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Remarks by President General Assembly<\/strong><\/p>\n H.E. Dennis Francis<\/strong><\/p>\n At the\u00a0Annual<\/span>\u00a0High-Level<\/span>\u00a0Panel<\/span>\u00a0Discussion<\/span>\u00a0on<\/span>\u00a0Human<\/span>\u00a0Rights<\/span>\u00a0Mainstreaming<\/span>\u00a0HRC<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n 26th<\/sup>\u00a0February 2024<\/strong><\/p>\n Geneva<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n As Delivered<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n Your Excellency, Mr. Omar Zniber, President of the\u00a0Human<\/span>\u00a0Rights<\/span>\u00a0Council,<\/i><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n Mr. Ant\u00f3nio Guterres,\u00a0<\/i>Secretary-General of the United Nations,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Volker T\u00fcrk, United Nations High Commissioner for\u00a0Human<\/span>\u00a0Rights<\/span>,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Excellencies, Distinguished participants,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Let me begin by thanking the President of the\u00a0Human<\/span>\u00a0Rights<\/span>\u00a0Council for the honour and privilege of addressing this\u00a0High-Level<\/span>\u00a0Panel<\/span>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Today\u2019s focus \u2013 harnessing multilateral efforts to embed, amplify and realize the\u00a0rights<\/span>\u00a0of persons with disabilities \u2013 is integral to the fulfilment of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It is central to unleashing the power of multilateralism to achieve\u00a0peace<\/b>,\u00a0prosperity<\/b>,\u00a0progress,\u00a0<\/b>and\u00a0sustainability<\/b>\u00a0for all \u2013 the four pillars of my Presidency of the\u00a0General Assembly.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Our engagement\u00a0on<\/span>\u00a0these issues comes at a pivotal time.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n As we passed the midpoint of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the\u00a01.3 billion persons\u00a0<\/b>around the world who are\u00a0differently abled<\/b>\u00a0continue to face systematic discrimination and other barriers preventing their full and meaningful engagement in, with and by society.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n They are more likely to live in developing countries, to experience multidimensional poverty \u2013 and to be pushed further to the margins of life in times of crisis.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n During conflict and displacement, those who are differently abled face added risks of abandonment and neglect \u2013 compounding their vulnerability and often leaving them unable to have access to food, shelter, and other basic requirements.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This is equally true for those living in low-lying and coastline communities, who face heightened risks amid the impacts of climate change and sea-level rise, coastal erosion and other climate induced disasters.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Women and girls with disabilities, in particular, face systematic marginalization \u2013 increasing their vulnerability to violence and hindering their access to the basic\u00a0human<\/span>\u00a0rights<\/span>\u00a0of education, employment, justice and health care, including sexual and reproductive health.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We have the power to turn this reality around.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The\u00a0Convention\u00a0on<\/span>\u00a0the\u00a0Rights<\/span>\u00a0of Persons with Disabilities<\/b>\u00a0is the first<\/span>\u00a0comprehensive\u00a0human<\/span>\u00a0rights<\/span>\u00a0treaty to address the\u00a0rights<\/span>\u00a0of differently abled persons within the context of social development.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Its historic adoption in 2006 sparked a movement to engage persons with disabilities as\u00a0active contributors<\/b>\u00a0to all aspects of social, economic, cultural, and political life \u2013 and to understand that\u00a0access and inclusion are key<\/b>\u00a0to unlocking this potential.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The fact that\u00a0nearly all<\/b>\u00a0Member States have ratified this instrument \u2013 that is,\u00a0190 states parties\u00a0<\/b>\u2013 speaks volumes about the awakening and solidarity it has engendered to protect the\u00a0rights<\/span>\u00a0of those living with disabilities.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It is high time to implement this treaty fully \u2013\u00a0I repeat, fully<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 and for there to be complete respect for its provisions across our societies.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Access starts with\u00a0a real seat at the table<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 ensuring that persons with disabilities participate in decisions affecting their lives in every aspect.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Access means systematically guaranteeing equal opportunities and the ability to use physical infrastructure \u2013 transport, hospitals, schools and other public facilities \u2013 as well as\u00a0on<\/span>line spaces bolstered by assistive devices.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n And it means urgently providing quality, inclusive education, especially for girls and children with disabilities, young people in crisis settings and marginalized groups.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n As President of the\u00a0General Assembly,\u00a0<\/span>I will do my part to ensure that the doors of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ \u2013 digital, physical, and informational \u2013 are open to all persons, especially those who are differently abled.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In that regard, my team has been instructed to request CART services and sign-language for all GA\u00a0high-level<\/span>\u00a0and other events at Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Headquarters, as available.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n With this in mind, I am proud to support the work of the\u00a0Steering Committee\u00a0on<\/span>\u00a0Accessibility<\/b>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I have appointed two\u00a0co-chairs<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 the Permanent Representatives of Panama and the United States \u2013 who are working diligently with Member States, the Secretariat and civil society organizations\u00a0on<\/span>\u00a0ways to further improve the accessibility of Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵHQ, ensuring that the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ empowers participation as distinct from inhibiting it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It is my intention to work with all Member States and stakeholders to institutionalize the Steering Committee and to enhance its institutional memory \u2013 making it a mandated process under the General Assembly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In addition, I will continue the excellent initiative of organizing\u00a0accessibility training<\/b>\u00a0and\u00a0sensitivity awareness<\/b>\u00a0for delegates and the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ staff, in collaboration with the Secretariat.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This practice is vital to fostering an inclusive working environment and I hope that all Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ offices away from headquarters \u2013 here in Geneva and elsewhere \u2013 will join this initiative.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/i><\/p>\n <\/p>\n In the words of civil\u00a0rights<\/span>\u00a0advocate Judith Heumann: \u201cDisability\u00a0on<\/span>ly becomes a tragedy when society fails to provide the things, we need to lead our lives.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This is about building resilient societies.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It is about pursuing inclusive sustainable development \u2013 that places\u00a0human<\/span>\u00a0dignity at its core.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I urge all Member States to work shoulder-to-shoulder with persons with disabilities to design and deliver impactful solutions based\u00a0on<\/span>\u00a0equal\u00a0rights<\/span>\u00a0and social justice in every country and community without exception.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Let us take robust action to close the gaps to implementation.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Let us move away the inhibitors of harmful stereotypes and stigma.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Let us celebrate and further empower the diversity within our societies and open the door to a safer, more inclusive, more just future for all.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I wish you a productive session and look forward to hearing your perspectives\u00a0on<\/span>\u00a0these most consequential issues.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I thank you.<\/b><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Remarks by President General Assembly H.E. Dennis Francis At the\u00a0Annual\u00a0High-Level\u00a0Panel\u00a0Discussion\u00a0on\u00a0Human\u00a0Rights\u00a0Mainstreaming\u00a0HRC 26th\u00a0February 2024 Geneva As Delivered \u00a0 Your Excellency, Mr. Omar Zniber, President of the\u00a0Human\u00a0Rights\u00a0Council, \u00a0 Mr. Ant\u00f3nio Guterres,\u00a0Secretary-General of the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":361,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[111],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-275815","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-speeches","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n