Deputy Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize leads South African delegation to 13th Conference of State Parties, 1 to 3 Dec

01 Dec 2020

South Africa to participate at 13th Conference of State Parties

Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Professor Hlengiwe Mkhize will lead the South African delegation at the 13th Session of the UN Conference of State Parties (COSP) to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The session will take place on 1st and 3rd of December 2020.

Due to COVID-19 the session will be hosted virtually at the United Nations Headquarters, New York. The overarching theme of the conference is: “A decade of action and delivery for inclusive sustainable development: implementing the CRPD and the 2030 Agenda for all persons with disabilities”.

Deputy Minister Professor Mkhize will deliver the country position statement on 3 December 2020, which is International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The theme for International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2020 is: “Building Back Better: toward a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19 World.”

Disability Rights Awareness Month (DRAM) runs from 03 November to 03 December 2020. The month-long campaign aimed to raise awareness to the harmful effects stigmatisation, prejudice and stereotypes has on the disability sector. The theme for the campaign is: Together Building Communities Inclusive of Disability Rights.

“As you can tell from the COSP13, International Day of Persons with Disabilities and DRAM2020 themes, our focus is on inclusive and sustainable development. The theme seeks to address barriers that exist at all levels that prevent persons with disabilities from fully integrating into communities, and contributing to the building of cohesive and socially inclusive spaces,” said Deputy Minister Mkhize.

COSP13 will host 3 roundtables under the following themes:

Disability and business: realizing the right to work in open, inclusive and accessible environments for persons with disabilities.
Addressing the rights and needs of older persons with disabilities: ageing and demographic trends
Promoting Inclusive environments for the full implementation of the CRPD

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and its Optional Protocol (OP) was adopted on 13 December 2006 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, and was opened for signature on 30 March 2007. The convention reaffirms that all persons with all types of disabilities must enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms. South Africa became a signatory of both the CRPD and the Optional Protocol (OP) on 30 March 2007, on the first day when the CRPD and OP was opened for signing, and ratified both the CRPD and OP without reservation/declaration on 30 November 2007.

Over 1500 delegates representing UN Signatory Countries as well as hundreds of Non-Governmental Organisations will attend COSP13.

Learn more about COSP13 here: https://tinyurl.com/y2z5fc3y

You will be able to follow the conference live here: http://webtv.un.org/

For interviews please contact Ms Mmabatho Ramompi 076 480 3513 / mmabatho.ramompi@women.gov.za

For further information please contact Mr Shalen Gajadhar: 060 979 4235

Know and Share these contact details:

GBV Command Centre: 0800 428 428 / *120*7867# from any cell phone

Persons with disabilities, SMS ‘help’ to 31531

Women Abuse Helpline: 0800 150 150

Child line: 0800 055 555

SAPS Crime Stop: 0860 10111

GBVF-related service complaints (SAPS): 0800 333 177/