The 13th session of the Convention of State Parties (CoSP) on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disbilities (CRPD) will take place this year on 30 November 2020 (in-person meetings: Opening and the election of the CRPD Committee members), 1 and 3 December 2020 (virtual meetings: roundtable discussions, the interactive dialogue with the UN system and the closing). This was originally scheduled to be held in New York in June, but was deferred due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 13th session of the Convention of State Parties (CoSP) on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disbilities (CRPD).
1. Overview
The 13th session of the Conference of States Parties (COSP) to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) was scheduled to take place from Wednesday 10 to Friday 12 June 2020 at UN Headquarters in New York. Due to the COVID19 pandemic, the conference will now be postponed to the second week of December 2020. A Civil Society CRPD Forum will be held the day prior to complement the Conference. For more information on the 13th session, please click here.
2. Themes and sub-themes
Over-arching theme: A decade of action and delivery for inclusive sustainable development: implementing the CRPD and the 2030 Agenda for all persons with disabilities.
Subthemes for the three roundtables
- Disability and business: realizing the right to work in open, inclusive and accessible environments for persons with disabilities.
- Addressing the rights and needs of older persons with disabilities: ageing and demographic trends
- Promoting Inclusive environments for the full implementation of the CRPD
Cross-cutting theme: Strengthening capacity- building to fully implement the CRPD and the SDGs for persons with disabilities, in particular women and girls with disabilities. (Addressing the Beijing+ 25th and other relevant commemorations of the historical benchmarks in the global agenda this year).
Although DAI is not hosting a Side Event this year, we are pleased to be a co sponsors of an important session, which has been organized by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA) and Human Rights Watch.
Virtual Side Event during the 13th session of the Conference of States Parties to the CRPD.
Our rights under threat as we grow old: A timely expert discussion on the intersection of disability and age
Background
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed in tragic ways the combined effects of ageism and ableism on the rights of older persons with disabilities. Both groups – older persons with or without disabilities, and persons with disabilities regardless of their age - have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. Older persons with disabilities have been hit the hardest.
Pre-existing barriers have both been magnified by the crisis and mirrored in the response. Older persons, persons with disabilities, especially those living in congregate settings, were identified early in the pandemic as persons at particular risk. Yet, the long-term care sector generally, and residential care in particular, have been largely overlooked in the preparedness and response measures. This resulted in the neglect, abuse, and high rates of death of older people in residential care as well as interruption of essential services for older people living at home.
As a result of Covid-19 related lockdowns, older people with disabilities face restrictions to their freedom of movement as well as barriers to food, healthcare, employment, support in tasks of daily living, and emotional connection. These barriers are magnified for those living in areas of armed conflicts and humanitarian emergencies.
Going forward, it is essential to use the lessons of the crisis to better protect the rights of older persons with disabilities. This includes addressing the chronic neglect of long-term support services and residential care while prioritizing person-centred, integrated, community approaches that put people and their dignity front and centre.
A rights-based approach to ageing and disability also calls for addressing discrimination and empowering people to meaningfully participate in the decisions that affect them.
Rationale
The UN Independent Expert (IE) on the Enjoyment of all Human Rights by Older Persons, Ms. Claudia Mahler, dedicated her first thematic report to the impact of COVID-19 on older persons. Her findings and recommendations to States are particularly relevant to older persons with disabilities, including those living in residential care settings.
The newly appointed Special Rapporteur (SR) on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Mr. Gerard Quinn has published recently on the lessons to be learned from the drafting of the UN disability treaty for a possible UN treaty on the rights of older persons as well as on autonomy and legal capacity for older persons. His current research interests include theories of personhood and new technology intersectionality between age and disability and extreme poverty and disability.
The event
This event will include a dynamic high-level moderated discussion between the two UN experts and an interactive discussion with the audience. Issues to be discussed include:
- Key gaps and challenges in the protection of the rights of older persons with disabilities as exposed and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic
- Overlaps and distinctions in the protection of the rights of older persons and the rights of persons with disabilities
- Can the CRPD respond to the needs and rights of all older persons?
- Main lessons from the CRPD process for the UN Open-ended Group on Ageing on the protection of the human rights of older persons
Speakers:
- Mr. Gerard Quinn, UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
- Ms. Claudia Mahler, UN Independent Expert on the Enjoyment of all Human Rights by Older Persons
- Ms. Kate Swaffer, Chair, CEO & Co-founder, Dementia Alliance International (DAI)
Moderator: Bethany Brown, Human Rights Advisor, International Disability Alliance (IDA)
Interactive discussion to follow
Organized by: International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA) and Human Rights Watch, in partnership with the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Programme on Ageing.
Cosponsors: AGE Platform Europe, AARP, Dementia Alliance International, The Global Alliance for the Rights of Older People, HelpAge International, International Disability Alliance, International Longevity Center Global Alliance, NGO Committee on Ageing Geneva, NGO Committee on Ageing NY, International Federation on Ageing, and the Association for Women’s Career Development in Hungary.
CLICK HERE to REGISTER.
Download the Side Event flier here
Download the Concept note here
If you have any questions please contact the convenor, INPEA at [email protected]
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) was adopted by the General Assembly by its resolution 61/106 of 13 December 2006. It came into force on 3 May 2008 upon the 20th ratification. Article 40 of the Convention stipulates that “The States Parties shall meet regularly in a Conference of States Parties in order to consider any matter with regard to the implementation of the present Convention.” Since 2008, 12 sessions of the Conference of States Parties have been held at United Nations Headquarters, New York.