One-day workshop on enhanced interaction and synergies between international and national monitoring mechanisms of the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Madam Chairperson
Distinguished Speakers
Excellencies
Ladies and Gentlemen:

It is a real pleasure to welcome you here at the Palais des Nations. The United Nations Office at Geneva is pleased to serve as the platform for the first meeting between the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and National Human Rights Institutions and National Independent Monitoring Mechanisms. We appreciate being part of the ongoing work to develop Guidelines on the participation of National Human Rights Institutions in the proceedings of the Committee, as well as exploring the opportunities for strengthening engagement and cooperation.
We value very much the spirit of partnership that is at the heart of today’s meeting, and I would like to acknowledge the contributions of the International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, the International Disability Alliance, the ITU and all our other United Nations partners, and our clients who have been working with us in organizing today’s meeting.

It is the first time that the international and national monitoring mechanisms of the Convention are meeting – an important step forward in the process of promotion and protection of the rights of persons with disabilities in line with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Our meeting shows clearly that we are making progress towards that goal. It also shows the importance and value of working together at all levels, and of including independent national human rights institutions and civil society stakeholders, who are critical players across the United Nations agenda.

Ensuring access and appropriate servicing for persons with disabilities – not just in the context of the Committee but for all those coming to the Palais des Nations to take part in the work of the United Nations – is our priority. And we have, over the past years, made progress towards making the Palais des Nations more accessible to all delegates, staff members and visitors, and towards enabling their full and equal participation in meetings on the same footing as everyone else.

Despite the challenges that this building presents, the United Nations in Geneva has been at the forefront of efforts in the area of ensuring accessibility to persons with disabilities by providing a full package of accessibility services such as sign language interpretation, close captioning, hearing loops, Braille along with the provision of more traditional meeting services, for example, interpretation and documentation. The work of the Committee has been both a source of inspiration for us and a source of practical proposals and action to realize these achievements. We are engaged in an ongoing exchange of best practices with our partners here in Geneva and elsewhere and we see today’s meeting as another opportunity to learn.

At the core of this work has been a proactive approach in reaching out and involving our clients directly to shape a truly modern and collective conference servicing model As a demonstration of this modern conference servicing, our event involves today – for the first time – full, direct and active remote participation of delegations from their respective capitals, from all continents across different time zones, via a virtual conference setting, akin to being in a real conference room here at the Palais des Nations, enabling them to work together with the delegates in situ, right here in this room. I thank very much our ITU colleagues in particular for making this possible. We have not only saved money but also contributed to reducing our carbon footprints. There is a clear need to involve as many partners as possible.

We need to build on this commitment, creativity and collaborative spirit in our efforts to integrate the disability perspective in all our substantive activities, not least in the post-2015 development agenda. In this regard, I welcome the presence of the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Disability and Accessibility, Mr. Lenin Moreno, who is based here in Geneva and who will be central to this effort.

Moving forward, ensuring accessibility and appropriate servicing of persons with disabilities is at the heart of the Strategic Heritage Plan for the renovation and modernization of the Palais des Nations. This is both an ambitious and a necessary project. Once approved, it will take close to ten years to complete and will shape our servicing for the next century. Also in this critical effort will we be drawing on experience and best practice from across the spectrum of stakeholders.

The United Nations Office at Geneva is committed to playing its part in realizing our shared goal of an inclusive society where equal opportunities for all are supported and human rights are protected.

We look forward to doing our best and doing so with all our partners and with your help

Thank you very much and I wish you a very productive meeting.