IDDC

IDDC present at second Conference of State Parties in New York

Several IDDC members attended the Conference of States Parties under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which convened in New York from 2 - 4 September 2009. The main theme was 'Legislative Measures to Implement the Convention'. Amongst the panelists was Thomas Stelzer, Assistant Secretary General DESA, who also attendend the IDDC side event in New York in February 2009.

Mr. Stelzer, observed that legislative measures are “a challenging and important first step toward realising the goals and objectives of the Convention: human rights and development for all persons with or without disabilities.”

A discussion on “Making the MDGs a reality for all: advancing the disability rights agenda in development” underscored many claims, which IDDC has made in urging stronger commitment to ensuring the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the Millennium Development Goals: that exclusion of persons with disabilities is a fact, but that the numbers are patchy and that too little is known about those who are missing out on the policies and programmes of the Millennium Development Goals. The experts on the panel also stressed that the costs of inclusion are not high and that the know-how to achieve inclusion was readily available.

 

The Convention, in an effort to ensure that States Parties coordinate their implementation efforts and exchange best practices, foresees the regular meeting of those countries that have ratified the Treaty. Other interested governments and stakeholders, including civil society, particularly persons with disabilities and their representative organisations, are welcome to attend.