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CoSP16: Closing remarks by Gerard Quinn, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities.

Our challenge is to find ways of eliminating the distorting variables that don’t allow the voice of people with disabilities to be heard. I wish to thank the Bureau for the invitation to participate in the closing of the 16th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons […]

Podcast Ep 3 image, featuring photo of Catalina Devandas

Podcast Ep.3: The Dialogue of the Special Rapporteurs, with Catalina Devandas.

Catalina Devandas was the first Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities. She held the mandate from 2014 until 2020. On this podcast, she reflects on her experience as prominent leader of the disability rights movement, and discusses the important challenges faced by persons with disabilities in a rapidly changing world.

Transformation of services for persons with disabilities.

January 11, 2023

New technologies and participation allow us to rethink the support services of persons with disabilities beyond traditional models based on impairment and dependency. This report offers a framework to rethink support services with personhood, autonomy and human rights at their center.

Photo of COP 27 sign on a road to Sharm el sheik

The CRPD and Climate Action.

November 16, 2022

(Video) The UN treaty on the rights of people with disabilities gives us key departure points to ensure that climate action, climate justice and adaptation both responds to our needs and also values our voice in framing solutions.

Gerard Quinn addressing the Conference of the State Parties

COSP 15: Ending the invisibility of persons with disabilities

In his opening remarks at this year’s CoSP, Gerard Quinn explained the role that people with disabilities are called to play in this most challenging times of humanity.