After attending COSP17, I’m unpacking the importance of representation and highlighting my key takeaways from the conference.
By Elvis Martin
We invite diverse voices to contribute to our blog. The opinions in this blog reflect the personal views of the author and not One Young World.
I have rooted my life's work in advocating for social justice, equality and sustainability for all, so I was honoured to represent Australia at the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP17) at the United Nations headquarters.
What is COSP17?
COSP17 is a pivotal conference where state parties convene to discuss the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
The conference was attended by representatives of the state parties, civil society organisations, and disability rights experts, who were there to discuss the overarching theme “Rethinking disability inclusion in the current international juncture and ahead of the Summit of the Future”.
Whilst I was there, my mission was simple, but not at all easy: to bring the perspectives of young people, multicultural communities, refugees, and asylum seekers to the forefront of discussions.
Listening to lived experiences
There are currently 1.3 billion people globally living with a disability, and each one of their experiences is unique to them. They are affected by a myriad of things, such as where in the world they live, their economic circumstance, their gender, their sexual orientation, and the list goes on.
While some countries are spending July celebrating Disability Pride Month, in others disabled children are being refused education. For refugees and asylum seekers, there isn’t even any concrete research into how many of them are disabled and, therefore, in need of additional support.
During COSP17, I attended several notable discussions and talks focused on the implementation of CRPD. I highlighted and emphasised the importance of engaging people with lived experiences, particularly those from diverse backgrounds, in high-level conferences and decision-making meetings and advocated for all disability programmes to be developed in partnership and co-designed with people with lived experiences. Why? Because without having listened to individuals' lived experiences, how can effective laws and regulations be passed?
Offering young leaders a seat at the table
Young leaders must be involved in events like COSP because we as young people bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas. Our involvement ensures that the voices of the younger generation are heard, especially those from diverse backgrounds.
Young leaders are crucial in driving long-term change and sustaining advocacy efforts for disability rights and mental health challenges. Many young people are already doing a lot of advocacy in this space in their respective countries, such as Senator Crystal Asige, Oscar Anderson, and Melissa Diamond, just to name a few.
Including youth-specific sessions in conferences like COSP provides a dedicated space for young people to share their experiences and ideas. These sessions empower youth by giving them a platform to influence policy-making and advocate for their rights, whilst fostering a sense of community and solidarity among young advocates, encouraging them to continue their efforts beyond the conference. This will help young leaders develop an international network of advocates.
My key COSP17 takeaways
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Policymakers must listen to people's lived experiences
COSP17 underscored that the most effective policies and programmes are those designed in collaboration with the people they are meant to serve. This approach ensures that the programmes are truly inclusive and meet the needs of the community.
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Supporting people with disabilities in conflict zones
I learnt what some of the countries in active conflict zones are doing to support people with disabilities and the areas where they are lacking.
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There must be a united effort in promoting the rights of people with disabilities
Networking at COSP17 was invaluable. I connected with various stakeholders, including government representatives, NGOs, and fellow advocates from around the world. These interactions reinforced the importance of a united effort to promote the rights of people with disabilities and truly inspired me to continue my own work fighting for equality for people with disabilities.
From COSP17 to championing disability rights in practice
Post-COSP17 I feel invigorated to take my learnings and incorporate them into my two new projects.
According to the United Nations, 80-90% of persons with disabilities of working age are unemployed in developing countries, and 50% - 70% in industrialised countries. Yet, an article by Forbes reports that hiring individuals with disabilities can improve a company’s bottom line, reduce turnover, and give employers the chance to discover untapped potential. One of the new projects I am working on focuses on creating inclusive employment opportunities for people with disabilities. The aim is to partner with businesses to develop training programmes and job placements that cater to the unique abilities of individuals with disabilities.
Alongside this, I am working on a community outreach programme that is designed to raise awareness about the importance of mental health support for people with disabilities. Often, mental health challenges intersect with disabilities, especially psychosocial disabilities. A holistic approach to disability rights must address both physical and mental health to ensure comprehensive support. Neglecting mental health can lead to incomplete or ineffective policies that fail to meet the needs of individuals with disabilities.
How can you support my work?
The One Young World Community can support my work by:
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providing platforms for sharing best practices and success stories from different regions.
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facilitate connections with potential partners and sponsors who are interested in promoting disability rights.
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help amplify our advocacy efforts through social media and other communication channels.