Dear Friends,
Time is catching up with us and we will all soon meet in New York at the Conference of State Parties and our relaunch General Assembly on the 13th June. I am glad that you are a delegate to the General Assembly. We have events planned. See Below.
Firstly, we would like you or your organisation to fill in the brief Information on Implementation of UNCRPD Questionnaire and return it to me by 3rd June at the latest.
Secondly, we now have the following three events planned that we require you to attend. The Relaunch General Assembly of the Commonwealth Disabled Peoples Forum will take place on Thursday 13th June 2019. This will run from 10am to 5pm
This will take place at Dolores Huerta Room, Ford Foundation for Social Justice 320 E 43rd Street New York 120017 -Tel 001 212 573 500
The agenda will include
• Welcome, DFID, DRF, Commonwealth
• Introductions from each delegate – 3 minutes
• Aims and Priorities for Work Plan, Drafts will be circulated for adoption
Lunch 60 mins
• Adoption of Constitution and Rule Changes, Draft will be circulated for adoption
• Organisational details for Rwanda June 2020
• Election of Executive Committee
• TEA ,
• Next steps
• AOB- Adoption of Patrons
5.00-6.00 Meeting of Newly Elected Executive of CDPF
Thirdly, you are all invited to attend a Reception celebrating the Relaunch of the Commonwealth Disabled People’s Forum at 6.00 pm-7.30 pm in the space outside at Dolores Huerta Room, Ford Foundation for Social Justice.
Fourthly, we have organised an official Commonwealth Side Meeting on Wednesday 12th June at 6.30 to 8.00 at Conference Room 6 at the United Nations. ‘Developing a Unified Voice for Implementation of Disability Rights for DPOs and Persons with Disabilities Across the 53 Commonwealth Countries’
Sponsored by Commonwealth Secretariat
Supported by Disability Rights Fund, Action on Disability and Development International and the International Disability Alliance, DFID
The Commonwealth promotes democracy and equality across its member countries with over 2.5 billion citizens. Over 450 million are persons with disabilities, mainly young people. The self-organisation of Commonwealth Disabled People’s Organisations and their collaboration, capacity building with each other and advocacy play a crucial role in implementing the CRPD and the Sustainable Development Goals.The relaunching the Commonwealth Disabled People’s Forum with the support of DPOs in majority of Commonwealth countries to give us a supportive and democratic structure to ensure people with disabilities across the Commonwealth are not left behind.
The meeting will cover
- Current and future policy aims to be pursued at CHOGM and with Governments
- Reports from activists on the progress of implementation progress
- The vision and aims of the Commonwealth Disabled People’s Forum
Speakers
Layne Robinson, Commonwealth Secretariat
M. Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility, Canada
IDA, DRF and ADD and others
Chair Rachel Kachaje (Malawi), Coordinator-Richard Rieser (UK)
Area speakers: Abia Akram, Pakistan, Nathalie Murphy, Dominica, Seta Macanawai, Pacific and Dickson Mveyange, Chavita, Tanzania, Michael Njenga Kenya Users and Survivors of Psychiatry in Kenya and others.
Fifthly, on Monday 10th June there is the Civil Society Forum run by International Disability Alliance at the UN. 10 am to 1pm and 3pm to 5.30pm. Check out http://www.internationaldisabilityalliance.org/csf-12-cosp for programme. If you have a ground pass you can participate.
Sixthly, on Tuesday 11th June and 12th June, The Conference of State Parties Gets under way. Sessions from 10am to 1pm and 3 to 6pm. There are also side meetings on a huge range of subjects. See timetable here: http://www.internationaldisabilityalliance.org/12th-cosp
Any technical issues with accommodation travel, visas or ground passes please contact Gemma White from our partner organisation Action on Disability and Development International.
Phone: 01 373 803778
Skype: adduk.gemmaw
Office: 01 373 473 064
email: gemma.white@add.org.uk
Thanks and Best wishes
Richard Rieser
Interim Coordinator Commonwealth Disabled People’s Forum
rlrieser@gmail.com
Tel 0044(0)7715420727