United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has emphasized the importance of enhancing digital accessibility for Persons Living with Disabilities (PLWD). Speaking at the opening of the 16th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) at the UN headquarters in New York, Guterres expressed concern about the various crises endangering global progress in ensuring the rights of persons with disabilities.
Guterres urged countries to make greater efforts to achieve inclusivity and accessibility, describing the CRPD as a significant milestone in the journey toward a more just and inclusive future. The convention has been ratified by 186 countries, and approximately 75 percent of State Parties have implemented laws to ensure the integration of students with disabilities in mainstream schools. Additionally, nearly 80 percent of countries now prohibit discrimination in hiring against persons with disabilities, and over 90 percent have adopted national disability laws.
However, Guterres warned that the progress achieved thus far is at risk of regression due to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the worsening climate emergency, conflicts, humanitarian crises, and the global cost-of-living crisis. Persons with disabilities are disproportionately affected by these crises, often experiencing higher mortality rates and facing challenges in employment. Women and girls with disabilities are particularly susceptible to violence, abuse, discrimination, and poverty.
Guterres emphasised the need for significant improvements in three areas. First, he called for enhanced digital accessibility, stating that leaving no one behind means leaving no one offline. Second, he stressed the importance of ensuring equal access to sexual and reproductive health services for persons with disabilities, highlighting the life-or-death implications for women with disabilities. Finally, Guterres emphasied the necessity of full inclusion and active participation of persons with disabilities in decision-making processes that affect them.
The Secretary-General reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to disability inclusion, noting that four years ago, a strategy on disability inclusion was launched across all pillars of the organisation’s work. While progress has been made, Guterres acknowledged the need to accelerate efforts. The President of the UN General Assembly, Csaba Kőrösi, echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the importance of translating the CRPD’s provisions into tangible change and collecting accurate data to allocate resources effectively.
Kőrösi also expressed dedication to building more just and inclusive societies, highlighting the General Assembly’s focus on “easy-to-understand communication” to help individuals with disabilities fully engage in UN activities.
