12:08:37 this we are hoping will up scale 
12:08:39 having more persons with 
12:08:41 disabilities in leadership 
12:08:44 [recording in progress ]and also 
12:08:48 in public and private spaces, 
12:08:52 but at very high-level of 
12:08:53 leadership so that they can be 
12:08:55 able to make these decisions so 
12:08:57 they can shape the kind of 
12:09:00 development that we want to 
12:09:00 see.
12:09:04    The round table today brings 
12:09:08 together distinguished  guests
12:09:11  with-I [video frozen] without 
12:09:12 disabilities to talk about how 
12:09:15 that can be done.  They w talk 
12:09:19 about the disability rights
12:09:26  ]video frozen].  How far the
12:09:28  journey to achieve [inaudible] 
12:09:31 we have CRPD Committee Members 
12:09:36 with us, who are also Patreon
12:09:44  also patrons of the 
12:09:44 Commonwealth Disabled People's 
12:09:45 Forum.  We also have our General 
12:09:47 Secretary for CDPF who has 
12:09:49 played a very great role to 
12:09:51 bring CDPF to where it is we 
12:09:57 have
12:09:58  Commonwealth Disabled People's 
12:09:59 Forum executive members who are 
12:10:01 also here to share s experiences 
12:10:04 round some different areas of 
12:10:06 interventions they have had to 
12:10:10 do since we have been running 
12:10:12 with CDPF as an organisation.  
12:10:15 At the end of the meeting we 
12:10:16 shall have a question and answer 
12:10:19 session, where we will call upon 
12:10:21 our audience to just ask the 
12:10:24 questions that they may have 
12:10:26 concerned what these rights are 
12:10:28 about, anything that concerns 
12:10:30 disability that they have an 
12:10:33 issue with.  Before I stop I 
12:10:36  I would like to talk about the 
12:10:39 CRPD article 3 which talks on 
12:10:41 general principles and one of 
12:10:44 them being full and effective 
12:10:45 participation and inclusion in 
12:10:46 society for persons with 
12:10:48 disabilities, another one talks 
12:10:50 about equality of opportunities 
12:10:52 for persons with disabilities 
12:10:55 and even equity between men and 
12:10:56 women.  Those are some of the 
12:10:57 rights that we will keep talking 
12:11:01 about and making sure that 
12:11:01 persons with disabilities are 
12:11:03 not left behind in the 
12:11:06 leadership discourse and that 
12:11:07 they are brought on board and 
12:11:10 that they are meaningfully 
12:11:11 involved in everything that 
12:11:14 countries are doing in order to 
12:11:15 achieve Sustainable Development 
12:11:18 Goals and to also achieve the 
12:11:19 CRPD implementation.  I want to 
12:11:23 thank you so much for coming, 
12:11:27 and now we'll call upon
12:11:32 , we'll go to the next presenter
12:11:34 .
12:11:35 RICHARD:  , Floyd Morris, I 
12:11:37 thought it would be good to do 
12:11:40 his message first.  Have you 
12:11:44 lined that up Clare please?
12:11:45 SARAH:  Thank you for watching, 
12:11:48 we'll watch a video from floored 
12:11:52  Floyd Morris you who is a CRPD
12:11:56  member.  Good.
12:11:57 RICHARD:  That is Samuel is it 
12:11:59 we'll take you a little bit I 
12:12:01 will speak then a come in then 
12:12:04 Samuel all right.
12:12:05 SARAH:  We can have the video 
12:12:09 from Floyd Morris about the CRPD 
12:12:11 and what it entails for persons 
12:12:14 with disabilities.  You can play 
12:12:19 the film now.
12:12:27 RICHARD:  Will it play ... no.
12:12:31 SARAH:  We can't hear it.
12:12:32 CLARE:  Sorry can you see the 
12:12:33 screen?
12:12:33 RICHARD:  Yes.
12:12:35 SARAH:  We can see the screen 
12:12:40 but we can't hear
12:12:42 .
12:12:43 >>:  Committee on the rights of 
12:12:44 persons with disabilities and 
12:12:46 want to take the opportunity to 
12:12:49 wish all of you.
12:12:50 SARAH:  Clare do you want to 
12:12:52 start it so we get to hear what 
12:12:54 he said at the beginning.
12:12:55 RICHARD:  I will go back to the 
12:12:56 beginning.
12:12:57 CLARE:  I will start from the 
12:13:00 beginning.  Here it comes.
12:13:03 >>:  I am Professor Floyd Morris 
12:13:06 I am a member of the United 
12:13:07 Nations committee on the rights 
12:13:08 of persons with disabilities, 
12:13:10 and I want to take the 
12:13:12 opportunity to wish all the 
12:13:14 members of the community of 
12:13:16 persons with disabilities across 
12:13:18 the world happy international 
12:13:19 day of persons with 
12:13:21 disabilities.  I just want to 
12:13:23 talk briefly about some of the 
12:13:26 issues from my personal 
12:13:28 perspective that I see affecting 
12:13:33 the implementation of the CRPD.
12:13:37   First there is the entrenched 
12:13:39 practice of the medical model 
12:13:43 across the world, and seeing 
12:13:47 that the CRPD is a human rights
12:13:52 -based treaty, it is coming into
12:13:54  conflict with the medical model 
12:13:57 that has been around and in 
12:13:59 existence for centuries.  And 
12:14:00 now that we're in this 
12:14:05 rights-based approach to 
12:14:08 implement the CRPD treaty, there 
12:14:11 is this conflict and tension 
12:14:14 that we have detected.  And so 
12:14:17 that is an issue that has to be 
12:14:20 addressed, so that we get rid of 
12:14:23 the laws and policies relating 
12:14:26 to the antiquatedded medical 
12:14:28 model of disability.
12:14:32    Then there is the issue
12:14:36  of State Parties believing that 
12:14:38 when they come to the CRPD 
12:14:40 Committee you know they are 
12:14:44 going on trial, and
12:14:46  whilst there they will be taken 
12:14:51 to task or penalised for not 
12:14:52 implementing the various 
12:14:56 provisions of treaty.  I say
12:14:57  to State Parties that is not 
12:14:58 the purpose of the CRPD 
12:15:01 Committee, we examine the report 
12:15:04 and seek to assist and guide 
12:15:06 State Parties in how to 
12:15:09 implement the treaty in an 
12:15:12 efficacious matter, so that the 
12:15:14 18 experts on the Committee are 
12:15:15 individuals had that are there 
12:15:17 to assist the State Parties in 
12:15:21 implementation of the treaty.
12:15:25        There is an issue of the 
12:15:27 implementation of the inclusive 
12:15:32 education philosophy,
12:15:35  they are seen as deeply 
12:15:37 entrenched special education 
12:15:39 model and the CRPD requires that 
12:15:41 we move towards an inclusive 
12:15:44 education approach, and that is 
12:15:46 something that States Parties 
12:15:50 will have to start working on
12:15:53  systematically, in order to 
12:15:55 make sure that persons with 
12:15:58 disabilities, in the main, are 
12:16:00 brought into the regular 
12:16:01 education system.
12:16:05        Then, there is the issue
12:16:10  of accessibility.
12:16:13   How is it that states move to 
12:16:14 make buildings, public 
12:16:17 facilities, more accessible for 
12:16:19 persons with disabilities?  
12:16:22 States are  enacting building 
12:16:26 codes that are applicable to new 
12:16:27 buildings, but the problem 
12:16:31 exists with older buildings and 
12:16:33 that is a matter that we will 
12:16:35 have to work on over the next 
12:16:39 couple of years to ensure that 
12:16:40 all buildings become accessible 
12:16:42 to persons with disabilities.
12:16:45        Then, there is the whole 
12:16:49 issue of the political 
12:16:51 participation of persons with 
12:16:55 disabilities, in politics and 
12:16:57 public life persons with 
12:17:01 disabilities were not seen, 
12:17:03 we're not seeing persons with 
12:17:06 disabilities being allowed to 
12:17:08 and supported in participation 
12:17:11 of politics and public life.  
12:17:13 That is a matter that has to be 
12:17:16 addressed because if the CRPD is 
12:17:20 to be efficaciously implemented 
12:17:24 in States Parties, then
12:17:25  persons with disabilities must 
12:17:26 be brought to the 
12:17:29 decision-making table, where 
12:17:33 they can assist and guide in the 
12:17:37  informs of
12:17:38  policies and programmes and 
12:17:39 laws related to them.
12:17:41        Finally I want to say 
12:17:45 that s as it relates to 
12:17:45 international cooperation, we 
12:17:50 need to see cooperate
12:17:52 ing with each other sharing best 
12:17:54 practice to ensure that persons 
12:17:57 with disabilities are enabled 
12:17:58 and brought into the mainstream 
12:18:00 of our society.  Also we need to 
12:18:05 see a greater indexing of
12:18:09  disability in the development
12:18:14  so that when
12:18:15  multilateral and bilateral 
12:18:18 institutions are giving loans or 
12:18:22 grants to states, disability 
12:18:25 inclusion must become a feature 
12:18:29 of what they do.  Thank you.
12:18:35 SARAH:  Thank you, thank you so 
12:18:38 much for sharing with us the 
12:18:40 important things that we need to 
12:18:44 be looking out for from what our 
12:18:45 governments are doing and what 
12:18:47 we need to push them to do so 
12:18:50 that we can be in the same 
12:18:52 space, so that we can move in 
12:18:57 the same manner
12:18:58  country wide, all over the 
12:19:00 world so that we are also like 
12:19:02 not being left behind in any way 
12:19:05 and our issues are being 
12:19:07 implemented accordingly.
12:19:11        I want to call on the
12:19:15  other Committee of Experts from
12:19:19  Kenya, Dr Samuel Kabue, because 
12:19:23 the issues of CRPD are also like 
12:19:26 cross-cutting, to talk about his 
12:19:28 experiences also, because it 
12:19:30 touches on the same, on the same 
12:19:33 issues.  So Dr  Samuel Kabue, 
12:19:35 please, you can take the floor.
12:19:36 DR SAMUEL KABUE:  Thank you very 
12:19:38 much, and I'm glad to be part of 
12:19:43 this process.  Yes, difficulties 
12:19:47 in the implementation of
12:19:51  the Convention has
12:19:54  number of reasons there is 
12:19:56 number of reasons why there is 
12:19:57 difficulties in the 
12:19:59 implementation of the 
12:19:59 Convention.  In the first place 
12:20:02 most of our OPDs who are 
12:20:07 supposed to champion the 
12:20:09 advocacy remain very weak in 
12:20:12 terms of resources, in terms of 
12:20:14 finance, and this makes them to 
12:20:17 remain quite for a long time 
12:20:19 even when things are not taking 
12:20:24 place, this is contrary of 
12:20:26 course, to what has been termed 
12:20:29 in the Convention, Article 4.3, 
12:20:30 as participation of 
12:20:33 organisations of persons with 
12:20:35 the disabilities.  That is an 
12:20:37 area that we need to really look 
12:20:40 into and I know for reasons our 
12:20:44 country, Kenya, in the last 
12:20:45 Global Disability Summit that 
12:20:48 took place in Norway, Kenya 
12:20:52 committed itself to strengthen 
12:20:53 organisations of persons with 
12:20:55 the disabilities.  This is as 
12:20:58 yet to happen.  The other 
12:21:01 concern that I see as a problem 
12:21:04 is quite often where States 
12:21:07 Parties place disability and 
12:21:10 therefore the focal point for 
12:21:11 the implementation of the 
12:21:14 Convention.  Quite often is 
12:21:17 placed under the ministries of 
12:21:21 Social Services and this means 
12:21:24 that that ministry becomes the 
12:21:27 lead ministry and what happens 
12:21:33 is often ministry
12:21:37  that ministry becomes a loan
12:21:38  ministry dealing with 
12:21:39 disability, that's what we have 
12:21:41 seen in Kenya, the ministry 
12:21:43 where the protocol is has been 
12:21:45 very active and really pulling 
12:21:46 together with the persons with 
12:21:48 disabilities, organising various 
12:21:51 meetings, but we notice that 
12:21:52 other ministries are not 
12:21:56 responding to what the ministry 
12:22:01 is, the ministers our saying, or 
12:22:02 they're not participating.
12:22:04        We feel that if the focal 
12:22:07 point for the implementation of 
12:22:09 the Convention was put up a 
12:22:10 little higher, maybe in the 
12:22:12 office of the President or in 
12:22:15 the office of the deputy 
12:22:17 President, where he can talk to 
12:22:21 all ministries on equal basis 
12:22:24 that could have done a good deal 
12:22:25 of work.
12:22:29        The convention has raised
12:22:33  quite a good amount of 
12:22:38 publicity.  Quite often 
12:22:42 governments are very glad to see 
12:22:44 themselves as politically 
12:22:46 correct when they talk about 
12:22:48 disability.  Therefore, I see 
12:22:51 even in countries, the 
12:22:52 ministries that are doing very 
12:22:54 little will put things together 
12:22:57 when we are to report at the 
12:23:00 Conference of States Parties, or 
12:23:03 when the dialogue of the state 
12:23:05 is going to take place.  But 
12:23:07 after that you find at the 
12:23:09 nothing is happening.  So I 
12:23:12 would think that, one, we need 
12:23:14 to strengthen the focal points 
12:23:18 where implementation is based.  
12:23:21 We also needed to strengthen the 
12:23:23 organisations of persons with 
12:23:25 the disabilities and give them 
12:23:27 capacity to be able to 
12:23:28 resolution issues.
12:23:32        In Kenya we have
12:23:36  the 'National Council for 
12:23:37 Persons with Disabilities' and 
12:23:37 there are councils for 
12:23:39 disabilities in many, many of 
12:23:41 the countries.  The Council can 
12:23:45 also be a very instrumental body 
12:23:47 in ensuring that issues of 
12:23:53 disability are highlighted over 
12:23:54 implementation of the Convention 
12:23:56 and highlighted so that they're 
12:23:59 not just dealing with the 
12:24:01 programmes that they have 
12:24:02 formed, but the are also seeing 
12:24:05 the need for advocacy, for all 
12:24:07 the rights that are embedded in 
12:24:09 the convention to be, you know, 
12:24:11 honoured and to be respected.
12:24:15        My friend Morris has 
12:24:17 talked about international 
12:24:18 cooperation.  There is very 
12:24:21 little international cooperation 
12:24:23 that goes on in regard to the 
12:24:24 implementation of the Convention 
12:24:26 in most of the countries that we 
12:24:31 know of.  We feel that the 
12:24:32 international community also 
12:24:37 needed to come in for reasons as 
12:24:39 it once raised the issues of 
12:24:43 gender, saying every project 
12:24:45 that they fund, every programme 
12:24:48 that they are related to should 
12:24:50 have a gender component.  That 
12:24:53 is what we had to see in 
12:24:56 disability.  So international 
12:24:57 cooperation has got a part and I 
12:25:00 know that the international 
12:25:03 disability community has been 
12:25:06 very active in, for reasons IDA 
12:25:08 training various organisations 
12:25:10 or persons with disabilities, 
12:25:12 that has worked well, but we 
12:25:13 would like to see other 
12:25:18 organisations like DFD (?)
12:25:23  USID, and others bring ding
12:25:27  strong I think that need for 
12:25:27 international cooperation and 
12:25:29 inclusion that are states are 
12:25:30 also made alert that this is an 
12:25:32 area that is made to be 
12:25:33 addressed.
12:25:36        Of course, there are 
12:25:39 issues of accessibility and 
12:25:41 Morris has talked about this, I 
12:25:42 need not to talk about it too 
12:25:45 much, but the whole question of 
12:25:47 information and technology is 
12:25:50 very, very essential, and it is 
12:25:53 the OPDs as well, as the 
12:25:57 government that cooperate
12:26:01  to see that the right 
12:26:03 information reaches the right 
12:26:05 people for the purposes of 
12:26:05 planning.
12:26:07        Statistics have also been 
12:26:09 a big problem.  In Kenya, for 
12:26:12 reasons when we carried out our 
12:26:13 census, the indication was that 
12:26:14 the preference of persons with 
12:26:18 disabilities, is only 2.2%.  
12:26:19 This is too far from what we 
12:26:23 know  internationally and we 
12:26:24 must ask ourselves: what needs 
12:26:27 to be done in the area of 
12:26:30 statistics?  Because numbers are 
12:26:33 important for planning.  So, the 
12:26:34 whole question of  addressing 
12:26:38 the issue of disability 
12:26:39 statistics needs to be addressed 
12:26:43 and needs to be given priority 
12:26:46 in all what we do in so far as 
12:26:47 the implementation of the 
12:26:48 Convention is concerned.
12:26:52        Thank you very much.
12:26:56 RICHARD:  Sarah?
12:26:58 SARAH:  Thank you, my internet 
12:27:00 also has a problem and it went 
12:27:03 off for a bit, but I have---
12:27:04 RICHARD:  You are back.
12:27:07 SARAH:  But I have managed to 
12:27:08 connect to another device -- 
12:27:10 yes, I am back.
12:27:13        I want to call on now our 
12:27:15 Secretary-General Richard, to 
12:27:18 just give us an overview of this 
12:27:20 disability rights issues and 
12:27:23 movement, how it has been, and 
12:27:25 the interventions that have 
12:27:27 happened in time for us to be 
12:27:29 where we are today.  Welcome 
12:27:30 Richard.
12:27:34 RICHARD:  Thank you very much.
12:27:40   Erm... thank you.  I'd like to 
12:27:42 wish everybody on the call 
12:27:44 congratulations on carrying on 
12:27:47 the fight for disability rights. 
12:27:51  We in the Commonwealth disabled 
12:27:53 people disabled people's forum, 
12:27:55 feel it's a good year since the 
12:27:56 last round table we have moved 
12:27:58 forward in good number of ways, 
12:28:01 we have 158 young leaders on a 
12:28:03 virtual course and over 50 of 
12:28:05 them submitted for accreditation 
12:28:07 at the end of it which is a good 
12:28:11 ratio.  Many of them
12:28:12  have joined the Youth Forum and 
12:28:14 we will hear more about that 
12:28:16 later on, they have set up their 
12:28:18 own WhatsApp group, we will hear 
12:28:21 from Kihembo about that.  We had 
12:28:24 a high profile at CHOGM, which 
12:28:26 was in sa.  Whoa and we'll talk 
12:28:31 about that later.  We have also
12:28:33  held successful meetings at the 
12:28:38 UN, on the need for a disability 
12:28:39 inclusion action plan, and we 
12:28:42 also have had a meeting there 
12:28:44 which we sponsored on 
12:28:45 neurodiverse people in Africa 
12:28:47 and Emile will tell you more 
12:28:48 about that later.
12:28:52        We have also been very 
12:28:55 effective with our Women's Forum 
12:28:56 and they carried out a survey 
12:28:59 and they also intervened with 
12:29:00 the results of that survey at 
12:29:02 CHOGM.  So we are moving 
12:29:04 forward.  We have also been 
12:29:06 beginning to set up working 
12:29:08 groups on environment, 
12:29:10 employment, inclusive education 
12:29:14 and law and
12:29:15  disability rights in the 
12:29:16 electoral field, people will 
12:29:18 talk about all of those things 
12:29:20 later as we go on.
12:29:21        What we need to say first 
12:29:24 of all and thank you to both our 
12:29:25 members from the UN CRPD 
12:29:28 Committee who are also patrons 
12:29:29 of the Commonwealth disabled 
12:29:31 people's forum, we thank them 
12:29:33 for that.  The numbers are 
12:29:35 important.  The World Health 
12:29:36 Organisation now says that there 
12:29:39 are 1.3 billion disabled people 
12:29:42 in the world, that means with 
12:29:44 the Commonwealth we are now a 
12:29:47 population of 2.7 billion.  40% 
12:29:49 of the world's population.  That 
12:29:53 means that we must have 430, to 
12:29:54 450 million disabled people in 
12:29:56 the Commonwealth, if we take the 
12:29:57 16% figure.
12:29:59        This issue of statistics 
12:30:01 is really important for local 
12:30:03 DPOs and national DPOs to 
12:30:05 challenge their governments.  If 
12:30:06 they are coming up with figures 
12:30:10 under ten, they are using the 
12:30:12 wrong tools, under 10%.  They 
12:30:16 should be they should be
12:30:18  using the Washington Group 
12:30:20 statistics that have been 
12:30:22 adapted for children and adults 
12:30:23 and the whole purpose of that is 
12:30:24 to get us away from asking on 
12:30:25 door-to-door surveys is there 
12:30:28 any one here who is a disabled 
12:30:29 people, because disability 
12:30:31 carries a huge stigma in most 
12:30:35 countries in the world.  That
12:30:36  goes back beyond the medical 
12:30:37 model that Floyd was talking 
12:30:39 about, we're dealing with the 
12:30:41 stigma of the traditional views 
12:30:43 as well as the views of the 
12:30:44 medical profession who see us 
12:30:45 through the lens of what we 
12:30:47 can't do, rather than looking at 
12:30:50 what we can do.  So that is one 
12:30:52 of the real purposes behind why 
12:30:54 we call ourselves the 
12:30:54 Commonwealth Disabled People's 
12:30:58 Forum, because we see identity 
12:31:00 first.  Whatever people's 
12:31:01 impairments they are disabled 
12:31:02 people because they are disabled 
12:31:04 by society, by the attitudes of 
12:31:06 society, by the barriers that 
12:31:08 are greated, in the environment, 
12:31:10 and the way things as organised. 
12:31:13  That has the impact of making 
12:31:14 us second class citizens 
12:31:15 throughout the countries of the 
12:31:16 Commonwealth.  And we have to 
12:31:18 continue to fight on that.  And 
12:31:21 for that end, we have been 
12:31:24 campaigning for now 20 months to 
12:31:26 get a Commonwealth Disability 
12:31:28 Inclusion Action Plan agreed by 
12:31:31 all the leaders of our 56 
12:31:32 countries.  Now we got quite 
12:31:34 closest that and if you can put 
12:31:37 the slide back up again and put 
12:31:41 to the third slide please Gemma
12:31:42 .
12:31:42 GEMMA:  Hold on.
12:31:43 RICHARD:  I will show you where 
12:31:45 we got to on that.  That's who 
12:31:47 is going to speak the next 
12:31:50 point, so we got this in the 
12:31:54 cocommunique which is the end of 
12:31:55 CHOGM what was agreed.  The 
12:31:57 heads reaffirmed their 
12:31:57 commitment to protecting and 
12:31:59  promoting the full realisation 
12:32:01 of human rights and fundamental 
12:32:01 freedoms of all persons with 
12:32:04 disabilities, and to fully 
12:32:05 implement the U another 
12:32:08  UN Convention.  We have already 
12:32:10 heard om problems on that from 
12:32:11 our two Committee Members to 
12:32:15 implement the 2030 sustainable 
12:32:16 development agenda, everybody 
12:32:17 now agrees we're not going to 
12:32:18 hit anywhere near that on any of 
12:32:22 the targets, it's all right to 
12:32:25 say well COVID pushed us off but 
12:32:26 actually the reality that is 
12:32:27 people are not that interested 
12:32:29 now in the world as it sort of 
12:32:32 seems to move away from a more 
12:32:34 rules-based dim consider a tick 
12:32:39  based democratic
12:32:41  approach where a lot of our 
12:32:45 countries are led by day ma Gog 
12:32:46 figures that don't care about 
12:32:49 human rights.  We including the 
12:32:50 Sustainable Development Goals 
12:32:52 and the UN Convention.  Went on 
12:32:53 to say that head urge the 
12:32:55 Commonwealth Secretariat to 
12:32:58 expedite the establishment of a 
12:32:59 High-Level Advisory Group of 
12:33:00 persons with disabilities, 
12:33:01 together with representatives of 
12:33:02 organisation.  Of disabled 
12:33:04 people people with disabilities 
12:33:05 from across the Commonwealth.  
12:33:07 We're going to hear from Steve 
12:33:09 in a minute about how progress 
12:33:11 is happening on that.  And to 
12:33:12 effectively support Member 
12:33:15 States in advancing the of thees 
12:33:16 people with disabilities.  Heads 
12:33:18 commend the ongoing work on 
12:33:19 finalising the Disability 
12:33:22 Inclusion Action Plan and the 
12:33:23 important role national human 
12:33:25 rights organisations in 
12:33:26 monitoring.
12:33:28    Can we have the next slide 
12:33:29 please.
12:33:33    So we set out a convention,
12:33:36  a document which we got that as 
12:33:38 a result, we wanted more but we 
12:33:42 didn't get I but we had 5, 7 or
12:33:45  us at in Samoa who did a lot of 
12:33:46 lobbying.  We got a lot of 
12:33:49 ministerial support.  Some even 
12:33:51 moving amendments to that 
12:33:55 communique trying to add in that 
12:33:56 representative organisations of 
12:33:57 disabled people should be part 
12:33:59 of that High-Level Advisory 
12:34:02 Group, and moving us forward.
12:34:04    However, it was stated by the 
12:34:06 assistant secretary Luis 
12:34:07 Franceschi when they tried to do 
12:34:09 that there was no time for 
12:34:10 amendments, yet that was the 
12:34:11 very forum where amendment 
12:34:12 needed to be moved, because they 
12:34:14 were worried that every article 
12:34:16 would then get amended.  It 
12:34:18 seemed to us rather undemocratic 
12:34:19 when you bring all the foreign 
12:34:20 ministers together to prepare 
12:34:21 for the Head of Governments to 
12:34:23 sign something that they are not 
12:34:25 allowed to move amendments.
12:34:27    Anyway, we are we are where 
12:34:29 we are so what we have planned 
12:34:31 from that is that we want to 
12:34:34 move forward on agreeing who the 
12:34:36  high level advisory group and 
12:34:37 representatives of DPOs will be 
12:34:39 to, I wrote 6 weeks ago to Steve 
12:34:41 and the human rights and 
12:34:44 professional Luis Franceschi we 
12:34:45 got a positive letter saying 
12:34:47 these things to us time but that 
12:34:49 was a month ago so I home things 
12:34:51 have moved on since then, we 
12:34:53 shall here we were told by 
12:34:56 doctor ma carry, Head of Rule of 
12:34:58 Law Put Fs Conversation She 
12:35:03  Rule of Law she suggested if we 
12:35:05 were going to get I through the 
12:35:06 next CHOGM in an St. Guy in the 
12:35:10  Antigua in the Caribbean in the 
12:35:12 late summer of 2026, that's a 
12:35:14 long way away she suggested we 
12:35:16 need to get a draft of the final 
12:35:17 document through the law 
12:35:19 ministers meeting next February 
12:35:21 in Fiji to allow though is go to 
12:35:22 Antigua.  And she also said that 
12:35:23 if we are going to have any 
12:35:25 chance of getting that through, 
12:35:28 we need to have a final draft by 
12:35:30 July 2025.  So that means we 
12:35:32 really need to get on with 
12:35:34 convening this group and looking 
12:35:35 at what we had and what's 
12:35:36 missing and what else we need to 
12:35:38 have in there, we have heard 
12:35:40 some of issues that's perhaps 
12:35:42 need developing such as 
12:35:47 adherence to 4.3 and
12:35:48  33.3 where representatives 
12:35:51 organisation or persons with 
12:35:52 disabilities disabled people are 
12:35:55 actually properly consulted and 
12:35:57 represented in government 
12:35:59 discussions on all matters to do 
12:36:02 with disability.  As we say, 
12:36:03 "Nothing About Us Without Us".  
12:36:05 And so that we really need to 
12:36:06 push on that.
12:36:08    We also thought it would help 
12:36:09 governments and Heads of State 
12:36:12 if we in the meantime could 
12:36:13 gather information on what was 
12:36:15 actually going on in the 56 
12:36:18 countries of the Commonwealth.  
12:36:19 And we thought that the areas 
12:36:20 which would convince them most 
12:36:24 would be good practice on making 
12:36:25 reasonable accommodation in all 
12:36:26 the areas we talked about, 
12:36:30 health, education, politics,
12:36:32  employment and so on, so I we 
12:36:34 want to gather examples of 
12:36:35 those.  How accessibility is 
12:36:37 going not just for buildings and 
12:36:38 they mentioned it's all very 
12:36:40 well to have new building codes 
12:36:42 what about old buildings, well 
12:36:43 they do need to be made 
12:36:47 accessible.  The and information 
12:36:49 particularly print and our all 
12:36:50 countries in the Commonwealth 
12:36:55 signed up to the copyright 
12:36:59 release report that came out of 
12:37:01 Morocco which is an 
12:37:03 international treaty now.  Which 
12:37:04 means that all books, all 
12:37:06 printed matter without payment 
12:37:08 can be converted into digital 
12:37:12 formats so blind and people with 
12:37:13 learning difficulties can 
12:37:15 actually access them.  How well 
12:37:18 are we doing on that.  The 
12:37:21 Marrakesh Treaty as its called.
12:37:22    Effectively challenge 
12:37:23 disability discrimination, what 
12:37:24 mechanisms are there in the 
12:37:26 local area where you are all 
12:37:28 live for, because all of your 
12:37:30 countries with exception of 
12:37:31 Tonga, I have not seen anyone 
12:37:33 from Tonga on this call, but 
12:37:35 everyone is on this call from 
12:37:37 the Commonwealth your countries 
12:37:39 have not only signed up toth 
12:37:41 this they have ratified this 
12:37:42 convention which means they have 
12:37:44 to do these things.  They have 
12:37:47 to effectively have means of 
12:37:48 challenging disability 
12:37:49 discrimination in your local 
12:37:52 area so the head  teather school 
12:37:53 says no I don't want that child 
12:37:55 they are a bit behind or I don't 
12:37:56 want that child because they are 
12:37:57 blind or I don't want that child 
12:37:58 because they won't be able to 
12:38:01 get up the three steps into the 
12:38:02 school.  Or I don't want that 
12:38:07 child because they sha stammer, 
12:38:08 or because they behave bit 
12:38:09 delivered to the other children. 
12:38:10  These are all disability 
12:38:12 discrimination statements.  And 
12:38:14 the parents and local 
12:38:17 organisations have to be able to 
12:38:19 challenge that in the judicial 
12:38:20 system.  So there have to be 
12:38:22 local courts and tribunals, not 
12:38:24 up at the High Court but at the 
12:38:26 local level so that people can 
12:38:28 challenge and similarly 
12:38:29 employers who refuse to employ 
12:38:32 people have to be challenged.  
12:38:34 Universities that refuse to put 
12:38:35 in the adjustments that they 
12:38:37 need to, oh well we cannot 
12:38:39 afford it.  Well we can't afford 
12:38:41 not to do it is what we say.  
12:38:42 And we need to make their life a 
12:38:45 misery if they don't do it, by 
12:38:46 taking direct action.  And so 
12:38:48 one of the things that you as 
12:38:49 organisations need to be doing 
12:38:52 is looking where there is 
12:38:53 non-implementation, highlighting 
12:38:56 it by direct action, getting the 
12:38:57 local press and media  involved, 
12:38:59 to actually shame these 
12:39:01 organisations into doing what 
12:39:02 they are legally meant to be 
12:39:03 doing.
12:39:06    So, how far are we on 
12:39:06 implementing the disability 
12:39:08 rights legislation) well only 
12:39:09 half of our Commonwealth 
12:39:11 countries have actually got laws 
12:39:13 in place, even though they said 
12:39:16 they would do it.  Then instead 
12:39:17 of the reasonable accommodations 
12:39:19 we're meant to have universal 
12:39:21 design, the best example is 
12:39:23 something like a mobile phone or 
12:39:26 a laptop.  These actually have 
12:39:28 in them all sorts of, if you go 
12:39:29 to the access panel, you can 
12:39:31 make larger print, you can 
12:39:32 change the background, you can 
12:39:35 go Speech-to-Text, text to 
12:39:36 speech, we have not got 
12:39:37 everything in there but we have 
12:39:39 got an awful lot now.  That is 
12:39:42 moving forwards universal design 
12:39:46  everything thatdisabled people 
12:39:47 might need is thought of before 
12:39:51 you build or hire or buy the 
12:39:53 product.
12:39:55    Example, lots of countries 
12:39:57 now going green and moving their 
12:40:00 bus fleet over to non-carbon 
12:40:02 fuels.  Great.  When they are 
12:40:04 changing the bus fleet over, 
12:40:06 let's make sure that they have 
12:40:08 buses that drop right down to 
12:40:10 the ground, rise and fall buses 
12:40:11 are they are calling so that 
12:40:13 everybody has a phsyical 
12:40:15 impairment can get on it.  Let's 
12:40:17 make sure that the bus stops 
12:40:19 have simple little digital signs 
12:40:22 that can actually give 
12:40:24 information in speech, and also 
12:40:26 in pictograms of which buses 
12:40:29 coming and when.  So that's 
12:40:30 universal design.
12:40:31    Governments effectively 
12:40:33 working with us as disabled 
12:40:33 people's representatives.  This 
12:40:37 is not an opoptional extra we 
12:40:39 did a survey leading up to the 
12:40:41 last Global Summit we found that 
12:40:44 only 8 of our more than 50 
12:40:45 organisations had any money 
12:40:47 coming from the government to 
12:40:48 make them work.  They need to be 
12:40:50 funded by the government.  Our 
12:40:52 national DPOs in order to have 
12:40:53 this representative role, they 
12:40:57 need to be on those committees 
12:40:59 and councils, they need to be 
12:41:00 with regular meetings with 
12:41:03 ministers, and I agree with 
12:41:06 Samuel those, that needs the 
12:41:07 responsible for this should not 
12:41:08 be with social services, the 
12:41:10 focal point needs to be in the 
12:41:11 Prime Minister's office or the 
12:41:13 President's office.
12:41:14    Government effective, so we 
12:41:17 need that and last of all, 
12:41:19 possibility to work with the 
12:41:20 Commonwealth Parliamentary 
12:41:22 association and com sec on 
12:41:23 gathering this information.  We 
12:41:28 have recently appointed 6 in
12:41:30  turnees in our 6 regions we 
12:41:32 have been training them up I 
12:41:33 don't know this term on how to 
12:41:34 do them, we're going to 
12:41:36 introduce survey they will come 
12:41:37 in two blocks all of you expect 
12:41:39 to have this and begin to gather 
12:41:41 examples of these things, so 
12:41:43 that we want also case studies 
12:41:46 as will as a general evaluative 
12:41:46 statement, where things are 
12:41:48 going well we I would like an 
12:41:50 example of a  doctor's surgery, 
12:41:52 a hospital, a primary school, an 
12:41:54 early years provision, a 
12:41:56 University, an employer, both 
12:41:58 state employer and a private 
12:42:00 employer who are making good 
12:42:02 reasonable accommodations.  We 
12:42:04 will showcase them on our 
12:42:06 website and what we hope to 
12:42:08 produce from this is a manual 
12:42:10 and we're talking next week to 
12:42:13 the Commonwealth Parliamentary 
12:42:14 association about this to gather 
12:42:16 this information.  The whole 
12:42:18 point of this o show that when 
12:42:19 we work together across 
12:42:21 organisations, across the 
12:42:22 Commonwealth, Commonwealth other 
12:42:25 accredited guyses, and 
12:42:28 ourselves, and are DPOs working 
12:42:30 locally and with all their 
12:42:32 constituent parts, we can really 
12:42:34 move this on very substantially. 
12:42:35  And that's what the Disability 
12:42:36 Inclusion Action Plan which I 
12:42:37 won't run through it's on our 
12:42:40 website, you can see.  We're 
12:42:42 really up for moving this 
12:42:44 forward now and as I say, time 
12:42:47 is of the essence.  So I am 
12:42:49 pleased that we have got the 
12:42:52 Commonwealth Secretariat Human 
12:42:53 Rights Unit on the call, I think 
12:42:55 it might be good to hear from 
12:42:58 then next Chair.
12:43:00 SARAH:  Thank you Richard for 
12:43:02 that rich background on where we 
12:43:04 are and the need for us to 
12:43:06 understood the rights so that we 
12:43:08 can be able to advocate for them 
12:43:10 and make our governments deliver 
12:43:13 on the promises that it has said 
12:43:16 and that can only happen when we 
12:43:18 know what we are supposed to be 
12:43:20 getting from the government, we 
12:43:22 know what our rights are, and we 
12:43:24 also have a voice in the 
12:43:25 resources like we said so that 
12:43:27 we can be able to organise 
12:43:29 ourselves better and be able to 
12:43:35  able to
12:43:37  push our government to move 
12:43:38 from not implementing the 
12:43:40 Convention to bringing more 
12:43:41 rights on board for us to be 
12:43:42 enjoyed like anybody else. in 
12:43:43 the society.
12:43:45    Now next I would like to call 
12:43:48 upon the Commonwealth 
12:43:54 Secretariat Mr Stephen, Steve 
12:43:56 his second name is a bit long 
12:43:58 and difficult to mention but it 
12:44:00 very important that we are here 
12:44:02 with the Commonwealth 
12:44:06 Secretariat which is able to
12:44:08  if I can say with the 
12:44:09 governments around the 
12:44:11 Commonwealth, so that they can 
12:44:13 help us to be able to achieve 
12:44:14  what we are trying to advocate 
12:44:16 for the Disability Inclusion 
12:44:18 Action Plan and the real actions 
12:44:22 in the countries.  Who else but
12:44:23  the Commonwealth Secretariat 
12:44:24 itself to let the government 
12:44:25 know that that is something that 
12:44:29 they need to implement and 
12:44:29 ensure that persons with 
12:44:31 disabilities are not left behind 
12:44:33 in their countries.  We 
12:44:34 appreciate the relationship we 
12:44:36 have had with the Commonwealth 
12:44:37 Secretariat this far, and we are 
12:44:41 looking forward to even closer 
12:44:42 and stronger cordial 
12:44:43 relationships with them so we 
12:44:48 can have this agenda, this voice 
12:44:50 of persons with disabilities all 
12:44:52 these countries had and with the 
12:44:53 support from the Commonwealth I 
12:44:55 am sure we will be able to get 
12:44:57 somewhere sooner than later.  So 
12:44:59 I want to call upon Steve to 
12:45:00 make his presentation, welcome 
12:45:03 Steve.
12:45:06 >>:  Good morning.  From this 
12:45:08 end and perhaps good afternoon 
12:45:12 elsewhere, and good evening.  
12:45:15 Yeah my name is Steve, my last 
12:45:19 name is one of the it's not one 
12:45:20 of the easiest names to 
12:45:21 pronounce but we'll leave that 
12:45:24 to next time.  Thank you Sarah 
12:45:28 and thank you Richard.
12:45:30   It's good really listening to 
12:45:35 doctor Floyd
12:45:38  and Sam, you know, giving us 
12:45:40 some of the highlights and, you 
12:45:42 know, one of those big things we 
12:45:44 should be looking at when it 
12:45:45 comes to rights of persons with 
12:45:46 disabilities.
12:45:50        I want to start too by 
12:45:52 congratulating CDPF for its 
12:45:57 efforts in this past year, and 
12:46:01 being able to push the draft
12:46:03  action plan, the draft 
12:46:05 Disability Inclusion Action Plan 
12:46:08 up to CHOGM, up to co money 
12:46:13  community Kate, I think that's 
12:46:17 for a great action
12:46:21  -- to communicate and I 
12:46:22 congratulate CDPF for that.  It 
12:46:23 shows that when the will is 
12:46:25 there we can get a lot of things 
12:46:27 done and when we are focused and 
12:46:30 determined.  I remember when we 
12:46:32 met, about this time last year, 
12:46:37 we had
12:46:39  around table conversation and 
12:46:41 part of the takeaways from that 
12:46:44 round table was the idea of the 
12:46:46 draft Disability Inclusion 
12:46:50 Action Plan. 
12:46:53  So it's gone through a lot of 
12:46:55 discussions and where we are 
12:46:59 right now, where the heads have 
12:47:02 clearly accepted the action plan 
12:47:04 and are now asking that high 
12:47:07 level advisory group is set up 
12:47:11 to first of all strengthen the 
12:47:12 action plan, you know, to make 
12:47:16 it, to finalise it and to begin 
12:47:18 to work in terms of 
12:47:21 implementation of its content, 
12:47:22 or implementation of the rights 
12:47:23 of persons with disabilities.
12:47:24        I think we're in a good 
12:47:27 place right now for Commonwealth 
12:47:32 Secretariat.  The process, it's 
12:47:34 in the process actually now of 
12:47:36 developing a draft terms of 
12:47:38 reference for this advisory 
12:47:42 group to operate with.  The idea 
12:47:45 being that we have a basic terms 
12:47:50 of reference which can be
12:47:54  viewed upon the efforts of 
12:47:56 CDPF, DPOs, you know and finally 
12:48:00 when it's finalised the idea is
12:48:02  that this headline level 
12:48:06 advisory group will be set up -- 
12:48:08 high level advisory group will 
12:48:11 be set up to be able to drive 
12:48:14 the process through the 
12:48:15 ministers meeting process in 
12:48:18 itself, which tecs some stages, 
12:48:22 you know, senior officials,
12:48:23  working groups and so on before 
12:48:26 it gets to the law ministers and 
12:48:27 2026, February.
12:48:28        So, that is where we are 
12:48:32 now.  The plan now is that 
12:48:34 before the end of the year, we 
12:48:36 are already in December, before 
12:48:39 the end of the year a draft 
12:48:41 action, the draft should be 
12:48:43 ready and then we will have 
12:48:44 consultations on that to be able 
12:48:46 to finalise it.  So that by the 
12:48:48 time we move into the new year 
12:48:51 we are, you know, putting in a 
12:48:53 lot of action on it to make sure 
12:48:58  it's
12:49:02  constituted, that will take us 
12:49:02 to the draft action plan in 
12:49:04 itself and then we will be able 
12:49:06 to take it from there.  That is 
12:49:08 where we are, we are still going 
12:49:10 to be knocking on the doors of 
12:49:13 CDPF, you know, as they get into 
12:49:16 this, we just want to get this 
12:49:18 collated up and then we will be 
12:49:20 able to embellish, enrich and 
12:49:21 enhance it.
12:49:22        So, I can say that that 
12:49:25 plan is on the table and we are 
12:49:27 very conscious of time as well, 
12:49:29 when it comes to the law 
12:49:33 ministers meeting in 202 -- we 
12:49:35 say 2026, February, actually, 
12:49:38 like 2025 actually, because by 
12:49:40 the time we get to  December 
12:49:42 2025 we are already there a 
12:49:43 couple of months, so we are 
12:49:47 conscious of that time.  The 
12:49:51 [Inaudible] you know, efforts on 
12:49:56 this.  So we know the CDPF have
12:49:59  the passion, have the zeal, the 
12:50:01 determination and I think you 
12:50:02 have the energy as well, so we 
12:50:05 are going to be knocking at your 
12:50:08 door in fact and perhaps other 
12:50:11 DPOs across the Commonwealth.  
12:50:14 The whole idea if you look at 
12:50:16 it, it has to be as inclusive as 
12:50:18 possible and for you know, big 
12:50:19 and strong participation of  
12:50:23 DPOs, you know, in the process, 
12:50:28 which we are convinced it's the 
12:50:30 best way to achieve sustainable 
12:50:32 progress when it comes to 
12:50:33 protection and promotion of 
12:50:33 rights of persons with 
12:50:33 disabilities.
12:50:38        So, I will leave it there
12:50:42  and then if there are questions 
12:50:43 or comments we can just take it 
12:50:44 up.  Thank you very much and 
12:50:45 thank you for the opportunity.  
12:50:47 Thank you for inviting us 
12:50:48 actually to make this 
12:50:51 presentation.  Thank you.
12:50:53 SARAH:  Thank you so much 
12:50:53 Steve.
12:50:55 GEMMA:  Sarah, just before we go 
12:50:57 any further.  Could I just get 
12:50:58 the attention of the sign 
12:51:00 language interpreters please.  
12:51:02 Aisha, you have been doing 50 
12:51:04 minutes not stop and people are 
12:51:05 concerned about your tarredness 
12:51:09  tiredness, I'd like
12:51:11  you to take a break and let 
12:51:13 Ronald take over for a while.  
12:51:14 Thank you very much.  I'll stop 
12:51:15 there.
12:51:16 RICHARD:  Thank you Sarah.
12:51:18 SARAH:  Okay, thank you Steve.  
12:51:20 Like I say, we cannot do this on 
12:51:24 our own without support for the 
12:51:26 Commonwealth and that goodwill 
12:51:28 is very important for us, we 
12:51:30 appreciate the support that we 
12:51:31 have so far received from the 
12:51:33 secretariat and we, we look 
12:51:35 forward to that continued 
12:51:39 support, before we move to the 
12:51:41 actual presentations from the 
12:51:43 Executive Committee members, I 
12:51:47 would like to ask the audience 
12:51:50 if there is anyone with... with 
12:51:53 a question to the issues that 
12:51:57 have been presented earlier?
12:52:02 ?  So, we will give ourselves 
12:52:04 interactive time before we go to 
12:52:06 the next presentations so by a 
12:52:08 show of hands, if you, if you 
12:52:10 want to ask a question or to 
12:52:11 make an intervention just raise 
12:52:15 your hand there is a button
12:52:19  on the gadgets that you use, 
12:52:20 there is a button for raising 
12:52:22 your hand so if you can use that 
12:52:24 or you can unmute, tell us who 
12:52:27 you are, where you are from, and 
12:52:31 then raise your concern.  
12:52:36 Welcome participants.
12:52:47 RICHARD:  There is nobody in the 
12:52:48 chat.
12:52:50 CLARE:  Chair, it's Clare, I've 
12:52:54  been monitoring the chat we
12:52:55  haven't got anything at the 
12:52:57 moment.
12:52:59 SARAH:  There was a chat, 
12:53:00 someone was talking about the 
12:53:02 Women's Forum, that they wanted 
12:53:05 to intervene on the... on the 
12:53:07 Women's Forum.
12:53:09 RICHARD:  We're going to have a 
12:53:11 report from Sruti on that.  So, 
12:53:13 we've got a film about that, 
12:53:15 maybe we should take that and 
12:53:19 maybe ask them to comment.
12:53:23 SARAH:  I'm trying to look for 
12:53:25 it, but manoeuvring also 
12:53:29 sometimes.
12:53:29 RICHARD:  They just said 
12:53:34  said, "CDPF", so
12:53:35  I don't who they are?
12:53:36 SARAH:  Okay.  Any other 
12:53:39 interventions, if we don't have 
12:53:40 them we can move to the other 
12:53:45 presentations.
12:53:47   If anybody has anything to 
12:53:50 interject, they can then come on 
12:53:51 board when we are going on, 
12:53:53 because we also have to take 
12:53:57 care of what  time.
12:54:00 RICHARD:  We have plenty of 
12:54:00 time.
12:54:02 >> Can you hear me?
12:54:03 SARAH:  Okay -- who is that?
12:54:08 >> Yeah, I'm Any av
12:54:11 eed, from Pakistan.
12:54:11 SARAH:  Okay.
12:54:14 >> Hello, there are so many 
12:54:19 things which
12:54:21  are changed in my country 
12:54:23 regarding the disabled people, 
12:54:26 like the disability rights and 
12:54:27 inclusion activities.  There are 
12:54:30 so many issues related to 
12:54:32 accommodation, particularly the 
12:54:36 people who are visually 
12:54:39 impaired, physical m spared 
12:54:45  impaired and I face those 
12:54:47 problems, still they exist in my 
12:54:49 country at the State level, 
12:54:51 there are some people who are 
12:54:54 physically impaired and how do 
12:54:56 they get a job from the State 
12:54:58 sector and they still do not 
12:54:59 provide any kind of 
12:55:03 accommodation, accommodation for 
12:55:05 there commute like I have so 
12:55:09 many people in my village, two 
12:55:12 to three people I think, who go 
12:55:15 for a commute on their personal 
12:55:18 vehicle like they are very 
12:55:20 dependent on their children and 
12:55:23 other people and sometimes they 
12:55:24 face significant challenge due 
12:55:27 to these kinds of problems.  
12:55:29 They faced some accident as 
12:55:33 well, because of, due to the 
12:55:37 absence of any proper 
12:55:41 accommodation, relevant 
12:55:43 accessibility and the third 
12:55:47 thing is the proper roads and 
12:55:49 this kind of stuff.  Therefore I 
12:55:55 think something should initiate 
12:55:58 to ensure this kinds of issues 
12:56:02 to be resolved for their 
12:56:04 convenience, or personal 
12:56:05 convenience.
12:56:08 RICHARD:  Yep.  I think we've 
12:56:12 got Abia on the call, Chair.  So 
12:56:14 -- has the Chair gone off 
12:56:15 again?
12:56:16 SARAH:  I'm here!
12:56:18 RICHARD:  Okay.  Abia Akram, are 
12:56:20 member representing Pakistan is 
12:56:23 on the call, she was going to 
12:56:25 say something about the Summit 
12:56:27 of the Future she represented us 
12:56:29 about in September that UN, but 
12:56:30 she might be able to answer this 
12:56:33 question.  Abia are, you still 
12:56:35 there?
12:56:38 >> Yes, yes Richard I'm here.
12:56:39 RICHARD:  Would you like to come 
12:56:41 in now and answer that question, 
12:56:46 if you it, which was the lack of
12:56:47  reasonable accommodations, 
12:56:49 particularly in terms of 
12:56:50 personal transport for visually 
12:56:53 impaired, and physical impaired 
12:56:55 people.  Then maybe (over 
12:56:57 talking) then may be on the 
12:56:59 Summit of the  Future, thank 
12:57:00 you.
12:57:02 ABIA:  Thank you very much, I 
12:57:05 think this is a very important 
12:57:08 point that was raised, still in 
12:57:10 Pakistan's context we don't have 
12:57:12 any accessible transportation, 
12:57:14 we just work together with the 
12:57:18  the government Punjab, where we 
12:57:20 tried to make the Metro stations 
12:57:22 accessible, but again without 
12:57:26 electricity it's very difficult 
12:57:27 to access that.  So what we did 
12:57:30 like now, we are working in the 
12:57:32 registration, so now we have the 
12:57:36 first ever legislation, 
12:57:37 disability rights Act that gets 
12:57:40 enacted in 2020, with all the 
12:57:45  provinces, accept one, now we 
12:57:47 are pushing for the government 
12:57:48 for the implementation of that 
12:57:50 law, because under that law we 
12:57:51 have mentioned about the 
12:57:53 accessibility, it's a basic 
12:57:56 right for all the persons with 
12:57:58 diverse disabilities, so now the 
12:58:00 new transportation systems which 
12:58:02 is political, they are including 
12:58:04 some kind of accessibility in 
12:58:07 the buses, bus station, but not 
12:58:10 in like in a an individual 
12:58:11 level, people are still 
12:58:13 struggling to get to the access 
12:58:14 for the transportation and 
12:58:16 that's the reason that they are 
12:58:18  excluded in the many of the 
12:58:20 meetings, discussions,  
12:58:22 platforms, they are not getting 
12:58:25 opportunities to participate in 
12:58:29 any of that development
12:58:31  and governmental interventions. 
12:58:34  A huge impact on the employment 
12:58:34 opportunities for persons with 
12:58:38 disabilities, because the first 
12:58:39 question they have is how they 
12:58:41 will come to the workplace, how 
12:58:42 they will manage their 
12:58:45 transportation and that's for 
12:58:47 giving them more challenges of 
12:58:49 inclusion, especially women and 
12:58:52 girls with disabilities, they 
12:58:56 are just confined at there
12:58:58  homes, and not getting basic 
12:59:02 basic services, this is worth 
12:59:04 reaching for the accessible 
12:59:05 implementation of the laws which 
12:59:08 can make it more conducive, and 
12:59:10 I think for the Commonwealth 
12:59:11 disabled people disabled people 
12:59:16 forum, we tried to talk with the 
12:59:17 Institute Into Human Rights 
12:59:20 planning ministry (poor sound 
12:59:23 quality).
12:59:28 RICHARD:  We've lost you
12:59:33 ... are you still there Abia?
12:59:36 SARAH:  The challenges of the 
12:59:37 internet, some time.
12:59:39 RICHARD:  That was a good 
12:59:39 answer.
12:59:41 >> [Inaudible]
12:59:43 SARAH:  Yeah.  Thank you Abia 
12:59:47 for that response, I know  many, 
12:59:50 many other people also have 
12:59:52 difficulty when it comes to 
12:59:53 accessible transportation, it's 
12:59:57 not just the people with VIs but 
12:59:58 other people also experience 
13:00:01 other challenges in the same 
13:00:05 sector, but we are happy that 
13:00:07 many governments now are trying 
13:00:10 to find ways of understanding, 
13:00:12 what it means to make 
13:00:16 transportation accessible and 
13:00:16 maybe with time they will be 
13:00:19 able to provide such accessible 
13:00:21 transportation, without people 
13:00:24 really fighting to have that in 
13:00:25 place.
13:00:27        I would like to also 
13:00:34 request Dr [Inaudible] to just 
13:00:35 greet us, from the human rights 
13:00:40 sectionCan you please say 
13:00:44 something shortly.
13:00:53   Are you here?
13:00:55 >>:  Yes, sorry Sarah just 
13:00:56 having some I T challenges as 
13:01:00 well.  Yeah no thank you very 
13:01:01 much for extend the invitation 
13:01:07 to us, and very happy to be here
13:01:10  listening to the  discussions.  
13:01:13 And I would echo what Steve said 
13:01:15 as well, just in commenting the 
13:01:19 CDPF for its initiative on the 
13:01:19 Disability Inclusion Action 
13:01:23 Plan, and for the drive that's 
13:01:25 pushed it to where it is now, 
13:01:27 and very much looking forward to 
13:01:29 working with you and other 
13:01:30 members of the Executive 
13:01:33 Committee and other members of 
13:01:36 the CDPF over the coming months 
13:01:42 to during it into
13:01:44  fruition and finalise it.  I 
13:01:46 think I will just leave it there 
13:01:48 I am really keen to hear what 
13:01:49 everyone else is saying as well, 
13:01:50 but again thank you very much 
13:01:55 for the opportunity.
13:01:57 SARAH:  Thank you for agreeing 
13:02:00 to even speak, and even coming 
13:02:02 on board it is important that 
13:02:04 you also at least have an 
13:02:06 opportunity to say something.  
13:02:09 We are looking forward to 
13:02:10 concluding this disability 
13:02:13 action plan and being involved 
13:02:14 in shaping and understanding 
13:02:16 what it means to complete it and 
13:02:18 finalising and being part of the 
13:02:21 completion of the same.  I want 
13:02:25 to us go to our next
13:02:27  session, unless there's another 
13:02:31 question from the audience?
13:02:36   We have one audience right.
13:02:38 RICHARD:  There's one in the 
13:02:39 chat from Zambia which might be 
13:02:41 useful.
13:02:42 SARAH:  The first one in the 
13:02:45 chat said, "Good afternoon my 
13:02:48 name is Beauty I am a disability 
13:02:49 rights advocate from Nigeria I 
13:02:51 am honoured and happy to be here 
13:02:53 with you to celebrate the 
13:02:55 representation of persons with 
13:02:56 disabilities particularly youth 
13:02:58 and women with disabilities in 
13:03:00 the Commonwealth on this 
13:03:02 December second.  Today I will 
13:03:05 report back on the CHOGM Youth 
13:03:08 Forum, and the CHOGM Women's 
13:03:11 Forum". because when we get 
13:03:12 there because we're going to 
13:03:15 have reports from our youth 
13:03:16 representative and women's 
13:03:18 representative then we will give 
13:03:18 you an opportunity to say 
13:03:22 something.
13:03:26    Another
13:03:31  the one from Zambia let me go 
13:03:32 down.
13:03:33 RICHARD:  Towards the bottom 
13:03:34 from Rachel who is on our 
13:03:37 executive.
13:03:39 SARAH:  "Talking about 
13:03:40 accessibility especially to 
13:03:41 public buildings and 
13:03:45 infrastructure, our Zambian 
13:03:46 government has an accessibility 
13:03:47 standard poll under the Ministry 
13:03:50 of Housing and infrastructure.  
13:03:52 This law may be common in most 
13:03:53 countries however, it's not 
13:03:55 adhered to.  So what we have 
13:03:58 been doing as DPOs is carrying 
13:04:02 out accessibility audits
13:04:04  with support from external 
13:04:07 partners ensuring that malls, 
13:04:09 hospitals, schools and public 
13:04:11 buildings are accessible and 
13:04:16 disability friendly". that is 
13:04:18 also great, I know we really as 
13:04:20 DPOs have to fight for these 
13:04:23 things to be implemented and we 
13:04:25 are happy that we're doing 
13:04:26 something in whatever way, 
13:04:28 however, small, however, big 
13:04:30 that we are letting our 
13:04:31 governments know that this is 
13:04:34 what needs to be done and we are 
13:04:35 asking for our rights to be 
13:04:39 given to us.  Yeah so I think 
13:04:42 we'll go to the next 
13:04:44 presentation, and that is a 
13:04:47 video we shall watch from our 
13:04:49 vice-chair Doctor Sruti 
13:04:54 Mohapatra, who has been also 
13:04:57 instrumental in championing the 
13:05:02 women's agenda and in the
13:05:07  last CHOGM 2024, me and her
13:05:09  were  representtened the CDPF 
13:05:11 at CHOGM in Samoa, we had done a 
13:05:13 survey which she was very kind 
13:05:16 to analyse and came up with some 
13:05:18 recommendations, and there's a 
13:05:20 video that is going to play to 
13:05:24 show what that was about so
13:05:29  Gemma you can play the video.
13:05:32 SRUTI:  Now mass they from India 
13:05:36 in the recently held CHOGM 2024,
13:05:38  Commonwealth women forum 
13:05:38 highlighted the contribution of 
13:05:41 women from across the 
13:05:42 Commonwealth in social, 
13:05:44 political and economic field, 
13:05:47 and ensured that Commonwealth 
13:05:49 leaders included gender equality 
13:05:53 in all policies decisions taken 
13:05:55 and in general inclusive 
13:05:58 development agenda.  We, Women's 
13:06:00 Forum of Commonwealth Disabled 
13:06:03 People's Forum, ensured that in 
13:06:05 this deliberations and 
13:06:07 discussions disabled women and 
13:06:10 girlchild were not left behind.  
13:06:12 Their concerns were also 
13:06:14 included, they were also part of 
13:06:16 the decision-making authorities, 
13:06:20 and they were represented in 
13:06:21 gender equality when it was 
13:06:23 being considered.
13:06:26    Before going to CHOGM we 
13:06:28 conducted a survey across it's 
13:06:30 Commonwealth, mostly they were 
13:06:32 disabled women who were our 
13:06:34 respondants, and we looked at 
13:06:38 the 4 priority areas that 
13:06:40 Commonwealth women had chosen.  
13:06:43 First was leadership, second 
13:06:46 economic empowerment, third 
13:06:48 gender and climate justice, and 
13:06:52 the fourth ending violence 
13:06:54 against women and girlchild.  
13:06:55 When we look at leadership 
13:06:57 position we found that both in 
13:06:59 the government and in the other 
13:07:02 sectors, disabled women were 
13:07:04 never in decision making bodies. 
13:07:06  In the government, they were 
13:07:11 always in the lower
13:07:15  [inaudible] even in NGOs and 
13:07:16 multilateral bodies and 
13:07:17 agencies, they made it sometimes 
13:07:19 to the executive and they were 
13:07:22 Chairs, but Chairs of what?  
13:07:23 Gender committee, committee on 
13:07:26 education, but we did not find 
13:07:29 them as presidents, General 
13:07:30 Secretaries, and taking 
13:07:35 decision.  Or Chairpersons.  In
13:07:37  economic empowerment we all 
13:07:39 know that education 
13:07:41 opportunities are limited for 
13:07:44 disabled women and starting from 
13:07:47 class the primary classes to the 
13:07:48 higher learning, the number goes 
13:07:51 on substantially decreasing and 
13:07:52 very few women make it to Higher 
13:07:57 Education.  In this scenario
13:07:59  the few who try to get into 
13:08:01 skilled development, vocational 
13:08:05 training, carve at a future for 
13:08:06 themselves, there are many 
13:08:08 barriers.  First is knowledge of 
13:08:10 such programmes where there are 
13:08:12 happening.  The second is 
13:08:14 accessibility of the transport 
13:08:16 system and the third is 
13:08:17 availability of funds to be able 
13:08:22 to join these courses.  So 
13:08:23 education attainment is low, 
13:08:26 skills are less, so generally 
13:08:31 when self-employed the earnings 
13:08:34 are very low and savings meagre. 
13:08:36   We also found at that 
13:08:37 respondents said in the same 
13:08:39 job, when they went for 
13:08:40 employment in the same job they 
13:08:44 were paid less as compared to 
13:08:47 disabled men or to women without 
13:08:49 disabilities and this is a huge 
13:08:50 concern which needs to be 
13:08:53 addressed.
13:08:57    In climate justice, situation
13:09:00  is very grim.  Although Article 
13:09:03 11 of the CRPD the Convention on 
13:09:05 rights of persons with 
13:09:06 disabilities, very clearly 
13:09:09 mandates that it is the states 
13:09:12 responsibility to ensure that in 
13:09:15 climate responses, in disasters 
13:09:17 and humanitarian responses, the 
13:09:19 needs and concerns of the 
13:09:21 disabled people must be 
13:09:23 included, but in reality this is 
13:09:27 not so.  The responses that we 
13:09:29 got from our disabled women and 
13:09:32 some men also responded to the 
13:09:34 survey questionnaire, it was 
13:09:37 that information was very 
13:09:39 limited.  In the preliminary 
13:09:41 stages when decision.  Are being 
13:09:44 made, policies are being 
13:09:45 devised, they never get an 
13:09:47 opportunity to join and share 
13:09:50 their concerns.  Sometimes 
13:09:52 information doesn't reach, other 
13:09:56 times venue is inaccessible.  So 
13:09:58 in the four stages, rescue, 
13:09:59 relief, rehabilitation and 
13:10:01 rebuilding, we do not see the 
13:10:03 voices of these people.  We do 
13:10:05 not see their concerns being 
13:10:10 addressed.  And in rescue, face 
13:10:11 when the teams do not understand 
13:10:14 the sensitivity of disability 
13:10:17 often what they do not, should 
13:10:19 not do - I mean there are 
13:10:21 documented cases where you know 
13:10:22 it causes a additional 
13:10:24 disability.  When we are 
13:10:27 rescuing, and the centres the 
13:10:33  the emergency centres they
13:10:35  they have defined emergency 
13:10:37 kits they barely contain 
13:10:41  assistive device
13:10:44  emergency requirements for 
13:10:45 disabled people.  Coming to 
13:10:47 ending vinyls against women and 
13:10:48 girlchild it's again documented 
13:10:50 that very well-known that 
13:10:51 disabled women, disabled 
13:10:54 girlchild they suffer two or 
13:10:56 sometimes three times the number 
13:10:58 of abuses and violence served by 
13:11:01 women without disabilities.  You 
13:11:06 know, but what is the recourse
13:11:10 , what are the solutions, do 
13:11:11 they have a supportive 
13:11:12 environment, ecosystem where 
13:11:14 they can go and share these 
13:11:16 concerns?  Rescue centres are 
13:11:19 very few.  Even if they are bold 
13:11:21 enough to go out and complain, 
13:11:23 how many times police registers 
13:11:25 these cases?  How many 
13:11:28 registered cases are getting 
13:11:31 converted into successful cases 
13:11:33 or the cases being resolved?  
13:11:35 How many times are they able to 
13:11:38 go to the Court, turns the Court 
13:11:39 provide an accessible 
13:11:41  environment?  Infrastructure is 
13:11:44 inaccessible.  Lawyers are not 
13:11:47 available.  Documents are not 
13:11:48 available in alternate formats.  
13:11:49 Sign Language Interpreters are 
13:11:52 not there.  In such a situation 
13:11:55 access to justice is something 
13:11:58 which our policies must look at, 
13:12:01 and consider the special needs 
13:12:04 of or the the unique needs of 
13:12:07 disabled women and girl child.  
13:12:08 These were our concerns which we 
13:12:12 shared at the forum, and both of 
13:12:15 us are contented and quite sure 
13:12:16 that we were able to catch the 
13:12:21 attention of the women's forum, 
13:12:22 they were very interested in our 
13:12:25 issues in the forum and even 
13:12:26 beyond it.  They reached out to 
13:12:30 us and I am sure a positive, 
13:12:33 vibrant inclusive future for 
13:12:35 disabled women in the 
13:12:36 Commonwealth is only a few steps 
13:12:39 away.  Thank you very much.  
13:12:43 Namaste.
13:12:44    
13:12:46 SARAH:  Thank you so much Doctor 
13:12:50 Sruti.  Yes, the women forum was 
13:12:53 very engaging and we were able 
13:12:58 to put forth the issues as she 
13:13:02 has discussed and I know
13:13:06  the Commonwealth gender section 
13:13:08 has also been very supportive to 
13:13:11 enable us, be able to be seen in 
13:13:13 these spaces, and to be able to 
13:13:16 speak our rights out for other 
13:13:17 people to understand what they 
13:13:22 are.  And maybe so that I can 
13:13:24 lump women issues together, I 
13:13:26 would like to call upon Gaudence 
13:13:31 Mushimiyimana who is our women
13:13:34  forum chair to serious talk 
13:13:38  just talk about
13:13:40  the conference or convention on 
13:13:44 the status of women that we have 
13:13:48 also been working with the
13:13:50  Commonwealth Secretariat, the 
13:13:52 gender section unit.  Gaudence 
13:13:55 please if you are available you 
13:13:57 can speak.  Unless you want to 
13:13:59 us share the video.
13:14:03 GAUDENCE:  I am there.
13:14:03 SARAH:  Thank you.
13:14:04 GAUDENCE:  Thank you Madam Chair 
13:14:08 it's a pleasure me meeting you 
13:14:10 all today.  The celebration of 
13:14:11 international day of persons 
13:14:14 with disabilities, coincided 
13:14:16 with the celebration of 16 days 
13:14:19 of activism, we have a reason to 
13:14:20 talk about disability, 
13:14:23 gender-based violence, as a 
13:14:24 challenge for women and girls 
13:14:26 with disabilities to take over 
13:14:28 the leadership.  I am going to 
13:14:29 talk about the Commission on the 
13:14:32 status of women and what it is.  
13:14:34 It's a global intergovernmental 
13:14:36 body that is exclusively 
13:14:39 dedicated to the promotion of 
13:14:41 gender equality, the rights and 
13:14:43 the empowerment of women.  And 
13:14:47 it is an instrumental in 
13:15:27 it is an instrumental in 
13:15:27 promoting of course women's and 
13:15:28 girls' rights.  It's a sexual 
13:15:28 abuse where people learn about 
13:15:28 what is going on, documentation 
13:15:28 on the realities of the life of 
13:15:28 girls and women in general, but 
13:15:28 also it's a space where people 
13:15:28 think, reflect, about shaping 
13:15:28 the global standards on gender 
13:15:28 equality and the empowerment of 
13:15:28 women and girls.
13:15:29 Where is the place for women and 
13:15:29 girls with disabilities,  CSW, 
13:15:29 we recognise that some progress 
13:15:29 will be made and disabled 
13:15:29 women's organisation attend the 
13:15:30 platform, they can engage and 
13:15:35 advocacy.  Few sessions talk 
13:15:36 with the issues of women and 
13:15:39 girls with disability, as either 
13:15:41 standing alone discussion, but 
13:15:44 also as an interesting aspect of 
13:15:46 other sessions and discussions.
13:15:49        The CDPF, Disabled 
13:15:52 Women's Forum, we also recognise 
13:15:53 the support of the Commonwealth 
13:15:56 secretariat, specifically the 
13:15:57 gender department.  That has 
13:16:00 been supporting us, women 
13:16:03 representatives to attend the 
13:16:07 CSW, and this has been an 
13:16:08 opportunity to learn and 
13:16:10 reflect.  What you have learnt 
13:16:14 from the CSW, is that nobody we
13:16:17  have -- we have seen a growing 
13:16:18 movement of gender equality, 
13:16:20 actors from the grass-roots to 
13:16:22 the national to the global 
13:16:26 level, as well as enabling
13:16:28  institutional frameworks 
13:16:30 everywhere.  The CDPF Disabled 
13:16:32 Women's Forum we also recognise 
13:16:35 the increase awareness about 
13:16:38 intersectionality of gender and 
13:16:40 disability across the CSW 
13:16:42 sessions.  They all talk about 
13:16:45 intersectionality, but also from 
13:16:49 the CSW sessions and all the 
13:16:50 representation, it's clear that 
13:16:54 most of the women's forums,
13:16:57  they claim to be  
13:16:57 disability-inclusive.
13:16:59        Then what is remaining 
13:17:01 when it comes to girls and women 
13:17:02 with disabilities and the CSW?  
13:17:05 Of course, the gender equality 
13:17:07 promotion.  I feel like the time 
13:17:10 is now for the global women's 
13:17:12 movement to recognise 
13:17:17  intersectionality, diversity
13:17:18  in Action not just in action, 
13:17:20 not just in presentation, but 
13:17:22 what is happening in the field, 
13:17:23 how this is changing the lives 
13:17:25 of girls and women with 
13:17:26 disabilities in practice.  There 
13:17:30 is also the need to walk the
13:17:33  walk about leaving nobody 
13:17:35 behind that intersection of 
13:17:38 gender and other factors and 
13:17:38 disability inclusion.  Everyone 
13:17:41 talk about,  "Leave nobody 
13:17:43 behind", disability inclusion is 
13:17:45 crucial, but when it comes to 
13:17:46 the realities on the field, the 
13:17:47 implementation of programmes 
13:17:49 this is where we needed to focus 
13:17:51 and put all our efforts.  For 
13:17:53 this to happen, we need to 
13:17:57 generate evidence, disaggregated 
13:17:59 data by gender and disability 
13:18:01 that can showcase where are the 
13:18:03 challenges, where is the gap 
13:18:05 between the talks and the 
13:18:05 realities.
13:18:10        Representation and the
13:18:12  [Inaudible] of women with 
13:18:15 disabilities is also today a 
13:18:16 must to ensure the collective 
13:18:18 women's movement to ending the 
13:18:19 violence.  Today we are 
13:18:23 celebrating 16 days of activism, 
13:18:24 everywhere people are talking 
13:18:25 about gender-based violence, 
13:18:27 they're raising awareness, 
13:18:28 supporting and empowering girls 
13:18:30 and women in general, but there 
13:18:34 is a need to embrace this 
13:18:36 collective movement, quite 
13:18:37 different from today.  Today 
13:18:39 movement is general, when the 
13:18:41 people move, when women's 
13:18:42 empowerment programmes are being 
13:18:45 implemented, people feel like 
13:18:47 every woman is there, which is 
13:18:49 quite different.  We need to see 
13:18:51 every woman at the front line 
13:18:54 fight violence and for this to 
13:18:57 come into, to come on board this 
13:18:59 will require really every woman 
13:19:02 to understand, but also being 
13:19:05 equipped and sure of her safety, 
13:19:07 security and support of many 
13:19:10 other women standing on our 
13:19:13 side.  It should be a movement 
13:19:17 that ensures that everyone, 
13:19:19 every woman is moving and also 
13:19:20 with moving she understands what 
13:19:22 to do, what are the 
13:19:23 requirements, what are the 
13:19:23 actions.
13:19:24        The other thing that we 
13:19:26 needed to think about is 
13:19:28 understanding that the building 
13:19:29 women's movement in general 
13:19:31 today requires also economic 
13:19:35 empowerment, all the speakers 
13:19:37 talking about economic 
13:19:38 empowerment, this is critical 
13:19:40 for every woman, not just for 
13:19:41 women in general, because 
13:19:43 disabled women need the power 
13:19:45 within.  Within their pocket, 
13:19:46 having the money and making sure 
13:19:49 that whenever she decide to say 
13:19:52 no to gender-based violence she 
13:19:54 can survive.  She has the  
13:19:55 money, she has the resources 
13:19:57 that can help her to survive 
13:20:00 beyond the violence.  But, 
13:20:02 again, women's movement building 
13:20:06 and coalitions should embrace 
13:20:08 that human rights approach, with 
13:20:09 a right to participation and 
13:20:11 inclusion of marginalised groups 
13:20:13 should be core guiding principle 
13:20:14 for every actor.
13:20:16        Disabled women's 
13:20:20 organisations are experts and 
13:20:22 you all know that we know what 
13:20:24 we need that we can advise on 
13:20:26 what and how inclusive programme 
13:20:28 projects should look like.  We 
13:20:30 don't need someone to stand on 
13:20:32 our behalf and talk about our 
13:20:34 own experiences, because they 
13:20:36 know what it is.  Inclusion of 
13:20:38 women with disabilities and the 
13:20:40 caregivers specifically women 
13:20:44 and girls, to use their risk of 
13:20:46 gender-based violence should 
13:20:49 also be a core part of 
13:20:51 strategies, not something 
13:20:52 special or even separate, 
13:20:54 because most of the actors when 
13:20:57 you listen to those 
13:21:00 presentations at the CSW, people 
13:21:02 prefer to have separate 
13:21:03 programmes and this is another 
13:21:06 kind of discrimination.  
13:21:07 Separate programme should serve 
13:21:10 as a bridge to inclusion, not 
13:21:16 just a purpose programme, no, 
13:21:19 but institutional compatibility 
13:21:21 for our organisation is also 
13:21:23 critical because leadership was 
13:21:24 started by getting organised, 
13:21:27 getting empowered and then you 
13:21:29 take over the voice.  So, erm... 
13:21:32 let us stand on the side of just 
13:21:34 every woman who needs our hands. 
13:21:36  It's difficult of course, to 
13:21:38 denounce violence when you know 
13:21:41 you are still 100% depending on 
13:21:42 someone else and most of the 
13:21:44 time, you depend on the 
13:21:47 perpetrator, this is the case 
13:21:49 for many girls and women with 
13:21:52 disabilities.  Thank you.
13:21:56 SARAH:  Thank you Gaudence.
13:21:58   That is very clearly 
13:22:02 stipulated on what women 
13:22:05 require, and what women's rights 
13:22:09 are and how they're supposed to 
13:22:11 entrench themselves in the 
13:22:13 women's movement and still be 
13:22:14 distinct because their needs and 
13:22:15 their rights are different from 
13:22:16 the women without disabilities, 
13:22:18 but they have also to move 
13:22:21 together as women in the first 
13:22:22 place.
13:22:23        Thank you for that.  I 
13:22:28 want to call upon Kihembo.
13:22:30 RICHARD:  Sorry, Chair, we have 
13:22:32 asked Clare as -- Clare asked if 
13:22:33 she can go.  She has been 
13:22:35 fighting fires all day, she 
13:22:36 wants to talk about 
13:22:38 environmental crisis if you 
13:22:40 could come in now and then 
13:22:41 Kihembo next, please.
13:22:43 SARAH:  Okay, that will be 
13:22:43 fine.
13:22:46 RICHARD:  Clare, over to you.
13:22:46 SARAH:  Clare you can... you can 
13:22:48 come in.
13:22:50 CLARE:  Thank you Chair.
13:22:53 SARAH:  From the crisis live!  
13:22:53 [Laughter]
13:22:54 CLARE:  Yes, we can, we have 
13:22:57 been fighting fires all week 
13:22:58 actually and I'm going to 
13:22:59 questions that I'm absolutely 
13:23:01 exhausted, so thank you for 
13:23:04 letting me step in.  So I think 
13:23:06 it's really important that we 
13:23:08 start off with something that I 
13:23:11 hear a lot, so for those of you 
13:23:13 who don't know me, my name is 
13:23:15 Clare, I'm part of the 
13:23:16 Executive, I'm from Australia 
13:23:18 and you might have geguessed.
13:23:22  guessed, I spend a lot of time 
13:23:25 working in disaster preparedness 
13:23:28 and I'm a responder, I work with 
13:23:29 governments arrange climate 
13:23:30 change for people with 
13:23:33 disabilities, I get the idea 
13:23:34 that disasters don't 
13:23:35 discriminate.  Frankly that's 
13:23:37 nonsense, everyone here in this 
13:23:38 virtual room here online, we 
13:23:40 know that they do.  Globally 
13:23:42 climate change is a magnifier of 
13:23:44 existing inequalities, they 
13:23:47 disproportionately impacting 
13:23:48 persons with disabilities, 
13:23:51 because we have already facing 
13:23:53 entrenched social, economic and 
13:23:56 political disparities.  We are 
13:23:58 far over-represented when it 
13:24:01 comes to being displaced by 
13:24:03 climate disasters but our 
13:24:05 representation in disaster 
13:24:07 planning and climate resilience 
13:24:07 mitigation programmes remains 
13:24:10 alarmingly low.
13:24:11        So, I'm just going to go 
13:24:14 -- some of the, our previous 
13:24:15 speakers have gone into some of 
13:24:17 the information so I won't spend 
13:24:19 too long.  I'd like to really 
13:24:20 focus on the solutions.
13:24:23        So, we know that we face 
13:24:25 systemic and physical barriers 
13:24:27 that make it harder for us to 
13:24:28 access emergency services, 
13:24:30 shelters and evacuation routes.  
13:24:32 We know we are excluded from 
13:24:33 preparedness planning and relief 
13:24:35 and recovery efforts that leaves 
13:24:37 us four times more likely to die 
13:24:37 or be injured.
13:24:39        We know that we are not 
13:24:41 included in training and 
13:24:42 decision-making processes that 
13:24:43 would actually enable us to 
13:24:46 build our own resilience against 
13:24:49 climate impact, and we also know 
13:24:50 that during this time the risk 
13:24:52 of all forms of violence 
13:24:54 increases exponentially but 
13:24:56 there are often no safe paths to 
13:24:56 justice.
13:24:58        Climate change doesn't 
13:25:00 impact us on its own, it impacts 
13:25:02 all of the other thing that we 
13:25:05 face, for example, with our 
13:25:06 health and wellbeing we know 
13:25:08 that climate induced health 
13:25:11 crisis such as heatwaves, mall 
13:25:13 nutrusion from food insecurity 
13:25:15 and the spread of diseases 
13:25:17 disproportionately affect us, we 
13:25:19 have already got poor access to 
13:25:21 healthcare and this is amplified 
13:25:22 through climate change.
13:25:25        We saw this during the 
13:25:28 Covid-19 pandemic, where health 
13:25:29 professionals actually wade the 
13:25:30 value of our lives against the 
13:25:32 lives of non-disabled people and 
13:25:34 decided who was actually more 
13:25:35 worthy of treatment.
13:25:39        Climate and disaster
13:25:42  exacerbates economic 
13:25:45 disempowerment.  They often hit 
13:25:47 informal economic sectors the 
13:25:48 hardest, where people like us 
13:25:50 are over-represented.  We face 
13:25:52 the loss of livelihoods in many 
13:25:54 areas, including agriculture, 
13:25:57 fishing, market trading and 
13:25:59 that's further exacerbated for 
13:26:01 people in rural areas.
13:26:03        We also know that there 
13:26:06 are compounding economic 
13:26:07 precarity that comes from 
13:26:09 systematic exclusion from 
13:26:11 resources and opportunities for 
13:26:13 people who have an  intersecting 
13:26:15 identity.  So they may be women 
13:26:16 with disabilities, members of 
13:26:21 the LGBTQIA+ community, so that 
13:26:23 is greatly impacted through 
13:26:24 climate change.
13:26:27        We also, we know that the 
13:26:30 gender-based violence, violence 
13:26:31 across the board is hugely 
13:26:34 impacted through climate change. 
13:26:37  The displacement and the 
13:26:38 resource scarcity that comes 
13:26:40 from these disasters increase 
13:26:42 the risk of all forms of 
13:26:44 violence including sexual and 
13:26:45 domestic violence and we know 
13:26:47 the shelters and the camps often 
13:26:49 like any safety measures and 
13:26:51 there is a lot of culture 
13:26:52 stigmas that prevent  reporting, 
13:26:54 again we are not taken seriously 
13:26:55 and we don't have a clear path 
13:26:56 to justice.
13:26:58        We're generally included 
13:27:00 from the decision-making roles 
13:27:03 in climate adaptation and in any 
13:27:05 mitigation planning despite our 
13:27:06 own unique perspectives and are 
13:27:08 skills and contributions, there 
13:27:09 are many people in Australia 
13:27:11 like me who have a disability 
13:27:12 who are part of emergency 
13:27:14 response teams and I know that 
13:27:16 that is the case around the 
13:27:16 world.
13:27:20        This exclusion actually 
13:27:21 perpetuates any of those in 
13:27:24 equities and it limits the 
13:27:25 effectiveness of any climate 
13:27:27 solutions.  The other thing that 
13:27:32 it does is perpetuates idea
13:27:35  of us as passive members of 
13:27:36 community it continues the idea 
13:27:37 that we have a lack of autonomy 
13:27:39 and we don't have any agency of 
13:27:41 our own.  So what do we need to 
13:27:43 fix the problems?  We need to 
13:27:46 strengthen, we need to 
13:27:50  need to strengthen reps in our
13:27:51  decision-making processes, be 
13:27:54 included in planning and 
13:27:55 policy-making, we need to be 
13:27:56 more than just visible we need 
13:27:59 to space to have active presence 
13:28:01 and influence the decisions and 
13:28:02 policies as they are develop not 
13:28:04 trying to fit them to meet our 
13:28:05 needs after the fact.
13:28:06        We also need disability 
13:28:10 responsive climate finance, any 
13:28:11 financing programmes and 
13:28:15 policies such as the newly 
13:28:17 developing loss and damage fund 
13:28:19 that has just come out of COP in 
13:28:22 Baku, anything like that has to 
13:28:23 prioritise the specific needs 
13:28:24 that we have as persons with 
13:28:27 disabilities.  A significant 
13:28:30 portion of these climate finance 
13:28:33 programmes actually neglect any 
13:28:34 equality objectives.  So 
13:28:34 governments and organisations 
13:28:37 have to ensure that any future 
13:28:40 investments are both responsive 
13:28:42 and inclusive, and accessible to 
13:28:43 us.  We need to make sure that 
13:28:46 we work to hold those who are 
13:28:47 responsible for the climate 
13:28:49 crisis accountable, and that 
13:28:50 means ensuring that the burden 
13:28:52 of the financing climate 
13:28:54 responses falls on the shoulders 
13:28:59  of those who
13:29:00  are actually responsible for 
13:29:04 the crisis, the leadders, not us 
13:29:04 as individuals and communities, 
13:29:06 and ensuring that we can access 
13:29:08 a where, transparent and 
13:29:10 accountable system of finance.
13:29:12        When it comes to disaster 
13:29:15 policies, we need laws and 
13:29:15 frameworks that actually 
13:29:17 explicitly address our needs as 
13:29:19 persons with disability?  Local 
13:29:21 and community-based solutions 
13:29:23 are key and it is really 
13:29:24 important to note that it's more 
13:29:26 than just the geographical 
13:29:27 location that we are talking 
13:29:29 about here, we are also talking 
13:29:31 about cultural groups and 
13:29:33 identities, because we know that 
13:29:36 we are, in all of our, having 
13:29:38 disability and other 
13:29:39 intersectional identities we are 
13:29:41 often not included in the 
13:29:42 geographical communities where 
13:29:44 we live, so it's important that 
13:29:47 we look wider than that.  
13:29:49 Lastly, we need equitable access 
13:29:51 to resources and training, we 
13:29:52 need capacity-building 
13:29:54 programmes that offer us access 
13:29:57 to tools and the technology and 
13:29:58 education on sustainable 
13:30:01 practices so that we can be part 
13:30:05 of change in our communities.
13:30:07   Often the inclusion of persons 
13:30:10 with disabilities is viewed by 
13:30:12 key decision makes as a moral 
13:30:14 imperative.  I think it's time 
13:30:15 that we change that and started 
13:30:18 using a framework of this being 
13:30:22 a strategic necessity.
13:30:27    We know that when I we lead, 
13:30:28 we have seen it in lots of 
13:30:30 grassroots initiative, our 
13:30:31 communities are safer stronger 
13:30:32 and more resilient.  We also 
13:30:33 know that solutions that include 
13:30:36 us from the beginning of their 
13:30:40  design, cost less in
13:30:42  the long run because they are 
13:30:43 not having to be changed  
13:30:45 adapted or rebuilt to adapt for 
13:30:46 persons with disabilities.  This 
13:30:48 a human rights issue we deserve 
13:30:49 to be part of solution.  Thank 
13:30:53 you Chair.
13:30:58 SARAH:  Thank you so much.
13:30:59 RICHARD:  Scader has been trying 
13:31:03 to get in for a while, she can't 
13:31:05 do her bit, she will do a film 
13:31:10 for next week we will put up.
13:31:12 SARAH:  Richard you are saying 
13:31:14  something?
13:31:15 RICHARD:  Scader had let me know 
13:31:17 she doesn't feel well enough to 
13:31:18 present so she will do something 
13:31:21 on law and justice for next 
13:31:26 week, we'll put it up.
13:31:30 SARAH:  Ok.  We were going to
13:31:34  take Kihembo yes weren't we.
13:31:37 SARAH:  Yes Kihembo is going to 
13:31:39 speak to us, he is our youth 
13:31:41 representative who has done a 
13:31:43 lot of work and achieved a lot 
13:31:47 of mobilisation youth
13:31:51  with disabilities around
13:31:52  the Commonwealth and would like 
13:31:54 to share with us what has been 
13:31:56 going on, Kihembo please take 
13:32:00  floor. [video playing]
13:32:04    
13:35:05 SARAH:  Thank you so much 
13:35:09 Kihembo.  Yeah we must let our 
13:35:13 youth lead now so they can gain 
13:35:15 the experience even to.  Leaders 
13:35:16 of tomorrow as we exit this 
13:35:20 space a the older ones as we
13:35:21  mentor them, we need to give 
13:35:24 them the space to also be able 
13:35:27 to lead.  We're talking about 
13:35:28 leadership and amplifying the 
13:35:31 voices of leadership as per the 
13:35:34 theme for this year's 
13:35:36 international day, so I want to 
13:35:40 call upon another youth
13:35:43  representative, Saista Parwin 
13:35:48 who is also a youth I
13:35:51  representative in the Executive 
13:35:53 to talk about the ministers 
13:35:56 meeting of the youths at CHOGM 
13:35:58 including our youth leaders 
13:35:59 capacity building work we have 
13:36:01 been carrying around.  Saista 
13:36:03 please take the floor.
13:36:04 RICHARD:  I am not sure she is 
13:36:06 on the call.
13:36:07 SARAH:  She's not?
13:36:10 RICHARD:  I don't think so.
13:36:13 GEMMA:  Couldn't see her.  S.
13:36:14 SARAH:  Did she send any?
13:36:15 RICHARD:  She has not sent 
13:36:16 anything, but we could ask if 
13:36:18 there's any other youth on the 
13:36:21 call who want to say, I see 
13:36:23 another member of our executive 
13:36:27 is there, Gorret, she might want 
13:36:30 to say something?  Who is in the 
13:36:31 youth.
13:36:35 SARAH:  We can go ahead.
13:36:39   Gorret?
13:36:41 RICHARD:  She was there, let's 
13:36:45 see if she is still there.
13:36:53 SARAH:  Gorret are you able to 
13:36:55 speak up?
13:36:56 RICHARD:  There's also, who else 
13:37:00 is there ... there's Yousef who 
13:37:01 is there who can speak true his 
13:37:06  speak through his interpreter 
13:37:07 as he is using the sign 
13:37:09 interpreter, so maybe he could 
13:37:13 say something.
13:37:21 SARAH:  You can unmute yourself 
13:37:22 or your interpreter.
13:37:23 RICHARD:  He will have to sign 
13:37:25 and then she will voice the 
13:37:29 signning, yes.
13:37:33   If his camera is working he 
13:37:35 can do that.
13:37:36 GEMMA:  I can't see him listed 
13:37:37 actually.
13:37:38 RICHARD:  He's at the bottom, 
13:37:41 but he has not got his camera 
13:37:43 on.  We can ask him to unmute.
13:37:44 GEMMA:  Could if I could get to 
13:37:46 his name, could you ask him 
13:37:49 please.
13:37:54 SARAH:  Yousef
13:38:00 l Y as h
13:38:07  Yahaya.
13:38:08 RICHARD:  I have asked him to 
13:38:10 start his video.  There are some 
13:38:12 people who were on the course I 
13:38:17 think, there's Vilda is there,
13:38:21  and a couple of others.
13:38:23 SARAH:  Anyone who has taken the 
13:38:27 course can speak a bit?
13:38:28 RICHARD:  Kihembo is online but 
13:38:29 he will have to use the  chat, 
13:38:31 so he could answer some things 
13:38:33 if anybody asks some things on 
13:38:36 the chat.  There are several 
13:38:39 youth under 30 who did the 
13:38:40 course if any within you would 
13:38:41 like to say something that would 
13:38:45 be useful.
13:38:53   No?
13:38:58 SARAH:  Are there some youth on 
13:38:59 the call?
13:39:00 RICHARD:  They are but they are 
13:39:02 a bit shy by sound of it.  Zane 
13:39:04 .
13:39:06 SARAH:  Ok.
13:39:08 RICHARD:  Maybe come back in a 
13:39:10 bit, shall we press on?
13:39:11 SARAH:  I think we can move to 
13:39:14 the next presentation where we 
13:39:20 ask Rhoda from Malta reason.
13:39:21 RICHARD:  I am not sure she's on 
13:39:23 at moment, she was going to come 
13:39:25 about 2, we're not quite there 
13:39:29 yet.  Why don't we take Emile.  
13:39:32 Is Abia still on, Abia has gone. 
13:39:35  So she had her  say.  We've got 
13:39:37 Emile, do you want to do in the 
13:39:38 person Emile or do you want to 
13:39:42 us show the film?
13:39:43 EMILE:  I don't mind Richard, 
13:39:45 what do you think?
13:39:46 RICHARD:  Why don't we show the 
13:39:47 film it's very succinct then you 
13:39:48 can come on to answer any points 
13:39:50 raised by it.  Ok.
13:39:52 EMILE:  Ok thank you.
13:39:54 RICHARD:  Can we put up Emile's 
13:39:55 film then he will answer any 
13:39:59 points from it. [video playing]
13:40:05 EMILE:  Good may Gould day my 
13:40:08 name is doctor Emile, I 
13:40:11 represent under represented on 
13:40:11 the Commonwealth Disabled 
13:40:12 People's Forum it's a privilege 
13:40:14 to stand before you today as we 
13:40:17 celebrate international day of 
13:40:17 persons with disabilities and 
13:40:20 reflect on the progress we have 
13:40:22 wade towards creating a more 
13:40:24 inclusive and equitable world.  
13:40:27 This year's theme, leaving 
13:40:28 no-one behind is a powerful 
13:40:30 reminder of the urgent need to 
13:40:32 uplift our voices of those who 
13:40:35 are often being overlooked, in 
13:40:37 the conversation about 
13:40:39 disability rights and 
13:40:41 representation.  Today I want to 
13:40:43 speak to you about the 
13:40:45 importance of representing under 
13:40:47 represented.  It is not just an 
13:40:50 obligation, it is a moral 
13:40:53 imperative.  Every voice 
13:40:56 matters, and every story adds 
13:41:00 value, to the fabric of our 
13:41:02 collective advocacy.  We saw 
13:41:05 this truth come alive during the 
13:41:08 historic side event earlier this 
13:41:09 year.  For the first time in the 
13:41:12 history of the UN Convention on 
13:41:13 the rights of persons with 
13:41:18 disabilities, COP17 event,
13:41:21  autism South Africa from across 
13:41:22 South Africa share their 
13:41:24 personal narratives and their 
13:41:27 lived experiences.  This grand 
13:41:28 breaking moment shattered 
13:41:34 barriers and silenced
13:41:35  and invisibility giving rise to 
13:41:37 stories that revealed not only 
13:41:41 the challenges but also the 
13:41:43 resilience and potential of 
13:41:46 individuals who have long been 
13:41:50 overlooked, and been excluded.  
13:41:52 Their voices carried with them 
13:41:56 the weight of entire community, 
13:41:57 communities that have been 
13:41:59 denied a seat at the table for 
13:42:04 far too long.  It was a moment
13:42:07  of collective triumph and I 
13:42:10 poignant reminder that inclusion 
13:42:14 is not just a
13:42:17  privilege to be granted but 
13:42:21 right to be represented.  These 
13:42:24 events like for instance the 
13:42:28 COP17 side event,
13:42:31  underscore our fundamental 
13:42:36 truth,
13:42:37  representation transforms 
13:42:38 leaves.  When we represent the 
13:42:39 voice of the understand 
13:42:40 represented we force the 
13:42:43 belonging, dismantling barriers 
13:42:46 and create pathways for 
13:42:50 empowerment.  But unfortunately
13:42:52  representation does more than 
13:42:57 this.  This feels systemic 
13:42:59 change.  When a person from an 
13:43:01 under represented group takes 
13:43:04 the stage they become a catalyst 
13:43:05 for challenging stereotypes and 
13:43:09 shifting perceptions.  Their 
13:43:09 voice spark conversation that 
13:43:11 ripple true policies, practice 
13:43:13 and attitudes.  They remind 
13:43:15 decision makers and stakeholders 
13:43:18 of the urgency to invest in 
13:43:21 inclusive education, 
13:43:24 accessibility environment, and 
13:43:25 equitable opportunities for all. 
13:43:28  And this is why we can't stop 
13:43:32 here.  Representation cannot be
13:43:36  a token, it must be consistent. 
13:43:39  Intentional and it must be 
13:43:42 authentic.  We need to continue 
13:43:45 creating spaces where under 
13:43:46 represented groups can share 
13:43:51 stories, not as an after taught
13:43:56  afterthought but as a priority 
13:43:58 for all.  As we move forward let 
13:43:59 us remember that individual made 
13:44:02 history at Co the P17, the 
13:44:05 self-advocates let their courage 
13:44:07 inspire us to keep breaking 
13:44:10 barriers down and opening doors. 
13:44:12  Let the stories remind us that 
13:44:14 representation is not about 
13:44:17 charity, pdut about justice.  So 
13:44:20 on this international day of 
13:44:22 persons with disabilities, let 
13:44:25 us commit ourselves ensuring 
13:44:27 that no voice is left unheard, 
13:44:31 no group is left behind, and no 
13:44:32 dream is lest unrealised.  
13:44:34 Together we can create a world 
13:44:36 where every person regardless of 
13:44:38 their identity, or 
13:44:40 circumstances, or even their 
13:44:44 diversity, has the opportunity 
13:44:45 to thrive and to form part of 
13:44:50 society.  Thank you very much.
13:44:56 RICHARD:  We have got, Gorret is 
13:45:00 back on the call now Chair.
13:45:01 SARAH:  Thank you Emile.  Abia 
13:45:03 is back.
13:45:05 RICHARD:  Ok we have got Abia 
13:45:07 and Gorret and we have also got 
13:45:09 Rose who could say something and 
13:45:10 then I think we could throw it 
13:45:15 open after that Chair.
13:45:18 SARAH:  Okay, okay, is Kerryann 
13:45:19 in the call?
13:45:20 RICHARD:  No I've sent her a 
13:45:22 message, I'll send her one more 
13:45:25 to see if she can come now, 
13:45:26 okay.
13:45:28 SARAH:  Okay.  Let's see if we 
13:45:29 can take on the youth -- thank 
13:45:30 you so much e Neil, thank you so 
13:45:33 much for reminding  us.
13:45:34 EMILE:  Okay.
13:45:36 SARAH:  Nobody should be left 
13:45:39 behind regardless of the type of 
13:45:39 disability and diversity that 
13:45:43 they have.  And that inclusion 
13:45:47 is very key, because
13:45:52  there are under-represented 
13:45:53 disabilities or disabilities 
13:45:55 that are are not visible have 
13:45:57 been left behind in the past so 
13:45:58 that representation is very key. 
13:45:59  Thank you so much for your 
13:46:00 interventions.
13:46:04  interventions let me now call 
13:46:05 upon the youthful lot.
13:46:09        We start with Rose 
13:46:12 Umutesi.
13:46:14 RICHARD:  She's not youth she's 
13:46:18 mental health.  Gorret, Gorret?
13:46:22 SARAH:  Goretti.
13:46:24   Goretti, you can tell us about 
13:46:26 the training and what the 
13:46:30 trainings have, are about, or 
13:46:32 have they have helped and how 
13:46:36 they are.  What you have gained 
13:46:41 from training co co
13:46:46  training Goretti
13:46:50 .  Can you hear me?
13:46:51 RICHARD:  I thought I saw her on 
13:46:53 the... yeah, she's still there.  
13:46:56 We've got Abia back on as well, 
13:46:58 and...
13:47:02 SARAH:  Yeah.
13:47:10   Goretti, are you speaking?
13:47:14 GEMMA:  That was Abia, briefly.
13:47:17 SARAH:  Oh, okay.  Region I 
13:47:19 think the connections are pretty 
13:47:20 bad for some people at the 
13:47:21 moment.
13:47:23 SARAH:  I think we can call on 
13:47:25 Abia, Abia Akram is also an 
13:47:26 executive member, she 
13:47:28 represented the CDPF at the 
13:47:30 Summit of the Future, to just 
13:47:33 tell us about the same.  Welcome 
13:47:36 Abia.  Abia?
13:47:38 RICHARD:  Yeah, we can just 
13:47:40 about hear you.
13:47:42 ABIA:  Can you hear me, thank 
13:47:45 you so much.  Sorry, like my 
13:47:46 connection is not very good but 
13:47:50 I'll just try to speak  with -- 
13:47:52 thank you for having me today 
13:47:54 and I was hearing a very 
13:47:57 excellent item on interventions 
13:47:58 from all the speakers, so thank 
13:48:01 you so much for organising this 
13:48:02 conversation today.
13:48:05        While celebrating the 
13:48:06 international disability day 
13:48:09 tomorrow globally and also the 
13:48:10 16 days of activism, I think 
13:48:11 it's very important to talk 
13:48:14 about from the implementation 
13:48:16 side of the path for the future. 
13:48:18  We were part of the Summit for 
13:48:22 the Future just recently and the 
13:48:23  Secretary-General and all the 
13:48:25 stakeholders, we were talking 
13:48:28 and more focused on the ideas 
13:48:30 for the path for the future.  
13:48:33 So, [Inaudible] on the agenda 
13:48:35 was starting like with how the 
13:48:36 youth engagement all over the 
13:48:40 world much needed.  I know
13:48:41  there was feedback from many of 
13:48:44 the reasons that why always the 
13:48:46 young people have to take the 
13:48:47 lead, where is the solidarity 
13:48:50 among the older people, kind of 
13:48:53 like support they are providing. 
13:48:56  So there was a link in the Asia 
13:48:57 Pacific region that they have 
13:49:00 said like we will not 
13:49:01 [Inaudible] in the conversation. 
13:49:03  So there was like one impact 
13:49:05 where we have seen, but apart 
13:49:07 from that they were talking more 
13:49:09 about the inclusivity, the 
13:49:11 technology, how we can use 
13:49:11 that.
13:49:14        Third, more major aspect 
13:49:16 of the path for the future about 
13:49:18 the data and segregation of the 
13:49:21 data and how we could, you know, 
13:49:27  modify that in the global 
13:49:28 south, we have seen in the 
13:49:29 global south that the data is 
13:49:31 the biggest challenge when we 
13:49:32 talk about the climate change 
13:49:34 and when we talk about the young 
13:49:35 people with disability, the 
13:49:37 engagement.  When we talk about 
13:49:39 the empowerment opportunity, 
13:49:41 that's all linked with the data 
13:49:42 segregation.  So this was one of 
13:49:44 the very important points, and 
13:49:47 then we also talked about the 
13:49:49 financial and the budgetary 
13:49:52 allocations for the disability 
13:49:54 inclusion and that of course, 
13:49:56 included and linked in with our 
13:49:58 policy as well, which were, 
13:50:00 Richard, which we were 
13:50:01 discussing about the 
13:50:05  implementation on that, so how 
13:50:09 we could link more to be more 
13:50:10 focused.  Next year there is a 
13:50:12 social summit, it's coming.  So 
13:50:19 in that... for a future, future
13:50:22  summit we could provide details 
13:50:24 of our Commonwealth countries 
13:50:27 what we are experiencing and how 
13:50:28 our governments are all engaged 
13:50:29 in that.
13:50:31        So, this was just a brief 
13:50:33 on the path for the future but 
13:50:35 also for the future discussions 
13:50:38 we had a lot of bilateral 
13:50:39 meetings with the Special 
13:50:44 Rapporteur on disability with
13:50:49  [Name] UN disability inclusion 
13:50:51 policy, so we talked them about 
13:50:56 the Commonwealth Disability 
13:50:57 Forum and they are going to 
13:51:00 launch a report next year, an 
13:51:00 evaluation report, so they want 
13:51:02 to incorporate some of the 
13:51:03 recommendations from the 
13:51:05 Commonwealth Disability Forum as 
13:51:10 well.  Just one point about the
13:51:15  [Inaudible] review, Clare 
13:51:20 mentioned she was part of the
13:51:21  Asia Pacific discussions, next 
13:51:23 year in March if we can put some 
13:51:25  recommendations forward from 
13:51:26 the Commonwealth Disability 
13:51:27 Forum that would be amazing, 
13:51:29 good to contribute on that 
13:51:30 platform.
13:51:31        Third, for the global 
13:51:34 disability summit also, they 
13:51:35 were taking some of the 
13:51:36 recommendations from the summit 
13:51:39 for the future to the global 
13:51:41 disability summit, so maybe we 
13:51:42 could just link it with that as 
13:51:44 well, like what kind of like 
13:51:46 role we are contributing.
13:51:48        Just one last point I 
13:51:52 want to highlight about FCDO, 
13:51:54 they're also reviewing their 
13:51:57 policy, the disability 
13:51:59 [Inaudible] on that, Richard has 
13:52:01 already sent out the email, but 
13:52:04 they have included one part of 
13:52:04 that, Commonwealth Disability 
13:52:05 Forum, because they were saying 
13:52:08 like they have assisted us in 
13:52:09 reviewing and developing the 
13:52:12 strategy.  So I think this is 
13:52:14 pretty great that we have a good 
13:52:15 presence there and we will also 
13:52:18 post that for the space as well, 
13:52:22 but it's just like the 
13:52:23 highlights from this forums, but 
13:52:24 if you have any questions I 
13:52:26 could highlight but wore now, I 
13:52:29  for now, I think, yeah, thank 
13:52:29 you.
13:52:31 RICHARD:  Can you send me those 
13:52:33 documents so I can circulate 
13:52:36 them on the links please?  Thank 
13:52:36 you.
13:52:39        There is also Nyasha 
13:52:43 there, the African Union 
13:52:44 ambassador.
13:52:46 ABIA:  Yes, I'll do that.
13:52:48 RICHARD:  I want to come back in 
13:52:50 on some of the ministers 
13:52:52 meetings what we have been doing 
13:52:54 at those, Chair, when you are 
13:52:54 ready.
13:52:55 SARAH:  Yes.
13:52:56 RICHARD:  Okay, thank you, thank 
13:52:58 you Abia.
13:52:59 SARAH:  Thank you so much 
13:53:00 Richard.
13:53:02 RICHARD:  I sent a message to 
13:53:03 Gorret, she's not answered, so I 
13:53:06 assume she doesn't want to speak 
13:53:08 unless you do want to speak 
13:53:11 Gorret, in which case signify.  
13:53:14 If not we'll take ambassador 
13:53:16 Nyasha, Ambassador for 
13:53:18 Disability for the African 
13:53:20 union, if you would like to so a 
13:53:21 few words we will welcome you to 
13:53:22 join just you did a lot of work 
13:53:24 with African countries to get 
13:53:27 them to support the Disability 
13:53:28 Inclusion Action Plan, so 
13:53:30 welcome ambassador.
13:53:32 >> Thank you very much for 
13:53:34 having me in this meeting.  I 
13:53:36 just want to thank everyone who 
13:53:39 presented today.  I was actually 
13:53:40 following from the start, I just 
13:53:44 want to thank Floyd Morris, and 
13:53:46 Dr Samuel Kabue, almost everyone 
13:53:49 who presented, I just want also 
13:53:51 to thank the Commonwealth 
13:53:53 Secretariat for giving us 
13:53:55 support as we are fight towards 
13:53:58 the adoption of the Disability 
13:53:59 Inclusion Action Plan.  Thank 
13:53:59 you very much.
13:54:01     .
13:54:03 RICHARD:  Okay, thank you.  
13:54:05 Chair, maybe if there isn't 
13:54:07 anybody wishing to speak shall I 
13:54:08 round up on the meetings and 
13:54:10 then we can open it up to 
13:54:11 anybody who wants to ask 
13:54:12 questions?
13:54:14 SARAH:  Yes please, I saw a hand 
13:54:15 from Prasanna.
13:54:17 RICHARD:  Okay, let him come in 
13:54:19 now if he wants to.
13:54:20 SARAH:  You can speak if you 
13:54:21 wanted to say something.
13:54:24 PRASANNA:  Thank you very much, 
13:54:25 I was justly sing to the 
13:54:28 presentations, I just want, just 
13:54:30 list sing to the presentations, 
13:54:32 I just want to make one point 
13:54:33 with regard to the intervention 
13:54:36 by Abia, about the disability 
13:54:41 inclusive budgeting.  In the UN
13:54:45  there is one very good 
13:54:48 guideline for precondition for 
13:54:50 disability inclusion, there are 
13:54:53 six areas mentioned, one is the 
13:54:56 CRPD-compliant budgeting.  So we 
13:54:59 can take that as a proper way to 
13:55:01 introduce disability inclusive 
13:55:02 budgeting.
13:55:06        The consider 
13:55:07 pedagogy-compliant budgeting, 
13:55:09 what they basically mention is 
13:55:11 that any government who is 
13:55:13 spending money on new things, 
13:55:15 that money should beaker 
13:55:19  be CRPT compliant
13:55:22 , and it should not create new 
13:55:23 barriers, that's for a good 
13:55:25 point from my understanding, so 
13:55:27 that should become more 
13:55:28 disability inclusive budgeting.  
13:55:32 So I think it's a good way for 
13:55:34 us to initiate and lobby for the 
13:55:36 governments to comply with the 
13:55:42 CRPD compliant budgeting by not
13:55:44  creating new barriers, thank 
13:55:44 you very much.
13:55:45 RICHARD:  If people want to find 
13:55:47 out more about that it's on 
13:55:50 module 6 of our youth leadership 
13:55:50 training, we've got stuff about 
13:55:53 that type of inclusive budgeting 
13:55:55 and some examples from India and 
13:55:57 various other places of it being 
13:55:59 applied.  So you can find at 
13:56:00 more there.
13:56:04 SARAH:  We have a hand from 
13:56:04 Patience.
13:56:05 RICHARD:  Okay.  Patience, 
13:56:07 please.
13:56:12 PATIENCE:  Thank you Chair.
13:56:15   Thank you Chair.  Hello 
13:56:17 everyone, I thank you to all the 
13:56:20 presenters, really, really, you 
13:56:22 have done a very, very good 
13:56:25  job.  Yes I just wanted to add 
13:56:27 and just to add to the one that 
13:56:30 presented by Clare on climate 
13:56:32 change and information and other 
13:56:34 related issues, I just wanted to 
13:56:37 say that this is a very, very 
13:56:41 key and, it seems, yes, 
13:56:42 especially in some countries 
13:56:45 like an emerging issues around 
13:56:48 the persons with disabilities, 
13:56:52 and it's very critical because 
13:56:54 for us in Nigeria it's one thing 
13:56:58 that is...
13:57:00  even as we are working in that 
13:57:04 area, even in the  institutions, 
13:57:05 that have to do with government. 
13:57:07  Government, it's to do with 
13:57:09 climate change also they don't 
13:57:12 really have that knowledge 
13:57:14 around issues of climate change 
13:57:16 as regards persons with 
13:57:17 disabilities, so it's very, very 
13:57:19 critical that we have that as 
13:57:20 one of the very important things 
13:57:24 that we need to highlight within 
13:57:25 our Commonwealth countries, so 
13:57:27 that people begin to see that 
13:57:30 climate change also impacts 
13:57:32 persons with disabilities in all 
13:57:32 areas.
13:57:34        I just also want to say, 
13:57:37 just to contribute a little bit 
13:57:43 around Kihembo's presentation, 
13:57:43 that yes, youths with disability 
13:57:47 is very, very critical area and 
13:57:50 I agree with him to say that it 
13:57:52 has low representation and we 
13:57:55 need to actually also do it kind 
13:57:58 of mentorship amongst ourselves, 
13:58:00 maybe between a kind of 
13:58:02 generation, intergeneration 
13:58:04 equality so that we begin to 
13:58:06 mentor our younger persons with 
13:58:08 disabilities, especially women 
13:58:10 with disabilities so that we'll 
13:58:12 be able to build a better future 
13:58:15 for everyone.  Thank you.
13:58:17 RICHARD:  Good suggestion.
13:58:17 SARAH:  Thank you Patience, now 
13:58:22 I think I can, I've got -- I can
13:58:22  hand over Richard.
13:58:23 RICHARD:  Okay, I just want to 
13:58:26 say that we have been also going 
13:58:28 to Commonwealth ministers 
13:58:29 meetings where we can afford it 
13:58:31 and where we can get there.
13:58:32        We have had 
13:58:34 representation at the youth 
13:58:36 ministers meeting last 
13:58:38 September, last August we had 
13:58:40 representation at the women's 
13:58:42 meeting in the Bahamas, the 
13:58:45 youth meeting was in London.  
13:58:51 There was also a meeting in...
13:58:54  in Tanzania on the law and our 
13:58:56 Chair went to that as well as 
13:58:58 Scader who has not been well 
13:59:00 enough to report back on it.  I 
13:59:01 just wanted to say if you want 
13:59:03 to find out more about are 
13:59:04 position on the law ministers 
13:59:06 meeting, we put out a briefing 
13:59:07 there and a very successful 
13:59:10 meeting with the Commonwealth 
13:59:11 Human Rights Unit, so thank you 
13:59:12 to them for that.
13:59:15 .  It raised this very important 
13:59:16 issue, clearly it's important 
13:59:18 because people our saying that 
13:59:19 if we want to get our Disability 
13:59:21 Inclusion Action Plan through it 
13:59:22 has to go through the next law 
13:59:26 ministers meeting in February in 
13:59:30 Fiji '26.  So the key issue 
13:59:33 really is laws being passed but 
13:59:35 then not mechanisms being 
13:59:39 implemented to make the
13:59:41  convention a reality to the 
13:59:42 ordinary lives of disabled 
13:59:43 people.  Often people just think 
13:59:47 of law and order, you know, and 
13:59:48 people burr beginning and 
13:59:51 they'ving and attacking we heard 
13:59:52 about gender violence and much 
13:59:55 more should be done to equip the 
13:59:56 police and the courts to deal 
13:59:58 with that effectively.  Men 
13:59:59 won't stop doing it until they 
14:00:01 know there is a penalty, 
14:00:03 unfortunatelily it's deeply 
14:00:04 embedded, it's not part of their 
14:00:06 nature, it's a socially acquired 
14:00:10 thing.  Sexism and the way that 
14:00:10 they treat women.  That has to 
14:00:13 change.  It's part of the human 
14:00:17 rights approach.  So we
14:00:19 Fully support that the position 
14:00:21 was put well an argued in ago a 
14:00:25  August a year ago.  The law 
14:00:27 needed needs to apply as I said 
14:00:28 earlier to all aspects of life.  
14:00:31 If people are denied a speak 
14:00:34 access to services, if they are 
14:00:36 denied access o healthcare I 
14:00:37 don't remember education or 
14:00:39 employment, the law needs to be 
14:00:40 seen to be operating her, and so 
14:00:43 there's a lot of work to do to 
14:00:45 train the judiciary, to train 
14:00:47 the police forces, in disability 
14:00:50 equality and there's role there 
14:00:55 for DPOs, OPDs
14:00:56  round the cough to get 
14:00:58 themselves up to speed on that.  
14:00:59 We also actually contributed to 
14:01:01 a seminar on modern day slavery 
14:01:04 we found there were many, many, 
14:01:05 disproportionate number of 
14:01:07 disabled people being treated as 
14:01:09 modern day Salas.  This is not a 
14:01:13  slaves.  It's not
14:01:15  a minor issue, there's a 
14:01:17 substantial number in the 
14:01:17 Commonwealth and around the 
14:01:19 world.  This is often where 
14:01:21 people with intellectual 
14:01:23 impairments are treated without 
14:01:24 being paid the going rate for a 
14:01:27 job or no rate at all or often 
14:01:29 kept captive and made to do work 
14:01:32 for people and often people 
14:01:33 don't know their rights.  We 
14:01:34 think it's really important, 
14:01:35 bringing us on to education, we 
14:01:37 were at the Commonwealth 
14:01:39 education ministers meeting, we 
14:01:40 put in a bulletin.  
14:01:42 Unfortunately we didn't get to 
14:01:44 speak because it was cramped 
14:01:46 into Hamilton house, to the 
14:01:47 ministers as we had in previous 
14:01:50 meetings we had to go into the 
14:01:53 break at rooms.  But we did put 
14:01:54 a broadsheet round and both of 
14:01:55 the these broadsheets are up on 
14:01:56 our website so people and see 
14:01:58 our policies in this area.  Let 
14:02:00 me just outline where we are.  
14:02:02 Obviously we support the move 
14:02:08 towards inclusive education,
14:02:08  the key documents here our 
14:02:09 Article 24 of the Convention, 
14:02:11 but also General Comment Number 
14:02:13 4 which actually puts flesh and 
14:02:15 blood on the bones of Article 
14:02:16 24, and people should all read 
14:02:18 that if they are wanting to 
14:02:19 develop campaigns and work 
14:02:21 around education.
14:02:25    This requires
14:02:27  free primary education for all, 
14:02:29 that means all children whatever 
14:02:30 their impairment, need to be 
14:02:34 able to go to primary school.  
14:02:38 And increasingly that in order 
14:02:39 to do that research round the 
14:02:42 world shows we need to get them 
14:02:46 into pre-education, early years 
14:02:50 education from 3 to 6, or 3 to 7 
14:02:51 whenever school starts.  Because 
14:02:52 if you're not involved at that 
14:02:53 stage it's very difficult 
14:02:55 there's lots of examples around 
14:02:56 the world of how to make that 
14:03:02 work.  Community-based 
14:03:03 rehabilitation I something that 
14:03:04 needs to be looked at it has 
14:03:05 moved over too social model 
14:03:08 approach from its old medical 
14:03:09 models, and field workers go 
14:03:11 from house to house convincing 
14:03:13 parents of disabled children 
14:03:14 that their child should get 
14:03:15 educated, that there is a means 
14:03:17 for them to be educated and 
14:03:21 making a bridge to the local 
14:03:22 school and if necessarily in 
14:03:26  necessarily in King up
14:03:29  necessary linking up training 
14:03:31 with that school.  We locked at 
14:03:33 an example from Fiji where there 
14:03:35 had been a survey of all 
14:03:36 identified disabled children 
14:03:38 with teachers being equipped to 
14:03:41 do this then that was put on an 
14:03:44 education management support 
14:03:47 data network, and from that the 
14:03:48 administrators there were able 
14:03:50 to provide the supports that 
14:03:52 were needed including training 
14:03:54 for the staff at that particular 
14:03:59 school.  But non-common brains 
14:04:03  brains
14:04:10  impairments it's not like that 
14:04:11 teachers will know what to  do, 
14:04:13 it's important that they provide 
14:04:14 training for teachers on 
14:04:15 accommodating the needs of 
14:04:17 different learners.  What else 
14:04:19 do we need for these inclusive 
14:04:20 education to work?  We need the 
14:04:22 barriers to work, we need 
14:04:23 accessible schools, we need the 
14:04:25 physical barriers removed, we 
14:04:27 need toilets that are decent and 
14:04:29 this has an impact on gender and 
14:04:32 education as well.  Where girls 
14:04:33 particularly when they are 
14:04:37 coming up to their periods, the
14:04:39  toilet is foul, they are not 
14:04:40 going to go there they will 
14:04:41 often miss school this impacts 
14:04:43 on them and impacts even more on 
14:04:45 disabled girls.  We need to make 
14:04:47 sure that the toilets are good, 
14:04:49 there's proper hygiene and water 
14:04:51  supply there, that there's 
14:04:53 drinking water, that there is 
14:04:55 electricity because if you don't 
14:04:57 have electricity whether it's 
14:04:59 through solar panels, wind power 
14:05:01 or biological power we don't 
14:05:04 want to have carbon power, then 
14:05:07 we can power up electronic 
14:05:09 devices which are essential now 
14:05:11 for disabled youth to actually 
14:05:13 begin to learn and understand 
14:05:16 the curriculum.  There are 
14:05:18 cheaper ways of doing that, in 
14:05:20 fact are youth officer Kihembo 
14:05:22 has a brilliant film out we will 
14:05:23 put the link up on the website, 
14:05:27 showing how working with small 
14:05:29 devices he has managed to 
14:05:31 actually, off the grid, prime 
14:05:32 them up with information so you 
14:05:36 don't even need to be internet 
14:05:36 connected as long a the device 
14:05:38 has the information on it for 
14:05:39 young people to benefit from 
14:05:40 this.
14:05:42    We need a curriculum that is 
14:05:45 for all.  The curriculum is far 
14:05:47 too rigid in too many countries 
14:05:49 in the Commonwealth.  It's based 
14:05:52 on the old grade system, and so 
14:05:52 I have found in my travels 
14:05:54 around the world on inclusion, I 
14:05:56 do a lot of work on inclusion, 
14:05:59 the oldest child in a primary 
14:06:03 classroom I found was in Lesotho 
14:06:07 though who was 27 years old, he 
14:06:08 had never managed to get up 
14:06:10 passed the grade exams.  What we 
14:06:12 argue for inclusion and what the 
14:06:13 UN argue is that children should 
14:06:15 move up with their age cohort, 
14:06:17 they should be evaluated on the 
14:06:20 value added they put on each 
14:06:23 year, not to normative tests but 
14:06:26 to tests that are based about 
14:06:27 what they knew before and what 
14:06:28 they know now, activities they 
14:06:31 can do and we can involve peers 
14:06:32 in this, peer support, peer 
14:06:34  tutoring is crucial.  So where 
14:06:37 you have a classroom of 60 or 70 
14:06:39 and all the desks are facing the 
14:06:41 front, turn the desks round, put 
14:06:42 them into squares and get the 
14:06:45 peers to support each other in 
14:06:47 learning different activities.  
14:06:50 Make the curriculum do the work, 
14:06:52 rather than the teacher from the 
14:06:55 front all the chalk and talk.  
14:06:57 We need to change the role of a 
14:06:59 teacher to be a facilitator of 
14:07:01 learning at different rates in 
14:07:02 different ways with different 
14:07:04 supports, in the classroom so 
14:07:07 that all can make progress.  
14:07:08 This model is still not being 
14:07:11 adopted in most countries round 
14:07:12 the Commonwealth and needs to be 
14:07:15 if we're going to progress we 
14:07:17 need to getaway from the old 
14:07:19 special educational needs model 
14:07:21 to a rights-based model where 
14:07:23 every child is valued for who 
14:07:25 they are what they can do, 
14:07:26 rather than old special needs 
14:07:28 model which is identifying 
14:07:30 children by what they can't do 
14:07:30 and then providing extra 
14:07:32 resources to them.
14:07:35    This model which leads to 
14:07:37 segregation and dropping out and 
14:07:39 exclusion, is against human 
14:07:40 rights and we really need to 
14:07:43 work hard in all our authorities 
14:07:45 and all our schools and 
14:07:46 countries, to challenge this.  
14:07:50 We put in a briefing that said 
14:07:52 this, and it had some impact but 
14:07:53 we would like to see at the next 
14:07:56 education minister's meeting, 
14:07:57 that inclusion was actually at 
14:08:00 the centre of it.  Because it 
14:08:01 skirted round it, it didn't deal 
14:08:05 with the real issues round it.  
14:08:06 The Commonwealth needs to maker 
14:08:10 its ideas up really and come 
14:08:11 into line with what the 
14:08:12 Convention requires on things 
14:08:13 like gender rights, youth 
14:08:15 rights, women's rights, health 
14:08:19 rights, and law that is where we 
14:08:20 need to be going into the 
14:08:23 future.  We will do our part as 
14:08:23 the Commonwealth Disabled 
14:08:24 People's Forum on that, but we 
14:08:27 need all of you locally to be 
14:08:29 putting pressure on your 
14:08:30 government to do this.  Don't 
14:08:31 sit back and think oh there's 
14:08:33 nothing we can do, we have heard 
14:08:36 loads of examples where you can 
14:08:37 get out and organise whether 
14:08:39 it's doing an access audit, 
14:08:41 having a media campaign, whether 
14:08:42 it's lobbying Parliament, 
14:08:44 lobbying the parties of 
14:08:45 Parliament to make sure that 
14:08:47 they have disabled people on 
14:08:49 their platforms, to stand for 
14:08:52 election.  We have made great 
14:08:53 progress in this year of 
14:08:56 elections in 2024, and we have 
14:08:58 reports up on the website about 
14:09:02 this, but people our voting more 
14:09:04 now.  But they are still not 
14:09:05 standing for Parliament, they 
14:09:07 are still not getting elected, 
14:09:08 so the political parties 
14:09:11 themselves must be challenged 
14:09:12 that they are discriminating if 
14:09:15 they are not exercising positive 
14:09:19 action to actually include 
14:09:19 disabled candidates on their 
14:09:21 tickets.  And of course, that 
14:09:22 means also taking up disability 
14:09:26 issues.  These are not parochial 
14:09:29  issues, with one 7th of the 
14:09:31 world population impacted this I 
14:09:34 a major issue if you count there 
14:09:36 families it a majority issue 
14:09:37 round the world it needs to be 
14:09:40 taken seriously.  We have much 
14:09:42 to do, but we have come some 
14:09:43 considerable way this year and 
14:09:47 we aim to go further
14:09:48 , thank you.  Now Chair I think 
14:09:51 we could open it up.
14:09:55 SARAH:  Thank you Richard.
14:10:00   Yeah you have clearly 
14:10:02 highlighted the thing that we 
14:10:04 have been able to do and what we 
14:10:05 are still pushing our 
14:10:08 governments to do in order for 
14:10:12 us to be able to achieve
14:10:15  the implementation of the CRPD 
14:10:19 and even having those laws,
14:10:23  not just enacted in our 
14:10:27 countries, but for us as OPDs to
14:10:28  push our governments to ensure 
14:10:30 that those laws are being 
14:10:34 implemented and we will not tire 
14:10:37 until we see that come to a 
14:10:42  fruition.  I wanted to talk 
14:10:43 about the law ministers meeting 
14:10:44 because I was there for a few 
14:10:49 days, and I think the day that
14:10:53  we had a day where we met a 
14:10:56 side meeting on practical 
14:10:57 pathways to strengthening access 
14:10:59 to justice, for disabled people 
14:11:02 in the Commonwealth, and that 
14:11:05 meeting was attended by over 30 
14:11:07 judicial officers, attorney 
14:11:10 generals from various countries, 
14:11:14 and it was such a very very
14:11:19  fruitful time for us to put
14:11:20  across the equality before the 
14:11:21 law, for persons with 
14:11:27 disabilities especially persons 
14:11:28 with mental disabilities who are 
14:11:29 disregarded by the law because 
14:11:30 of the type of disability they 
14:11:32 have, they are discriminated and 
14:11:35 the law ministers were there and 
14:11:39 at the end of the meeting,
14:11:42  I could say the take aways we 
14:11:46 have is we had proposed and
14:11:48  they took and we're going to 
14:11:50 put in place in their countries, 
14:11:54 was the consensus on the need to 
14:11:55 develop standard guidelines for 
14:11:58 administering justice o disabled 
14:12:02 people, participants found the 
14:12:04 existing framework a bit quite 
14:12:07 useful and the judge from 
14:12:08 Tanzania was also part of the 
14:12:13 meeting and that standardisation 
14:12:14 is key so that persons with 
14:12:17 disabilities are being treated 
14:12:20 on a standardised way, not a 
14:12:23 special group but they should be 
14:12:28 judged or given justice in a
14:12:30  standard way.
14:12:32    Then the need also for 
14:12:35 training for the judicial 
14:12:37  services, the administrators, 
14:12:39 and those who are part of the 
14:12:43 system when it comes to legal
14:12:46  provision the police, the 
14:12:48 prosecutors, they need to 
14:12:50 undergo some training on 
14:12:51 disability equality so they can 
14:12:53 be able to understand what 
14:12:56 exactly to put in place what 
14:12:57 exactly to look out for when 
14:13:02 they are doing cases
14:13:04  for persons with disabilities.  
14:13:08 Another thing is also now like 
14:13:10 to top it up the attitudinal 
14:13:14  barriers, and there is a 
14:13:17 significant change on attitudes 
14:13:19 for persons with disabilities, 
14:13:23 but that still in
14:13:25  in some countries, some place 
14:13:26 it's still rife and the need for 
14:13:29 us creating awareness to change 
14:13:31 the attitudes of people who look 
14:13:32 at persons with disabilities as 
14:13:35 people who are not equal, in the 
14:13:37 judicial system, as something 
14:13:40 that needs to, we need to keep 
14:13:42 talking about so that even the 
14:13:45 justice system can understand 
14:13:48 and when they are trained, and 
14:13:49 they understand disability 
14:13:52 rights, and disability 
14:13:53 reasonable accommodations and 
14:13:54 the diverse types of 
14:13:56 disabilities, then it will be 
14:13:59 easier for them while dealing 
14:14:02 with such cases to be able to 
14:14:05 put across fair judgements and 
14:14:07 look at persons with 
14:14:08 disabilities as equal before the 
14:14:12 law.  I think that is what I 
14:14:14 wanted to say, about the law 
14:14:16 ministers meeting and we hope 
14:14:18 that we'll be able to attend the 
14:14:21 next one and even present our 
14:14:23 Disability Inclusion Action 
14:14:23 Plan.
14:14:24 RICHARD:  Well I think we I 
14:14:25 would also like to be able to 
14:14:27 work with the Commonwealth 
14:14:30 Secretariat to maybe showcase 
14:14:31 the sort of training you're 
14:14:33 talking about a day before the 
14:14:35 meeting starts, so that's 
14:14:36 ministers come and actually s 
14:14:40 experience the training, and 
14:14:40 then can cascade it down, so we 
14:14:43 would also like to do that.  
14:14:45 There is someone called CDPF 
14:14:47 guest who wants to ask a 
14:14:49 question, I think they had a 
14:14:51 long chat about women, but maybe 
14:14:52 they want to speak now and also  
14:14:54 Rose is on the call who wants to 
14:14:56 say something.
14:14:57 SARAH:  Yeah they can say their 
14:15:02 name first.  CDPF?
14:15:06   The one who has raised their 
14:15:14 hand?  You can speak now?
14:15:16 GEMMA:  It might be Beauty, 
14:15:18 she's deaf and will need to use 
14:15:21 the signer, I might call Aisha 
14:15:25 back on.
14:15:31 SARAH:  Michael can find out for 
14:15:31 us.
14:15:33 RICHARD:  Okay, we'll make some 
14:15:34 inquiries.
14:15:37 SARAH:  In the meantime maybe we 
14:15:41 can ask Rose to speak.
14:15:45   Rose, please take the floor.
14:15:48     .
14:15:50 RICHARD:  She may have just 
14:15:53 blocked off, she was there all 
14:15:57 the way through.
14:16:02 ROSE:  Hi.
14:16:03 SARAH:  Hi.
14:16:04 ROSE:  Thank you for giving me 
14:16:06 this opportunity to say 
14:16:10 something when we are marking 
14:16:12 international disability day.  
14:16:15 I'm called Rose and I'm from 
14:16:19 Uganda, standing as co-Chair of 
14:16:24 CDPF in
14:16:28  the department.  I'm glad that 
14:16:32 we have theme that defines the 
14:16:32 leadership of persons with 
14:16:34 disabilities for inclusive and 
14:16:39 sustainable future.  This
14:16:42  I write today in context of 
14:16:43 people with disabilities, as the 
14:16:45 leaders and how they can make 
14:16:49 the world a fairer place, for 
14:16:54 everyone.  So, to this I wanted 
14:16:57 to say that it is very 
14:17:00 important, because it gives us 
14:17:03 some kind of orientation and 
14:17:08 gives, begins to respect people 
14:17:08 with disabilities.
14:17:12        When I go back to persons 
14:17:13 with psychosocial disability, we 
14:17:18 still have more needs
14:17:22  that are suitable for us, 
14:17:24 whereby we need like to mention 
14:17:29 a few so that, so that,
14:17:32  like we need therapy 
14:17:36 interventions which can include 
14:17:40 medication management, 
14:17:42 psychotherapy and counselling 
14:17:46 which is very expensive and 
14:17:49 doesn't be considered in our 
14:17:50 medical insurance when I give 
14:17:52 like an example in my country.  
14:17:55 We have medical insurance, but 
14:18:00 this cannot be put into the, the
14:18:02  agenda of the, of this system.
14:18:05        We need support, social 
14:18:09 support.  This can come from 
14:18:10 friends from the community 
14:18:12 organisation and support groups. 
14:18:15  We need employment and housing 
14:18:19 assistance.  This can help us 
14:18:21 with independence and stability. 
14:18:23  Education and skills building.  
14:18:27 This can help with coping 
14:18:30 strategies and life skills.  
14:18:32 Crisis intervention.  This can 
14:18:36 help with a situation that 
14:18:38 requires immediate attention.  
14:18:40 We need psychosocial recovery 
14:18:43 coaching, this can help with 
14:18:46 setting and achieving goals and 
14:18:48 developing personal skills and 
14:18:51 confidence.  Guidance.  This can 
14:18:56 help us with...
14:19:02  independence.  When
14:19:06  I -- there is also coping 
14:19:08 mechanism, this can help with 
14:19:10 taking everyday tasks, accessing 
14:19:13 to support services, this can 
14:19:15 help accessing support services. 
14:19:16  People with psychosocial 
14:19:23 disabilities may also need some
14:19:26  joint action whereby we need, 
14:19:28 we have, still have barriers.  
14:19:31 We still have abusive words 
14:19:34 like, "And sound mind", we need 
14:19:39 equality before the law.  We
14:19:42  need standard guidance, or 
14:19:45 guidance.  The way we are 
14:19:49 treated
14:19:53  in seclusion, we are locked in 
14:19:57 seclusion and nobody is allowed
14:19:59  to be nearby by you, where we 
14:20:02 have caretakers in seclusion or 
14:20:03 in hospitals like any other 
14:20:06 patient.
14:20:09 RICHARD:  Can you say a bit 
14:20:10 about assisted decision-making 
14:20:13 please, that's one of the big 
14:20:17 things that's not -- Rose?
14:20:19 ROSE:  I can't hear you 
14:20:19 Richard.
14:20:21 RICHARD:  Oh sorry, I said can 
14:20:22 you say something about assisted 
14:20:24 decision-making?
14:20:26 ROSE:  Assisted...?
14:20:28 RICHARD:  Decision-making.
14:20:29 ROSE:  Decision-making.  
14:20:32 Everyone in the high 
14:20:34 authorities, local leaders, they 
14:20:38 see us as incapable.
14:20:40   We can't decide, we can't do 
14:20:43 anything (over talking) that we 
14:20:47 are incapable.
14:20:50 RICHARD:  Okay.
14:20:50 RACHEL CHOMBA:  That is all I 
14:20:54 .
14:20:57 ROSE:  That is all I can say.
14:20:59 RICHARD:  Thank you Rose.  We 
14:21:03 now have CDPF on, Chair, I 
14:21:03 think.
14:21:05 SARAH:  Yeah, she's welcome to 
14:21:09 make her intervention, but your, 
14:21:11 your video is almost upside 
14:21:13 down.  You can turn it like it 
14:21:17 was before.  Yeah.
14:21:19 RICHARD:  That's it.
14:21:24 SARAH:  That's okay.  Can you 
14:21:26 tell us your name and share your 
14:21:30 interventions also.
14:21:44 >> Hello, okay.  Hello. 
14:21:47  Hello.
14:21:48 GEMMA:  Hi, please.
14:21:50 ABIA:  Can you hear me?
14:21:52 GEMMA:  Yes we can, yes.
14:21:54 >> Okay.  Actually I will start 
14:22:00 by congratulating my people
14:22:02  people with disabilities, 
14:22:04 because I I'm together with 
14:22:06 people with disabilities from 
14:22:07 their organisation, there is 
14:22:10 different clusters that I 
14:22:14 belong, in that organisation.  
14:22:16 First of all the, the 
14:22:19 interpreting there, but I know 
14:22:20 much about people with 
14:22:23 disabilities seriously.  So, I 
14:22:24 meet with different talented 
14:22:27 persons with disabilities.  
14:22:30 Some, some they are, in terms of 
14:22:32 education they have moved 
14:22:37 forward seriously and 
14:22:39 Chairperson here in my country, 
14:22:41 he's blind.  That blind person 
14:22:44 is very educated and he's Chair 
14:22:47 person, he's the Chairperson of 
14:22:47 joint National Association of  
14:22:50 Persons with disabilities.  In 
14:22:54 that organisation we have
14:22:57  four clusters, deaf, physical 
14:23:00 challenge, erm... spinal cord 
14:23:05 injury, and then the deaf.  So 
14:23:09 we have, alone we are
14:23:12   fighting in our state to get 
14:23:13 that disability Bill.  We don't 
14:23:15 have the disability Bill.  
14:23:18 That's why the, even the 
14:23:19 society, even needs more to 
14:23:22 create more awareness to them so 
14:23:24 that they may know the rights of 
14:23:25 persons with disabilities.  They 
14:23:28 have a right to healthcare, a 
14:23:31 right to vote and to be voted, 
14:23:35 right to quality education and 
14:23:38 then their needs, accessibility, 
14:23:40 much accessible parking, like 
14:23:43 even accessible toilets.  So, 
14:23:45 the society need to understand 
14:23:50 that seriously.  And...
14:23:54  also... there is
14:23:58  managers in our state, there is 
14:24:00 [Inaudible] days of activism.  
14:24:02 Seriously most persons with 
14:24:04 disabilities get a challenge, 
14:24:07 women and girls.  So more 
14:24:11 especially the area of gender 
14:24:14 and disability builds violence, 
14:24:18 women and girls face serious 
14:24:20 terms and they cannot speak out. 
14:24:23  We need that people to be 
14:24:26 speaking out in case of making 
14:24:30 that
14:24:33  -- breaking that culture of 
14:24:35 silence.  Many people will use 
14:24:37 money to give to people with 
14:24:38 disabilities, so in order to 
14:24:41 deceive them like that.  Some, 
14:24:43 even from the family, the issue 
14:24:44 of discrimination starts from 
14:24:46 the family background, you see 
14:24:47 that in family there is people 
14:24:48 with disabilities there.  So 
14:24:50 they will discriminate them.  
14:24:52 They will leave them at home 
14:24:55 without educating them, but 
14:24:58 people that, people in the same 
14:24:59 family they don't have 
14:25:01 disability, people without 
14:25:03 disability they took them to 
14:25:05 school, but they left that 
14:25:08 people with disability at home, 
14:25:10 without carrying them to school. 
14:25:15  So from my neighbourhood let me
14:25:19  share my experience---
14:25:22 SARAH:  Excuse me Aisha, Aisha?  
14:25:26 I wanted to understand.  The 
14:25:29 lady, "CDPF", she was the one 
14:25:31 you are translating for her or 
14:25:32 she was saying something, or you 
14:25:34 are saying  something?
14:25:35 >> No I was saying something 
14:25:37 from my experience.
14:25:39 SARAH:  Okay, maybe you can also 
14:25:41 let her speak and then she will 
14:25:42 also continue, because I see 
14:25:47 it's like she has a, she has put 
14:25:48 off her camera or something, I 
14:25:50 think she was expecting you to 
14:25:53 say what she wanted to say, 
14:25:53 yes.
14:25:55 >> Interpret to her.
14:25:56 RICHARD:  Yes.
14:25:59 >> Okay, let me here, okay.
14:26:01 SARAH:  She can come back and 
14:26:02 put her video on.
14:26:07 >> Okay.
14:26:25 >> Aisha and [Name]
14:26:29  that would be nice.
14:26:32 GEMMA:  I think -- I think she 
14:26:34 might have come off the call 
14:26:36 now, I think Aisha we need you 
14:26:38 to be the voice for beauty's 
14:26:39 answer, that's why I got you 
14:26:42 back on the screen so you could 
14:26:43 voice for her.  But I think we 
14:26:47 might have lost her now.
14:26:51 >> Okay.
14:26:53 GEMMA:  Sorry that was a bit of 
14:26:54 a misunderstanding there.
14:26:57 >> Yeah.
14:26:58 SARAH:  Try and get her back on 
14:26:59 the call Aisha, if you can text 
14:27:02 her so she can come back.
14:27:03 GEMMA:  Aisha hasn't got her 
14:27:07  tells just
14:27:11  got her details, let me see 
14:27:12 what I can too.
14:27:13 RICHARD:  While we are waiting 
14:27:15 to see if we can reconnect, 
14:27:16 challenge we ask if anybody else 
14:27:19 wants to raise any points or ask 
14:27:24 any questions now?
14:27:27 >> Yes.
14:27:30 RICHARD:  Who is that?
14:27:32 GORRET:  Hi Richard this is co 
14:27:35  Goretti.
14:27:37 RICHARD:  Oh yes, please come in 
14:27:38 make your point.
14:27:41 GORETTI:  Hello everyone.
14:27:41 RICHARD:  Hello.
14:27:45 CO RITY:  Happy international 
14:27:45 day for persons with 
14:27:47 disabilities.  I'm very happy to 
14:27:51 be with you in this meeting.
14:28:00   Namwanje, programme 
14:28:03 coordinator, Commonwealth 
14:28:05 Disability Forum.  So I have 
14:28:08 made a a video a short clip 
14:28:12 which is from a persons with 
14:28:14 disabilities, I shared it with 
14:28:17 Kihembo, my leader, I think he 
14:28:19 can support me.
14:28:21 RICHARD:  I haven't had your 
14:28:23 video so I can't hello it, have 
14:28:27  show it,
14:28:31  can you show it
14:28:32 ?
14:28:36 GORRET:  Kihembo, my leader, he 
14:28:36 has it.
14:28:39 RICHARD:  He sent me one from 
14:28:44 himself but I didn't get yours
14:28:44  yours.
14:28:46 GORRET:  Since the theme is 
14:28:50 about -- I was encourage people 
14:28:52 to let's engage in leadership 
14:28:52 programmes in our community, 
14:28:54 because we have to start from 
14:28:56 the grass-roots.  The the other 
14:29:00 let me say that there are some 
14:29:02 programmes in our communities 
14:29:02 and they engage youth with 
14:29:04 disabilities but some of us are 
14:29:07 still having that stigma, to 
14:29:10 lead and to engage.  So, since 
14:29:14 our theme is having leadership 
14:29:16 please let's engage in 
14:29:18 leadership positions, such that 
14:29:23 we speak up,
14:29:24  break the barriers and the 
14:29:26 stigma.  If we don't speak up, 
14:29:28 no one will listen to us and no 
14:29:31 one will know and understand the 
14:29:32 challenges that we experience in 
14:29:34 the communities as youth with 
14:29:39 disabilities.
14:29:41 RICHARD:  Good.  That's your 
14:29:46 message, okay.  Very good.
14:29:49 GORRET:  Yes, I request Kihembo 
14:29:51 to show a short comment of that 
14:29:53 video, thank you.
14:29:55 RICHARD:  Okay.  Kihembo if we 
14:29:57 can't, I haven't received that, 
14:30:01 if we can't share it during this 
14:30:02 call we'll put it up, we'll put 
14:30:04 the whole video of this call up 
14:30:06 on our website, but we will also 
14:30:09 put up additional contributions 
14:30:12 for people who didn't get on or 
14:30:17 have different views.  We also 
14:30:26 have  Vido, who is a youth
14:30:30  advocate, she might want to say 
14:30:32 something.  Hilda, do you want 
14:30:34 to say something?  She's from 
14:30:39 Kenya I think.
14:30:50 Anyone else want to speak or ask 
14:30:56 a question,
14:30:58  because otherwise I think we'll 
14:31:00 wrap it up, we have been going 
14:31:03 nearly 2.5 hours, we have, the 3 
14:31:04 hours was just in case you all 
14:31:06 had a lot to say, there's no 
14:31:08 point keeping it going if nobody 
14:31:10 has anymore they want to 
14:31:13 contribute.
14:31:15 GEMMA:  Sorry, I am devastated 
14:31:16 about Beauty I am industry for 
14:31:20  I am sorry for the 
14:31:22 mis-understanding, I have 
14:31:23 e-mailed her to say please come 
14:31:24 back.
14:31:26 RICHARD:  Sarah and me can say a 
14:31:27 few things for 5 minutes to keep 
14:31:30 it going.
14:31:31 GEMMA:  Please I am just trying 
14:31:34 to find her phone number.
14:31:38 SARAH:  Doctor hamad Ali wants 
14:31:39 to speak.
14:31:41 RICHARD:  Please bring him in.
14:31:45 SARAH:  Doctor hamed
14:31:52  you you can speak.
14:31:54 RICHARD:  I think you were the 
14:31:56 guys who spoke about access 
14:31:59 issues already, is that right?  
14:31:59 Doctor hamed.
14:32:02 >>:  I have not spoken yet but I 
14:32:05 can email you.
14:32:06 RICHARD:  Go ahead and say what 
14:32:07 you want to say?
14:32:08 >>:  First of all I would like 
14:32:10 to congratulate you all and 
14:32:13 thank you very much for the 
14:32:18 meeting.  The problems that have 
14:32:20 been discussed earlier are 
14:32:22 absolutely to the point, and I 
14:32:25 do not want to repeat that.  
14:32:26 However, there are certain 
14:32:31 things I have listed that needs 
14:32:35 to be addressed in order to
14:32:39  solve this problem of inclusion 
14:32:42 and equity at a grassroots 
14:32:44 level.
14:32:48    Let me discuss them one by
14:32:52  one. 
14:32:56  I propose that the people with 
14:33:01 disabilities when they 
14:33:03 [inaudible] for studies or a 
14:33:06 visit or for work to some other 
14:33:09 country tan their own country 
14:33:10 they should immediately be 
14:33:13 allowed to exercise the 
14:33:16 disability rights in that region 
14:33:17 as they were allowed back at 
14:33:21 home.  I know the documentation 
14:33:25 process takes a lot of time and 
14:33:29 let me just say that if someone
14:33:31  comes to Pakistan for just a 
14:33:33 month and the documentation 
14:33:35 process to exercise those rights 
14:33:36 that are for the citizens could 
14:33:39 take up to 6 months or it may 
14:33:41 even maybe more, and then he 
14:33:44 won't or she won't be able to 
14:33:48 exercise their rights, such as 
14:33:53 relatively half the pay for the 
14:33:56 transport, and other such 
14:33:58 benefits that any other citizen 
14:33:59 has.
14:34:04    Secondly, the institutes,
14:34:05  the educational institutes 
14:34:08 should have a quota for the addl 
14:34:13  the admission of disabled
14:34:17  students and, there shouldn't
14:34:18  be n tuition fee and they 
14:34:20 should also be provided 
14:34:23 part-time employment in that 
14:34:25 very institute they are studying 
14:34:28 in.  Because as we have 
14:34:32 discussed earlier that due to 
14:34:33 unavailability of the 
14:34:36 transportation at some places it 
14:34:39 might be difficult for them to 
14:34:41 get employment out of that 
14:34:46 institute and will definitely
14:34:51  travel easy.  As as far as the 
14:34:52 international travel is 
14:34:56 considered, we discussed earlier 
14:34:58 a fellow from Pakistan tolds a 
14:35:01 that in his village there is no 
14:35:04 proper transportation system of 
14:35:08 the blind or any kind of 
14:35:12 disabled people.  But since the 
14:35:15 international airports can be 
14:35:19 designed or at least implement
14:35:22  this policy that disabled 
14:35:25 persons should have to pay half 
14:35:27 the price of the original 
14:35:32 ticket, right, and
14:35:37  I fellow from Pakistan
14:35:41  maybe Abia if I am right, tolds 
14:35:44  us about how government is 
14:35:46 working, absolutely government 
14:35:49 is working they still need time 
14:35:53 to make things
14:35:56  [inaudible], social protection 
14:35:59 fund.  I am from unable in 
14:36:05  [name] in Pakistan, a federally
14:36:07  administered regional in 
14:36:08 Pakistan.  We have recently a 
14:36:12 survey from the government to 
14:36:15 create a social protection fund 
14:36:17 which would allow for the people 
14:36:20 with disabilities to receive 
14:36:24 about 10,000 PKR on quarterly 
14:36:28 basis, like four times a year 
14:36:31 and that is the maximum they are 
14:36:32 offering to the people and 
14:36:36 according to that survey, just 
14:36:40 in one district there are 10 
14:36:42 districts,  at just in one 
14:36:44 district there are 5,000 people 
14:36:46 with disabilities.  And on an 
14:36:50 average there are like 50 to 
14:36:51 55,000 people with disabilities 
14:36:53 and the total population of that 
14:36:58 regional is about
14:37:05  50 [inaudible] at most.  
14:37:06 According do that there is no 
14:37:08 quota in that very region for 
14:37:09 admission of students on 
14:37:14 disability.  Even if there is
14:37:18  any available practically, and 
14:37:20 secondly as far as employment 
14:37:23 for disabilities is  considered, 
14:37:27 there is only one person quota
14:37:32  person for entire
14:37:34  region for disabled people in 
14:37:36 almost very other department, 
14:37:39 however, that also not been 
14:37:46 implemented.  And since you 
14:37:49 mentioned about the justice 
14:37:53 system, well recently there was 
14:37:57  protest by blind people in
14:37:59  my city, unfortunately I wasn't 
14:38:03 there since I have moved to 
14:38:05 continue my studies to Moscow 
14:38:09 right now, and they were a
14:38:12  raced literally arrested by the 
14:38:18 police to as the,
14:38:19  as it was standard they are 
14:38:21 disturbing the peace of the 
14:38:24 citizens and business of the 
14:38:26 business men is being affected 
14:38:30 due to their protest.  We tried 
14:38:32 everything we could from here 
14:38:33 and we pulled some stingers and 
14:38:37  strings and got them out, but 
14:38:39 it was very humiliateting and 
14:38:42 very disturbing at least to me.
14:38:44 RICHARD:  Ok thank you.
14:38:46 >>:  That is almost [inaudible] 
14:38:47 regerting that.
14:38:47 RICHARD:  We have not heard 
14:38:52 about that if you can
14:38:53  send us any press about dad we 
14:38:55 would be happy to take it?  We 
14:38:56 took up the mistreatment of 
14:38:59 another protester in Nigeria 
14:39:00 took it all the way to the 
14:39:01 government there, to complain 
14:39:04 about it.  It does matter to 
14:39:05 come to the international 
14:39:06 organisations when these things 
14:39:08 happen.  That clearly is a 
14:39:10 breach of all the thing that 
14:39:11 Pakistan has signing up to.  So 
14:39:13 they need to the government 
14:39:14 needs to be held to account for 
14:39:17 that.
14:39:17 >>:  Sure.
14:39:20 RICHARD:  Ok thank you.  Thank 
14:39:23 you for your comments.
14:39:27 >>:  The last proposal
14:39:32  - the last proposal
14:39:37  this was all in line
14:39:39  all alignment to the 
14:39:41 [inaudible] you have come up 
14:39:45 with, there should be a proper 
14:39:47 inclusion legislative assembly, 
14:39:49 at least in third world 
14:39:50 countries or developing 
14:39:55 countries like India, Pakistan,
14:40:01  Afghanistan and so on, because
14:40:02  you see we are here and you are 
14:40:06 here, you are the General 
14:40:09 Secretary of CDPF whatever you 
14:40:12 say that matters.  If we are not 
14:40:14 with the position, what we say 
14:40:17 doesn't matter.  When the people 
14:40:18 with disabilities will be 
14:40:20 included in the legislative 
14:40:24 process to, I will need
14:40:26  [inaudible] that should be 
14:40:30 working in alliance with the 
14:40:32 United Nations and CDPF and 
14:40:33 other such organisations to 
14:40:37 ensure that all the rules and 
14:40:39 regulations are being 
14:40:40 implemented and guidelines of 
14:40:43 CDPF and United Nations our 
14:40:47 being followed regarding the
14:40:51  rights of disabled people.  I 
14:40:55 want to say that only the people 
14:40:58 who have suffered what it means 
14:41:03 to be disabled can actually
14:41:06  bring the change that is much 
14:41:08 needed.
14:41:09 RICHARD:  I agree with you.
14:41:12 >>:  You mentioned that we 
14:41:13 should be participating in 
14:41:16 elections, I actually did 
14:41:18 participate in local parties 
14:41:23 elections in 2023,
14:41:29  unfortunately enough not people 
14:41:31 voted door me I couldn't come up 
14:41:32 victorious but it was a great 
14:41:36 experience, and in the is very 
14:41:41 costly in countries like 
14:41:43 Pakistan to go for elections, so 
14:41:45 that is also a problem for 
14:41:48 people with disabilities.
14:41:49 RICHARD:  Thank you, I think we 
14:41:50 need to take someone else now 
14:41:52 sir.
14:41:53 >>:  It was great meeting you 
14:41:54 all today.
14:41:56 RICHARD:  Thank you, we earned 
14:41:58 the issues you have raised, we 
14:42:01 might have a slightly different 
14:42:02 approach.  We don't think the UN 
14:42:06 will do it we have to do it, the 
14:42:08 it's are her but I the rights 
14:42:10 are not implemented by bodies 
14:42:12 like the UN they are implemented 
14:42:13 by people on the ground 
14:42:14 organising and  shaming their 
14:42:15 governments into doing things 
14:42:16 through direct action and use of 
14:42:19 the media.  We don't think that 
14:42:21 the world is clearly 
14:42:23 demonstrates that rights don't 
14:42:25 just come, you have to fight to 
14:42:28 get them.  So we hop you join a 
14:42:29 local organisation and find with 
14:42:33  fight with them, because that's 
14:42:34 the way we then it has to 
14:42:36 happen.  Now we had someone else 
14:42:38 on there, did she want to speak 
14:42:40 do we know?
14:42:41 GEMMA:  It was charity, I don't 
14:42:42 know if Charity wants to speak 
14:42:44 she will need Aisha to sign her 
14:42:48 name I think.
14:42:51 RICHARD:  Can you sign Charity.
14:42:53 SARAH:  There's also another 
14:42:58 speaker, [name],.
14:42:59 RICHARD:  Let's see if we can 
14:43:01 get one of deaf speakers to do 
14:43:02 this.
14:43:03 GEMMA:  Have not managed to get 
14:43:06 Beauty back I have sent her a 
14:43:07 WhatsApp she has not seen it I 
14:43:09 have also e-mailed her if  
14:43:11 Charity is around she might need 
14:43:13 Ronald to assist because she's 
14:43:14 from southern rather than 
14:43:17 western.  Oh she doesn't want to 
14:43:19 speak ok no problem.
14:43:22 RICHARD:  Let's take the person 
14:43:23 you has put up their hand  
14:43:27 Chair.
14:43:31 SARAH:  Naveed you can speak.
14:43:34 >>:  Yeah actually I want to 
14:43:35 highlight some issues first of 
14:43:37 all I would like to thank you so 
14:43:39 much for the CDPF who provided 
14:43:42 this kind of forum where we can 
14:43:45 speak to people who are 
14:43:49  discouraged
14:43:56  and these redisregarded in
14:43:56  society, we can find our way to 
14:43:58 fight for our rights, and we 
14:44:01 feel we should get some kind of 
14:44:04 equal opportunities and these 
14:44:06 kind of things.
14:44:06 RICHARD:  Can you tell us where 
14:44:08 you are from?
14:44:12 >>:  I am from Pakistan, I asked
14:44:14  a question.
14:44:18 RICHARD:  Earlier ok yes go on.
14:44:22 >>:  Foreign & Commonwealth 
14:44:26  s
14:44:26 .
14:44:27 >>:  Accommodation issues.  I 
14:44:29 would like to highlight 2 issues 
14:44:30 most of people in my country and 
14:44:33 Pakistan lives in remote areas 
14:44:35 and in remote areas the people 
14:44:37 with disabilities always faced 
14:44:40 struggles, and they faced 
14:44:43 educational challenges and 
14:44:46 because in my country, the 
14:44:47 schools and the Higher Education 
14:44:50 institutions are not available 
14:44:53 in significant amounts, 
14:44:55 particularly in the area in the 
14:44:59 remote areas.  Additionally, we 
14:45:01 always faced challenges when we 
14:45:03 go for our Higher Educations 
14:45:08 like for the MPHIL, and PhD for
14:45:12  instance, during my M
14:45:15 Phil studies, the aunt didn't 
14:45:16 offer any kind of inclusive 
14:45:20 accommodation opportunities for 
14:45:21 the research facilities and 
14:45:23 other kind of things for 
14:45:26 disabled people.  And we applied 
14:45:31  we a fight for this issue and
14:45:33  we petitioned in the Court to 
14:45:35 provide some kind of special 
14:45:39 seats for the disabled people in 
14:45:41 the universities and we win that 
14:45:47 case and still there is,
14:45:48  it needs to improve this kind 
14:45:51 of situation if some people want 
14:45:54 to pursue their Higher Education 
14:45:55 and they are disabled people, 
14:46:00 they should be included via 
14:46:04 their inclusivity in for their
14:46:07  rights, I include listening as 
14:46:11 well.  This are the two most 
14:46:12 important issues I was trying to 
14:46:14 listen from the audience and 
14:46:17 they provide their very valuable 
14:46:20 additions into our information 
14:46:23 and still I, I, I thought that 
14:46:26 it should be included as well.
14:46:30 RICHARD:  Thank you.  Just
14:46:31  a comment of course, you can 
14:46:33 set up an inclusive school 
14:46:34 anywhere in the world, it's not 
14:46:36 about infrastructure, it's not 
14:46:39 about anything.  It's about the 
14:46:42 attitudes of the educators and 
14:46:46 sometimes the parents who think
14:46:48  there children shouldn't be 
14:46:51 educated, but I've seen a fully 
14:46:52 inclusive school under a tree, 
14:46:54 as long as, you know, people 
14:46:56 have the right attitude and the 
14:46:59 other peers are also happy to 
14:47:01 accept.  So work needs to be 
14:47:03 done on the non-disabled peers 
14:47:06 to accept people, and just 
14:47:07 anxiety example, we've just 
14:47:09 submitted, there is a curriculum 
14:47:11 review here in the UK, are 
14:47:13 curriculum has not been very 
14:47:15 inclusive, and a large number of 
14:47:17 organisations have put in that 
14:47:18 disability should actually be 
14:47:20 part of the curriculum for 
14:47:22 everybody to learn about, the 
14:47:25 history of disability and get 
14:47:26 understanding, understand 
14:47:26 disability as a human rights 
14:47:29  issue.  I think if we got those 
14:47:31 sorts of things and that can be 
14:47:34 in the curriculum in Pakistan as 
14:47:36 match as anywhere else.  You 
14:47:37 would then have to back it up 
14:47:38 with training, that would 
14:47:41 include those that run units.  
14:47:44  universities but the court case 
14:47:46 this way to deal with it, you've 
14:47:49 had the law since 2020, you now 
14:47:50 have to fight to cases and 
14:47:53 joining up with people who are 
14:47:54 like-minded is the fright way to 
14:47:56 go.  Thank you very much Sir for 
14:47:56 your comment.
14:47:58        Do we have one last 
14:48:02 person, Chair, who wants to 
14:48:06  speak?
14:48:11   Gemma, did we get anywhere 
14:48:13 with charity?
14:48:14 GEMMA:  Charity said she's kind 
14:48:16 of new and she's a bit shy, it 
14:48:19 would be a shame she's got a 
14:48:21 fabulous young voice.  I wasn't 
14:48:25 able to get Beauty am afraid.
14:48:25 RICHARD:  We tread and it's good 
14:48:27 we have had sign interpretation 
14:48:28 throughout, it's just the 
14:48:30 reverse didn't seem to work 
14:48:31 quite so well, where the signer 
14:48:34 has to mouth what the other 
14:48:37 person who signs, signed.  We'll 
14:48:39 get it right next time, so thank 
14:48:40 you for that.
14:48:42        I'll say a last word and 
14:48:44 then Chair you can wind it up I 
14:48:46 think, okay?
14:48:46 SARAH:  Okay.
14:48:47 RICHARD:  Okay.  So if you are 
14:48:51 not a member of a
14:48:54  disability organisation and we 
14:48:56 define that as organisations 
14:48:58 whether national, regional, 
14:48:59 district or local level which 
14:49:00 are run and controlled by 
14:49:01 disabled people themselves, we 
14:49:03 think that's the most important 
14:49:05 thing.  So everybody on this 
14:49:06 call should make sure they are 
14:49:08 part of such an organisation.  
14:49:10 These are democratic 
14:49:13 organisations where the majority 
14:49:17 of disabled people
14:49:20  viewed as whole, but of course, 
14:49:21 being disabled people's 
14:49:23 organisations mindful of the 
14:49:25 minority who might need separate 
14:49:26 adjustments so we might need to 
14:49:28 make sure that we have all the 
14:49:30 adjustments so everybody can 
14:49:31 participate in our meetings.  
14:49:33 That costs money so go to local 
14:49:40  businesses and elsewhere to get 
14:49:41 the money, and government to get 
14:49:43 the money, but the government is 
14:49:44 actually required under the UN 
14:49:46 CRPD to support representative 
14:49:47 organisations so we need to do 
14:49:49 the work from the ground upwards 
14:49:51 to build those representative 
14:49:52 organisations and then bring 
14:49:54 them together in national 
14:49:57 organisations who speak at a 
14:49:58 national level and join then 
14:50:00 with us to speak at the 
14:50:02 international level.  We want to 
14:50:04 change, not just the 
14:50:05 Commonwealth, we also want to 
14:50:07 change what is happening in the 
14:50:10 world, but 56 countries out of 
14:50:11 200 is we're more than quarter 
14:50:13 of the countries of the world.  
14:50:16 So we can have a big impact.  
14:50:19 Just for your future thoughts, 
14:50:22 we are doing capacity-building 
14:50:23 in different regions.  We have, 
14:50:25 we are ding a capacity-building 
14:50:28 in India, Bangladesh, sris lan 
14:50:31 ca in March, we will be going to 
14:50:34 West Africa in the autumn, these 
14:50:36 will be mainly for younger 
14:50:38 disabled people to develop their 
14:50:40 leadership as advocates, but 
14:50:41 certainly we think a lot of work 
14:50:43 will need to be done in West 
14:50:46 Africa.  Twenty-nine million 
14:50:47 disabled people in Nigeria 
14:50:49 alone, so there is a huge amount 
14:50:51 to be done.  Then we'll be 
14:50:54 moving on to the Pacific and 
14:50:56 running some training after that 
14:50:58 law ministers meeting in Fiji, 
14:51:00 and then finally they'll be some 
14:51:03 training in the Caribbean before 
14:51:07 the CHOGM and we'll also have 
14:51:09 our own face-to-face General 
14:51:11 Assembly and conference there 
14:51:13 during that time.  So watch out 
14:51:15 for these things.  It will be up 
14:51:17 to member organisations to 
14:51:19 nominate who they want to put 
14:51:22 forward to be at this things and 
14:51:25 so that's part of why you need 
14:51:26 to be part of a member 
14:51:28 organisation.  We don't operate 
14:51:30 with individual members, we are 
14:51:31 happy to have you here to hear 
14:51:33 what we have to say but the real 
14:51:35 push is that you need to I think 
14:51:37 and if there isn't one in your 
14:51:39 area build one because we are 
14:51:39 only going to do this in that 
14:51:42 way.  We're only going to make 
14:51:44 the change by building are 
14:51:46 organisations up.  So, we, we 
14:51:49 wish you all very happy 
14:51:51 international disabled people's 
14:51:52 day, but that doesn't mean we 
14:51:54 sit on our laurels and we have 
14:51:56 to go forward and organise, 
14:51:57 that's what we need to do to get 
14:51:58 our rights.  Thank you very 
14:52:02 much.  Over to you Chair.
14:52:03 SARAH:  Thank you very much 
14:52:06 Richard, our General Secretary.
14:52:09        I want to take this 
14:52:11 opportunity to, again, thank 
14:52:13 everyone who participated in 
14:52:17 this round table today.  It has 
14:52:21 been an interesting discussion, 
14:52:23 learning that we are all facing 
14:52:27 almost the same disability 
14:52:29 rights challenges across our 
14:52:34 countries, and we need as our 
14:52:39 organisations of disabled people 
14:52:40 to push our governments to bring 
14:52:43 them to account for what they 
14:52:46 are doing and without us as 
14:52:50 organised groups, reaching out 
14:52:53 to them, without us knowing what 
14:52:55 exactly we want them to do, it 
14:52:57 will be a bit difficult, and 
14:52:59 this session I know has been 
14:53:04  ed cutive for most of us
14:53:06  that don't know, for those that 
14:53:08 don't know we need to put more 
14:53:12 effort in making our governments 
14:53:14 implement the laws that they 
14:53:15 have signed and right fed.  
14:53:19  ratified.  Therefore we need to 
14:53:23  pull together as a group, 
14:53:25 because as individuals we are 
14:53:29 not able to speak with a bigger 
14:53:31 voice.  For us to amplify the 
14:53:32 leadership voices of 
14:53:34 disabilities, and to be able to 
14:53:36 have a sustainable development 
14:53:39 and to have inclusion in every 
14:53:42 aspect of the disability 
14:53:44 inclusion in development, then 
14:53:46 we need to move together so that 
14:53:51 our voices can be
14:53:55  amplified and heard at all 
14:53:56 levels where decisions are 
14:53:56 made.
14:53:58        So, I want to thank you 
14:54:00 for attending this international 
14:54:01 day round table I want to thank 
14:54:03 everybody that participated the 
14:54:05 participants, our sign language 
14:54:07 interpreters, the captioners, I 
14:54:09 want to thank Gemma so much for 
14:54:11 always putting things together, 
14:54:13 I want to thank even the 
14:54:15 Commonwealth Secretariat for 
14:54:17 being part of this discussion 
14:54:19 because they are quite important 
14:54:22 in the discussion and we cannot 
14:54:26 move if we don't collaborate and
14:54:28  have linkages with such.  So 
14:54:30 thank you so much and I want to 
14:54:33 encourage you to continue the 
14:54:36 fight, to continue the move, 
14:54:39 because it will not be done 
14:54:42 until it is done.  So, let us 
14:54:44 continue talking about it until 
14:54:46 we see things changing in every 
14:54:48 aspect and in every sector in 
14:54:52 our countries.  I thank you and 
14:54:53 have a wonderful afternoon, 
14:54:55 evening, or morning wherever you 
14:54:56 are.
14:54:57 RICHARD:  Thank you.
14:54:59 SARAH:  Thank you.
14:55:00 GEMMA:  We have had a request 
14:55:03 for a kind of group photo.  Now 
14:55:04 I don't know if this is 
14:55:06 possible.  If everybody, if 
14:55:07 anyone who doesn't mind wants to 
14:55:10 put their camera on, I will try 
14:55:11 and get some screenshots, I've 
14:55:13 got no idea if it will work, but 
14:55:16 if you are up for being kind of 
14:55:20 captured in that way,
14:55:23  put your camera on and I'll see 
14:55:24 what I can do.
14:55:26 RICHARD:  You might have to 
14:55:27 unpin the sign interpreters.
14:55:29 GEMMA:  I will once we all stop 
14:55:33 talking, okay, thanks.
14:55:40 SARAH:  We are there, are we 
14:55:42 able to see all the faces?
14:55:43 RICHARD:  We've got quite a few 
14:55:44 there.
14:55:46 SARAH:  We have about 23 in the 
14:55:48 chat now.  Down from... was it 
14:55:55 39.
14:55:56 RICHARD:  The people have been 
14:55:59 coming and going, there has been 
14:56:01 about 70 people involved in the 
14:56:05 call all together.
14:56:18 SARAH:  Maybe you can count, 
14:56:22 when you are taking, 123, so we 
14:56:26 can smile Gemma!  [Laughter] 
14:56:29 GEMMA:  Okay, so the problem is 
14:56:31 I don't know if I can get 
14:56:32 everyone at once.  So I was 
14:56:35 trying to kind of just see if it 
14:56:36 went over two pages or not.
14:56:37 RICHARD:  There you go.
14:56:39 GEMMA:  But I don't know.  Maybe 
14:56:41 just keep smiling yes but I 
14:56:44 don't know how much difference 
14:56:45 that will make.  I've got 
14:56:47 gallery view, if you can all 
14:56:49 just smile for as long as you 
14:56:51 possibly can, and I'll let you 
14:56:53 know when I've finished.
14:56:55 RICHARD:  Okay, go ahead.
14:56:55 GEMMA:  Okay, thank you 
14:57:00 everybody!  [Laughter] 
14:57:27 GEMMA:  I've got a few people, 
14:57:28 it's very hard I don't know 
14:57:30 what's going on, I'm not 
14:57:32 technically minded enough to get 
14:57:33 everyone, I'm so sorry, but 
14:57:36 thank you for your Patience 
14:57:37 everybody.
14:57:38 RICHARD:  Okay, we'll see you 
14:57:39 again at another event.
14:57:41 GEMMA:  Okay, thanks a lot.