CBM Global General Debate Statement at COSP17

News | June 12, 2024

David Bainbridge, Executive Director of CBM Global, presented our general debate statement today, 11 June, at the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at the United Nations in New York. This is his full statement.

Ensuring inclusion and meaningful participation of persons with disabilities and their representative organizations in the 2030 Agenda, the Summit of the Future and beyond aligned with the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities are at the core of CBM Global Disability Inclusion. We are an international disability organization with a development and humanitarian mandate working toward an inclusive world in which all persons with disabilities enjoy their human rights and achieve their full potential. 

CBM Global’s advocacy priorities include climate adaptation, access to health services, humanitarian action, and strengthening disability data. Our work and advocacy efforts are done in authentic partnership with organizations of persons with disabilities. 

Most recently, we have seen the advances made in disability rights slide backwards, some of this regression is caused by climate change, the continuing impact of COVID-19 and increased conflicts to name a few. Now more than ever is the need for effective disability inclusive humanitarian responses. Persons with disabilities’ lives are at risk in many of the concurrent conflicts. The recent cyclone in Bangladesh and landslides in Papua New Guinea demonstrate that lack of investment in inclusive preparedness leads to persons with disabilities not benefitting from early warnings and early action. There are also many other conflicts that are forgotten. Now more than ever it is critical to uphold resolution 2475. In order to address existing inequalities faced by persons with disabilities that are further exacerbated, CBM Global urges governments to continue to support steps ensuring that disability inclusive humanitarian action, disaster risk reduction and climate action are adequately resourced through appropriate humanitarian, DRR and climate funding mechanisms including direct funding to Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs).

At the heart of our work as a Federation, is ensuring our advocacy, advisory and programmes are developed in partnership with OPDs. Representation of the lived experience of persons with disabilities is critical for better policy and programmes. We are concerned that the progress made to implement article 4(3) is slowing down. The current Impact Coalitions under the Summit of the Future process do not include a specific Impact Coalition on persons with disabilities. This is a step backwards and we urge member states present today to support OPDs and their allies in their call and proposal for a Disability Inclusive Impact Coalition. 

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