A delegation from the European Disability Forum (EDF) attended the 18th Conference of States Parties (COSP) to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) held in New York. The delegation was led by our President Yannis Vardakastanis,and included our Deputy Director Alejandro Moledo and our Senior Policy Coordinator Marine Uldry from the EDF Secretariat.
EDF played an active role throughout the week. On 9 June, we participated in the Civil Society Forum organised by the International Disability Alliance (IDA). We contributed in particular to the discussions on countering the current political narratives against diversity and inclusion and on the financial cuts that are affecting the disability movement. We also contributed to debates on the impact of artificial intelligence (AI).
Key announcement: Board member candidate for the UN disability rights Committee
A key announcement during the conference came from Lithuania, which nominated Dovilé Juodkaité (EDF Board member) as a candidate for the upcoming elections to the UN Committee on the Rights of , scheduled for next year.
Artificial Intelligence: a main theme of the Conference
Artificial Intelligence was undoubtedly one of the main themes of this year’s Conference. We co-organised a side event on Artificial Intelligence and persons with disabilities, in partnership with the European Commission. During the event, we presented our latest work, including new infographics for persons with disabilities and for policy makers and developers. We emphasised the critical need for meaningful consultation with persons with disabilities and robust regulation to ensure these technologiues technologies respect human rights. This work is supported by our project funded by the European AI & Society Fund.
Photo: Yannis Vardakastanis speaking at the breakfast meeting organised by the EU delegation and the Polish Presidency. Credit: John Halpern
We also participated in a breakfast meeting hosted by the EU delegation, and met with Members of the European Parliament together with the International Disability Alliance. We spoke at multiple side events and workshops covering topics such as access to justice, youth participation, awareness-raising, and legal capacity. The week provided valuable opportunities to strengthen existing partnerships and build new ones.