The Conference of State Parties is an annual event organised by the United Nations. During the Conference, participants discuss the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Participants include representatives of the State Parties (countries and regional organisations that ratified the Convention), civil society organisations (such as organisations of persons with disabilities) and disability rights experts (such as the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities and academics).

The conference, and its side events, usually take place during June at the UN headquarters in New York. However, this year the event will be partly virtual.

The Conference was established by article 40 of the Convention.

The 15th session of the Conference of States Parties to the CRPD (COSP15) is scheduled to take place at the United Nations Headquarters, New York,  from 14 to 16 June 2022, during which an election of nine members of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with disabilities will be conducted. EDF supports the election of Sif Holst from Denmark. 

The COSP15 will be held this year in in-person format. All meetings will be streamed LIVE on UN Web TV and most side-events will take place online. 

You can read more about this session in the International Disability Alliance’s dedicated webpage.

Theme and sub-themes of the Conference

Overarching theme: Building disability-inclusive and participatory societies in the COVID context and beyond

Sub theme 1: Innovation and technology advancing disability rights
Sub theme 2: Economic empowerment and entrepreneurship of persons with disabilities
Sub theme 3: Participation of persons with disabilities in climate action, disaster risk reduction and resilience against natural disasters

More information on COSP15.

Civil society forum

On 13th of June, an online civil society forum will take place to discuss current issues relevant to the disability movement and realisation of the CRPD in ahead of COSP15. It will provide additional space for civil society to make its own contributions, and allow civil society to share and capture important issues.

Panel discussions will include:

• Plenary Session: Working together for the rights of persons with disabilities – International Cooperation
• Taking advantage of opportunities to move forward on deinstitutionalization
• Knowledge sharing for inclusive education in digital classrooms
• Intersectionality and sexual and reproductive health rights for persons with disabilities
• Closing Session: Looking to the week ahead

More information on the civil society forum.

The Conference is an opportunity for State Parties to show their efforts to implement the Convention.

It also allows the international disability community to interact with decision-makers and each other.

The presence of civil society organisations helps realise article 4.3 of the Convention: “In the development and implementation of legislation and policies to implement the present Convention, and in other decision-making processes concerning issues relating to persons with disabilities, States Parties shall closely consult with and actively involve persons with disabilities, including children with disabilities, through their representative organizations”.

• You can follow it live 
• You can register to side-events 
• You tweet with the official hashtags: #COSP15 and #CRPD