A COSP19 Side Event Hosted by the Global Disability Fund and the Permanent Mission of Canada to the UN
ORGANIZERS
CO-SPONSORS
As the international community marks 20 years since the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the UN Global Disability Fund and the Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations are convening ministers, ambassadors, UN partners, organizations of persons with disabilities, and local partners for a high-level event and reception on the margins of COSP19.
Event Details
📅 9 June 2026
🕟 4:30–6:45 PM (followed by a reception)
📍 Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations
You are warmly invited to be part of this important conversation.
👉 Register to join
(Places are limited)
A moment to reflect and accelerate action
This milestone anniversary offers an opportunity not only to reflect on achievements, but to focus squarely on what comes next.
Two decades after the adoption of the CRPD, which has helped transform the global disability rights agenda and strengthen recognition of the rights of persons with disabilities around the world, the focus now turns to implementation: how commitments can be translated more quickly and effectively into tangible change at country level.
About the event
This high-level discussion will convene ministers, ambassadors, UN partners, organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs), and national stakeholders to explore how to accelerate CRPD implementation in practice.
Co-convened by the UN Global Disability Fund and the Permanent Mission of Canada, and co-sponsored by the Permanent Missions of Australia, Ireland, Sweden, New Zealand, Mexico, Spain, Armenia, and the European Union, the event will bring together diverse perspectives and experiences from across regions.
Participants will engage in two interactive dialogue sessions:
- CRPD at 20: Achievements and priorities for implementation
Reflecting on progress made over two decades, identifying persistent gaps, and outlining priorities to strengthen national systems, financing, accountability, and the meaningful participation of persons with disabilities. - Disability-inclusive care and support systems
Focusing on practical solutions and lessons learned from country-level initiatives, including GDF-supported programmes across nine countries, with an emphasis on rights-based, person-centered and community-based approaches to care and support.
The event will feature high-level speakers from across the UN system, Member States, and OPDs, including representatives such as the Chair of the CRPD Committee, the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities, and leaders from global disability networks.
The event will conclude with a reception marking the 20th anniversary of the CRPD.
