This year, the 15th session of the United Nations Conference of State Parties (COSP) to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) will take place at the UN Headquarters in New York, the USA, from 14 to 16 June 2022. COSP is an annual meeting at the UN where signatories to the CRPD discuss the human rights treaty, covering a range of themes and issues in round tables, interactive dialogues and side events. This year, the COSP15 themes are:
- Overarching theme: Building disability-inclusive and participatory societies in the COVID context and beyond
- Sub-theme 1: Innovation and technology advancing disability rights
- Sub-theme 2: Economic empowerment and entrepreneurship of persons with disabilities
- Sub-theme 3: Participation of persons with disabilities in climate action, disaster risk reduction and resilience against natural disasters
After transitioning online in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, COSP15 will again return to an in-person format, with all live-streamed meetings.
As part of the Australian Civil Society Delegation to COSP15, WWDA is excited to see several of our staff and members participating. WWDA Youth Development Officer Margherita Dall’Occo-Vaccaro (endorsed by WWDA), WWDA Policy and Project Officer Mali Hermans (endorsed by Queensland Advocacy Incorporated) and WWDACT CEO and WWDA Board and PAG member Kat Reed (endorsed by NEDA) will receive funding as part of the Australian Human Rights Commission’s Emerging Young Leaders Delegation. WWDA’s Acting Director of Policy and Programs, Frances Quan Farrant, will be attending as the Disabled People’s Organisations Australia (DPOA) co-ordinating Communications Delegate.
Stay tuned for updates from New York in June!
