Disabled Peoples' International - Europe
About DPI
Disabled Peoples International (DPI) is a Human rights organisation committed to the protectionof disabled people’s rights andthe promotion of their full andequal participation in society. Established in 1981, DPI is represented through active membership of national organisations ofdisabled people in over 130countries, including 29 in theEuropean region (DPI Europe).
The Role of DPI in Europe today
A network of active European citizens
DPI Europe is a coordinated network of 31 DPI National Assemblies from 31 European countries.…More
Ensuring Global Representation and Accessibility for COSP19
DPI was founded in 1981 with the noble aim of promoting the fundamental rights of persons with disabilities. The first right is to express our own voice. After thirty years of activism, our NGOs were delighted to be involved in obtaining the CRPD. We are grateful to have the opportunity, through the monitoring process of its implementation, to exchange expertise and experiences with governments and donors at the Conference of States Parties to the CRPD, which takes place each June since 2008 in New York, USA.
It is fair to say that the fruitful meetings and exchanges that have taken place each year since the first session are indicative of the success of this initiative. Today, DPI is concerned about the potential consequences of measures taken by the US government to restrict the granting of visas for entry into the United States.
While it is not possible to provide a definitive headcount, current data and recent executive actions by the current administration suggest that a significant portion of civil society participants (potentially 30% to 50% of those from non-Western countries) may be unable to attend the 19th Session of the Conference of States Parties (COSP19) in New York in June 2026.
The combination of geographic bans and the new health-based “public charge” rules creates a “double barrier” for the COSP19. We can expect the 2026 session to be one of the least diverse in the history of the Convention, with representation heavily skewed toward those already residing in the U.S. or from “exempt” Western nations.
DPI Europe respectfully requests that the United Nations Secretary-General and the COSP Bureau consider relocating the 19th Session of the Conference of States Parties (June 2026) to a city where the UN and its agencies can ensure the participation of all accredited delegates. that the UN grant “Hybrid Speaking Rights” to all delegates denied visas, ensuring that a video intervention carries the same procedural weight as an in-person statement.
We condemns all militant actions and wars !
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