might not see. But we are also citizens with the capacity to contribute our unique perspectives on broader issues and advance the common good. Professionally, I am a corporate banker working at a major European bank. I am proud to lead the firm's Work Placement Programme, which invests in persons with disabilities, nurturing the next generation of talent within our industry. I also serve as the Co-Chair of the Singapore Business Network on Disability, a community of businesses united by a shared commitment to disability inclusion. Live experience grounds all of this. Authenticity drives lasting change. Yet persons with disabilities across the world are still underrepresented at the highest levels. Often this is due to poor foundations in key areas like education and training, employment, and community living. Singapore has made encouraging progress in strengthening these areas through enabling master plans developed together with persons with disabilities. But this is the floor, not the ceiling. Surely more can be done. My question today is this: How do we ensure more governments, institutions, and organizations with influence invest in real pathways and leadership pipelines so that we nurture persons with disabilities from the start. Thank you.

I'd like to thank the distinguished delegate from Singapore. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Yemen. Yemen, you have the floor.

Madam Chair, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, peace and God's blessings be upon you all. My country affirms that the full and effective participation of persons with disabilities in decision-making is an inherent right and a a fundamental pillar for achieving comprehensive development. Enabling them to contribute to the formulation of policies and the design of programs that affect their lives is essential to ensuring more inclusive and equitable societies. Despite the challenges posed by the war waged by the Houthi militia, the terrorist Houthi militias against residential areas and the human losses and permanent injuries it has caused, particularly as a result of landmines and hostile remnants, which have led to an increase in the number of persons with disabilities. Despite all this, the Yemeni government continues its efforts to promote the rights of this group and to empower them through programs aimed at enhancing inclusion, expanding opportunities of participation and empowerment. Yemen allocates special importance to partnerships with organizations of persons with disabilities and civil society, considering them essential partners in promoting community participation and conveying the voices of persons disabilities to positions of influence and decision-making. In this context, the Republic of Yemen emphasizes the importance of strengthening international cooperation, technical support, and capacity building in order to enable organizations of persons with disabilities and civil society to effectively fulfill their role as active partners in development and policymaking and to enhance the participation of persons with disabilities in positions of leadership and decision-making. I thank you.

I'd like to thank the distinguished representative from Yemen. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Canada, followed by Georgia, and then we will turn over to panelists for their responses. Canada, you have the floor.

Thank you, Chair. My name is Aidan Lapp, and I am delighted to be joining Canada's delegation this year as a youth representative. I myself am legally blind, and so it is therefore a great honor to to speak today on behalf of Canada on this topic of decidedly global and human salience. Canada welcomes this important discussion and remains committed to advancing human rights and improving the civic participation of persons with disabilities. Accessible civic spaces enable the participation of persons with disabilities. This includes the constitutional right to vote and to run for office. Our Elections Modernization Act strengthens inclusion and, with the help of the Disability disability community, we can ensure that polling is accessible. But meaningful civic participation extends beyond polling to everyday life. Our Accessible Canada Act takes a proactive and intersectional approach to removing participation barriers for all Canadians. For instance, the Act requires elections candidates to have an accessibility plan. This is significant because the plan incorporates feedback from, uh, voters and election workers with disabilities about accessibility barriers at polling stations and at Elections Canada offices, and it sets out guidelines on addressing them. Chair, Canada would like to hear from panelists what has worked so far and what needs to change to ensure that civic participation and representation of persons with disabilities. Thank you.

I'd like to thank the distinguished representative from Canada. I now turn the floor to the distinguished representative from Georgia. Georgia, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm Deputy Minister of IDPs, Labor, Health, and Social Affairs of Georgia. Protection of the rights of persons with disabilities is continuously moving to a new stage from the mere participation in civic life to direct representation and decision-making positions. Guided by the principle "nothing about us without us," it aims to eliminate physical, digital, and systemic barriers to create fully accessible pathways to civic engagement. An example of this attitude is the fact that the new electronic voting technologies were introduced in Georgia for the recent elections, and the persons with disabilities, beneficiaries of state Social program, we are among the first group who got familiar to these technologies, learned how to use them in practice and actually utilize them on polling day. Besides ensuring the— and continuously improving the quality of social services remains an active process. New approaches are being introduced to encourage innovation and improve service delivery. For example, when a If a particular service is not in short supply and existing service providers have sufficient available capacity, registration of a new service provider is considered only if the applicant organization is proposing substantially improved or innovative service conditions beyond the minimum established standards. After a certain period of time, the organization must demonstrate that these innovative services have translated into direct improvements for particular beneficiaries, which remains the primary objective of the social protection system. Reforms implemented at the national level are fully aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and future efforts will focus on expanding access to services, enhancing employment and educational opportunities, and advancing the implement—

I'd like to thank the distinguished representative from Georgia. I now turn to panelists to answer some of the questions that were posed by the intervenors. I will now give the floor to Mr. Morris, who would like to answer some of the questions.

I thank you very much, Madam Chair. I would want to chime in on the question that was asked by the brilliant young man from Canada, as it relates to, you know, what works in terms of broadening participation of persons with disabilities in politics and public life. And from where I sit, definitely when there is the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the decision-making process, it makes a whole great deal of difference. So once we see persons with disabilities in the parliaments, we see where there is an expansion of legislation to protect the rights of persons with disabilities. When we see persons with disabilities involved at the at executive level, the executive level of government, we see somebody at the table who is always there to remind governments as to what needs to be done to ensure that the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities are protected. What we have seen is where— when persons with disabilities are included in boards, for example, their rights are protected and they are involved in crafting programs and policies for their development. And when we see persons in jurisdictions where there are affirmative actions for persons with disabilities to be employed in the public sector, when those policies are adhered to, we see an increased participation in persons with disabilities, and I say that we must move to the point where we ensure that there is meaningful participation, where persons with disabilities are brought to the decision-making table, and they have the right to determine their future and to determine their destiny. Thank you so much.

I see Mr. Rochelle as well has the mic on if you'd like to respond.

Yeah, thank you. Well, one thing that should be mentioned, I think, is that if we don't measure change, we will keep rewarding the process without any outcomes. Now, the duty to remove barriers remains with states, but Durable change also depends on the persons themselves, persons with disabilities, to organize, to vote, to join parties, to stand for office, to file complaints, you know, to fight like my colleagues just said, and to use any means of lawful advocacy tools when there seems to be a sign of blocked rights. Thank you.

Thank you so much. I now give the floor over to Mr. Mapondu as well to respond.

Thank you, co-chair. What has worked well and what has not worked well. In terms of legislative policy and the constitutional alignment to the CLPD, it has worked well. In terms of participation of persons with disabilities at all levels, It has worked well. What is not working well is the real inclusion, real representation of persons with disabilities in the decision-making bodies. What needs to be done? We need to reform democratic institutions to make sure that they establish and have targeted measured outcomes of representation of persons with disabilities, depending on the number of those people, person with disabilities in a given country. We need to have targeted measured outcomes, but also we need to invest more on leadership development for persons with disabilities from their young age. We need to empower persons with disabilities themselves, their families, and the organizations of persons with disabilities as partners in bringing up leaders with disabilities to be able to take charge across the government system, but also we need to ensure that the administrative system in our respective countries, they create that opportunities for any individual with disabilities to be able to climb the ladder. Thank you so much.

Thank you very much. I now give the floor to Ms. Tchartchouk.

Okay. So I can answer— I think I can answer one that says about what helps. I have done this before myself, but I can say that advocacy groups like People First, they can help people with intellectual disabilities by consulting with the government to create plain language documents. That is what I think. I think, what could help.

Thank you very much, Ms. Turchuk. And now I give the floor to Ms. Pereira.

Yes, thank you very much. I think in the European Union there are a couple of things I would like to mention as we consider recipes of success, but also where we need to work more. When it comes to support to OPDs, it's clear that supporting financially the work of OPDs is helping them to build capacity and effectively be more representative in the space, the political spaces. So that is an essential element, because if you're not, don't have the sufficient resources, it becomes really difficult to participate as a representative. We in the European Union, we have I would say a strong legal and policy framework when it comes to democratic rights, and this is something that we value very much as obviously a foundation element of our values, and we would say this is a recipe of success. Where we still are working on is passing the law to concrete action, the accessibility of the the electoral systems still needs work. We also see that the public and the democratic life is going to the virtual sphere. And so it is really important that people— everyone has access to that virtual sphere of discussion. And that is why for us it's so important to have— to work on digital accessibility and what it means for democratic processes going ahead. Thank you.

Thank you so much. Unfortunately, we are out of time, so we do need to wrap up this roundtable, but thank you all for your participation. I will now give the floor over to Mr. de Gouveia to deliver his closing statement, and then I shall wrap up the roundtable.

Distinguished delegates, Estimados panelistas, as we come to close of this important roundtable, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all panelists and the participants for your contribution throughout these discussions. Today's discussions have demonstrated that participation is not enough if it does not lead to representation. Persons with disabilities must not only be consulted, they must be the present where decisions are made, where policies are shaped, and where the future of our societies is determined. 20 years after the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, we have witnessed important progress, from legal reforms to guaranteeing accessibility. Still, as many speakers highlighted today, the reality is that persons with disabilities continue to face barriers to voting, standing for elections, accessing public office, participating in civic life, and exercising leadership to their communities. We also heard that accessibility must be understood broadly. A woman with intellectual disability should be able to stand for election because election guidelines are available in plain language that she can read and understand. Refugees with disabilities should be able to influence political party processes because they have been given a seat at the table and a voice in decision-making. A deaf person like me should be able to hold public office without barriers. For example, to be the president of a country, the mayor of a city, a minister, all without barriers because sign language interpreters are recognized as an essential part of the support required to perform that role. As civic space continues to shrink for organizations of persons with disabilities, the principle of nothing about us without us remains as relevant today as ever. Our call today is to increase investments in disability inclusion, strengthen partnership with OPDs, and remove legal, physical communication and attitudinal barriers. This is why the upcoming CRPD General Comment on Article 29 matters for all of us. As I conclude, I reiterate International Disability Alliance's commitment to collaborate with all stakeholders to make representation a reality and ensure that persons with disabilities are fully included in political and public life. Thank you, all of you.

I'd like to thank Mr. Dagobea for his inspiring closing statement. As we wrap up, I would just like to mention some points as a summary from us as co-chairs to yourselves, which will be very helpful, I'm sure, for all of you when you're doing your reporting. So to sum up from this roundtable, various interventions describe the barriers that persons with disabilities face in participating in political and public life. They experience legal and physical barriers to vote and to run for office. They encounter inaccessible political and public environments, and as a result, they are underrepresented in public office and in leadership positions in countries as well as international and regional organizations. It was encouraging to hear about initiatives to address these challenges. The CRPD guarantees participation in political and public life, and we have heard how countries have reflected these guarantees in their national laws. We have heard about persons with disabilities taking positions as members of Parliament, and in other leadership positions. Persons with disabilities and their representative organizations are also being increasingly consulted to design regional and national strategies on disability. Countries have invested in accessible electoral materials and stations and in digital participation. On the way forward, speakers stressed the need to change mindsets and attitudinal barriers towards persons with disabilities. They highlighted the need to develop strategies that are measurable to ensure participation of persons with disabilities, including in policy design and monitoring. And they called for targeted measures to ensure that progress reaches women with disabilities as they face multiple barriers. Thank you all, to panelists and participants, for a productive discussion sharing concrete solutions to enhance accessible civic engagement, leadership, and advocacy democracy and political life. As we wrap up, I would just like to thank again my fellow co-chair, Mr. Diguéwea, and to thank all distinguished panelists at this roundtable and all delegates and participants from civil society, UN system, and NHRIs for your valuable contributions during this roundtable. And of course, would like to acknowledge our sincere thanks to the support and services provided by the Secretariat, notably UN DESA, and all the interpreters cart service providers, and international sign interpreters, among many others, who have worked tirelessly to deliver this successful meeting. Thank you for all your work and your contributions. And of course, I would like to remind all speakers to consider sending their statements to eStatements@UN.org for posting in the UN Journal no later than 2 hours of delivery, if you wish to do so. And with this, the Roundtable 3 is now formally concluded, and I declare the this meeting closed. I wish you all a good afternoon.

No, thank you. Yes, of course, I would like to take a— Great, thank you very much. Do you mind taking a photo? Thank you so