The Deputy Minister in the Presidency responsible for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Mmapaseka Steve Letsike, leads South African Delegates to the Conference of States Parties at United Nations Headquarters to advance the South African agenda on Disability Inclusion at the United Nations Conference of the States Parties from 10-12 June 2025.
The 2025 COSP18 will convene under the theme: Enhancing public awareness of the rights and contributions of persons with disabilities for social development. The theme will lead up to the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha, Qatar.
The Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP to the CRPD or COSP) was established under Article 40 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2008.
South Africa is proposing the establishment of a G20 Disability Initiative at the technical/experts’ level during its upcoming tenure as chair of the G20 in 2025. The proposed Disability Inclusion Initiative aims to provide a platform for G20 members to engage on critical issues related to the empowerment of persons with disabilities, with specific emphasis on women and young people with disabilities.
As part of the proposal to initiate the G20 Disability Inclusion, South Africa intends to host side events that will focus on disability inclusion in line with the three priorities: (Policy perspectives on the Care Economy – Paid and Unpaid Care Work and Household Responsibilities; Financial Inclusion of and for Women: Enhancing access to financial resources; and Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF): Tackling violence against women) at the margins of COSP18.
The side event will create a platform for G20 countries to support the establishment of the G20 Disability Working Group and agree on the priorities that will be presented in order to prepare for the technical meeting to be held in South Africa.
Media enquiries:
Cassius Selala – Head of Communications
Tel: 060 534 0672
Nompendulo Mkhatshwa – Spokesperson: Ministry of Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities
Tel: 083 406 6496
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