Civil Society Declaration for the GDS2022

Thursday, February 17, representatives met during a Civil Society Forum, to support the implementation and monitoring of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Collaboratively, we wish to convey the following Statement:

Since London 2018, the world has been hit by a devastating pandemic that has shone a spotlight on the inequalities and discrimination persons with disabilities face, leading to the loss of lives and the creation of additional and unnecessary barriers. COVID has been a "wake-up" call on the need for inclusion.

We have been here before. We know from the pandemic that the human rights of persons with disabilities were not realized. We lost brothers and sisters because of inadequate policies, systems, and structures. We, like many others, were failed by our policymakers and political leaders.

The world we live in has immeasurably changed since London 2018. We are facing problems that require innovative solutions in partnership, guided by persons with disabilities and their representative organizations.

All of us, and the World Leaders in this room, have a unique opportunity, moral, legal, and ethical responsibility. No corner of the world should be immune from the principles of human rights.

Today, we call on those present to make measurable, ambitious, and lasting commitments. Commitments that will not just stay on paper.



We call on all of you here today to

1. Promote the leadership of organisations of persons with disabilities in partnerships

2. Accept the importance of OPDs at each stage of policy processes at the local, regional, and international levels

3. Collect and use appropriate, reliable, and comparable data that is inclusive of the full diversity of disabilities

4. Build the capacity of all stakeholders to implement the CRPD.

5. Invest in OPDs in long-term plans and projects.

6. Recognise the diversity of disability, through all life stages, and across the world. We are the World’s largest minority group and also the most diverse.

7. Protect children and adults, especially women, girls, and young persons with disabilities from violence, exploitation, and abuse.

8. Recognise the enabling role of assistive technology and invest in assistive technologies.

9. Promote Human Rights and combat Ableism

10. Prioritise Inclusive Health and vaccinations for all, in the South and the North, in order to attain the SDGs.

11. Promote inclusive employment, inclusive education, and skills.

We thank you for the opportunity to be active participants and wish everyone a meaningful and productive Summit.