Ableism and Climate Change Highlighted at UN Conference
Brazilian Delegation at COSP17 Discusses Implementation of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Opening of the 17th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, in New York. Photo: UN/Loey Felipe.
Ensuring the participation of people with disabilities in public policy formulation is the main innovation shared by Brazil at the 17th Session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP17), according to Anna Paula Feminella, national secretary for the rights of persons with disabilities. Feminella led the Brazilian delegation at the event, which took place from June 11 to 13 at the United Nations headquarters in New York. “We are embedding ‘Nothing about us without us’ in the DNA of public policies,” she said.
In addition to Feminella, the Brazilian delegation included civil society organizations selected through a public notice from the Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship and Sen. Mara Gabrilli (PSD-SP). The senator was re-elected as Brazil’s representative on the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities during the event.
“It was very interesting to democratize the process, as it encompassed more diverse views on the struggle of persons with disabilities, which is unique but has specificities,” said Emerson Damasceno, president of the Special Commission for the Defense of the Rights of Autistic Persons of the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB), who also attended the conference.
COSP17 annually gathers the countries that have signed the 2006 UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. At the conference, official representatives and civil society organizations debate the advances made worldwide to guarantee the rights of persons with disabilities. “The convention was only the beginning of a much longer process of change and action. Our work is far from complete,” said UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed during the event’s opening.
Federal Government’s Plan Advances
During the event, Feminella highlighted the New Living Without Limits program as an example of public policy development with the participation of persons with disabilities. The plan, launched in November last year by the federal government, articulates measures from 27 ministries after dialogue with public agencies, civil society, and advocacy movements, according to Silvio Almeida, minister of Human Rights and Citizenship.
“We want the rights agenda for persons with disabilities to gain more visibility,” said Feminella. The plan envisages investing 6.5 billion reais in 95 actions to combat ableism, executed by 27 federal ministries. “The plan’s budget forecast is very robust. This shows that the government signals the importance it attaches to the issue by offering budgetary priority,” said Gabrilli.
One of the most anticipated actions by disability advocacy movements is the creation of the National Disability Assessment System and the Unified Biopsychosocial Disability Assessment, which will unify the necessary evaluations to ensure that persons with disabilities have their rights guaranteed and can access public policies, including educational ones. A proposal for these initiatives is expected to be submitted to Almeida by June 19.
Days before the launch of New Living Without Limits, the Ministry of Education (MEC) presented the Plan for Affirmation and Strengthening of the National Special Education Policy from the Perspective of Inclusive Education. The proposal envisages an investment of 3 billion reais until 2026 and focuses on four pillars: expanding access, quality and permanence, knowledge production, and training. The two plans have common actions (read the report for more details).
For Gabrilli, both initiatives bring advances, such as training and capacity-building actions for inclusive and special education, common room teachers, bilingual education teachers, and Libras interpreters, among others. “All [actions are] extremely important,” she said. “However, there is no provision for regulation or training of school support professionals, as provided for in the Brazilian Inclusion Law [LBI], to support students, something that society has been calling for since its approval,” said the senator (read the report on the work of support professionals).
Impact of Climate Change and Emergency Situations
One of the highlighted topics during the conference and parallel events was the situation of persons with disabilities in emergencies, such as armed conflicts, and in regions affected by climate disasters, such as the floods in Rio Grande do Sul. “Climate change severely impacts children with disabilities, a group that already faces significant obstacles to fully participating in society and accessing the same opportunities and services as others,” said Kirsten Lange, a specialist from UNICEF for Inclusive Humanitarian Actions, during a parallel event at the conference.
People with disabilities have been little considered by climate change response policies, such as evacuation plans, despite being more directly impacted. “We need concrete and inclusive evacuation plans to ensure that all people can be assisted during emergencies,” said Gunta Anča, a representative of social organizations from Latvia, during one of the official program sessions.
Among children with disabilities, the likelihood of being left behind in disaster situations is even higher, highlighting the importance of evacuation plans that include this group. Additionally, extreme situations—such as conflicts, climate emergencies, and public health crises like COVID-19—also affect the education of these children, causing them to remain out of school for longer periods than their peers.
“For this group, being out of school is not only a loss of learning but also makes them more vulnerable to violence, which usually happens in their own homes and is reported in the school environment,” said Emerson from OAB, who emphasizes that Brazil is not prepared for such events. “What happened in Rio Grande do Sul should be a warning to all of us,” he said.
Secretary Anna Paula Feminella (in a floral dress) celebrates the re-election of Senator Mara Gabrilli (on the right) as Brazil’s representative on the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Photo: MDHC/Isabel Carvalho
Mara Gabrilli Re-elected
During COSP17, part of the independent expert body of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) was also re-elected. The body is responsible for monitoring the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Mara is the current representative and was elected for a new term. “In this first term, we carried out very important actions, such as debates on risk situations and humanitarian emergencies. Thanks to our work, the committee began to discuss more emphatically the consequences of armed conflicts and climate change for the protection and safety of persons with disabilities,” said the senator. The new term begins in 2025 and lasts until 2028.
Mara, who also participated in COSP, highlighted the important role of the conference in fostering debate with other countries. “I had very positive exchanges and participated in dozens of bilateral meetings to present our work to several countries that, like us, are thinking about a more inclusive future,” she said.
For Feminella, the exchange with other countries was also one of the main positive points of the meeting. “The exchanges at the event prepare us to continue making the rights agenda of persons with disabilities a strategic position. In July, we will have the National Conference on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and next year, Brazil will host the UN Conference on Climate Change (COP30). We want persons with disabilities to be present in these debates,” she said.
Originally published by Diversa.org.br. June 2024.
Reporter: Wellington Soares
Editors: Rosi Rico and Elisangela Fernandes
