Conference of States Parties (CoSP)

The Conference of States Parties (CoSP) is one of the main ways the United Nations monitors worldwide disability issues and United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) progress.

Key international Disabled Peoples Organisations (DPOs), such as Disabled People’s International (DPI) and International Disability Alliance (IDA), which have consultative status with the United Nations can formally contribute to the CoSP after governments have spoken.

CoSP 2019

AFDO was pleased to participate again this year in the Conference of States Parties (CoSP) to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).  The annual conference is held each June at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York and brings together countries that have ratified the UN CRPD to discuss implementation of the CRPD.

Below are links to the video recordings from the Civil Society Forum held prior to the conference, and the recordings from the 3-day conference.  We have also included a link to the transcript of the Australian Government’s Statement to the Conference of States Parties.

Conference of States Parties (CoSP) videos

AFDO side event

AFDO co-sponsored a side event on Autism and Motherhood on the last day of the conference.  The recording of this side event is available here: Leave No Autistic Mother Behind: Autism and Motherhood – Experiences, Challenges and Positive Strategies

Australian Delegation

The AFDO delegation this year consisted of:

  • Liz Reid, AFDO President and Chairperson
  • Trevor Carroll, AFDO Vice President and International Coordinator
  • Sam Drummond, Lawyer
  • Monique Blakemore, Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia (A4)

AFDO delegates with HE Gillian Bird, Australian Ambassador to the United Nations, and Ben Gauntlett, Disability Discrimination Commissioner.

The Australian delegation included representatives from the Australian Government, the Department of Social Services (DSS), the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), and the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC).

We worked closely with representatives from the Australian Government, and our civil society colleagues listed below:

  • June Riemer, First Peoples Disability Network
  • Sereako Treloggan, First Peoples Disability Network
  • Alanna Julian, NSW Council for Intellectual Disability
  • Courtney Bellmore, NSW Council for Intellectual Disability
  • Kylee Roberts, NSW Council for Intellectual Disability
  • Therese Sands, People with Disability Australia
  • Paige Burton, People with Disability Australia
  • Matthew Bowden, People with Disability Australia
  • Emma Phillips, Queensland Advocacy Incorporated
  • Kathryn Lyons, Queensland Advocacy Incorporated
  • Sue Salthouse, Rights and Inclusion Australia
  • Gail Mulcair, Speech Pathology Australia
  • Sharynne McLeod, Speech Pathology Australia
  • Santiago Velasquez Hurtado, Vision Australia
  • Heidi La Paglia, Women With Disabilities Australia
  • Sarah Houbolt, Women With Disabilities Australia

Group photo of Australian delegates at the UN Headquarters, New York.

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