14th session of the Conference of States Parties to the CRPD | Division for Inclusive Social Development (DISD)

** Given the situation on COVID-19, after careful consideration, The COSP14 will be held largely online. 15 June 2021 (in-person meetings: Opening of the conference and matters related to the implementation of the Convention, General debate). 16 and 17 June 2021 (virtual meetings: roundtable discussions, the interactive dialogue with the UN system, and the closing). **

Theme and sub-themes

Overarching theme: Building back better: COVID-19 response and recovery; Meeting the needs, Realizing the rights, and Addressing the socio-economic impacts on persons with disabilities

Sub-theme 1: Protecting the rights of persons with disabilities in armed conflict and humanitarian emergencies
Sub-theme 2: Living Independently, being included in the community
Sub-theme 3: Right to education; challenges with inclusive education and accessibility during COVID-19

Bureau of the COSP14

President-elect: Finland (Western European and Others Group)
Vice-Presidents-elect: Republic of Iraq (Asia-Pacific Group), Poland (Eastern European Group), Guatemala (Latin American and Caribbean Group), and Zambia ( African Group).

Hybrid Press Conference

Speakers: President of the COSP14, H.E. Mr. Jukka Salovaara, Permanent Representative and Finland (in-person), along with virtual panelists, Ms. Ruth Mkutumula, Disabled Women in Africa Malawi (DIWA) and Mr. Birendra Raj Pokharel. Moderated by Ms. Francyne Harrigan, UN Department of Global Communications.

Video of the press conference

Opening of the Conference of States Parties

(1st meeting) Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Fourteenth session, COSP14, 15 June 2021, 10 am to 1 pm.

Video of the opening session

(2nd meeting) Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Fourteenth session, COSP14, 15 June, 3 to 6 pm.

Video of the general debate

Videos of the Round Tables

COSP14 Round Tables

Round Table 1. Protecting the rights of persons with disabilities in armed conflict and humanitarian emergencies, 16 June, 10 am to 1 pm

Round Table 2. Living Independently, being included in the community, 16 June, 3 to 6 pm

Round Table 3: Right to education: challenges with inclusive education and accessibility during COVID-19, 17 June, 10 am to 1 pm

Interactive dialogue among States parties, the United Nations system, and other stakeholders on the implementation of the Convention, 17 June, 3 to 6 pm

General Debate - 15 June 3-6 pm

Informal Briefing

Virtual Informal briefing to the Member States: Preparation of the COSP14, organized by the Bureau in collaboration with UNDESA on 17 May 2021 from 3-4 pm at United Nations Headquarters in New York. Letter of President-elect | Summary of the President-elect’s briefing
Virtual Informal briefing to Civil Society: Preparation of the COSP14, organized by the Bureau in collaboration with the UNDESA on 17 May 2021 from 4 -5 pm at United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Credentials

Note Verbale of the Secretariat (UN DESA-21-00069, dated 10 February 2021)
Further to the previous UN DESA Note Verbale ( DESA-21-00069, 10 February 2021), the secretariat is pleased to inform States Parties that the /e-CREDENTIALS/ e-DELEGATE / is now available for the 14th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities that shall take place in UNHQs New York from 15 to 17 June 2021.
In accordance with Rule 7 of the Rules of Procedure of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities ( CSP/CRPD/2008/3), all States Parties are kindly requested to forward credentials issued by the Head of State or Government or by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, as well as other communications containing the names of representatives to the 14th session (including letters and Note Verbales from Permanent Missions to the United Nations), through the online platform, “e-Credentials”, which can be accessed through the e-DELEGATE portal, by 8 June 2021.
Download the step-by-step Guidance on how to submit credentials to the General Assembly meetings via the e-Credentials portal.
Should delegations experience any technical issues in using the e-DELEGATE portal for submission of their Credentials, please direct inquiries to missions-support@un.int.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, States Parties are furthermore kindly requested to bring the original hard copy of the formal credentials to the conference room on the day of the meeting. States Parties are requested not to mail in or hand-deliver formal credentials at this time. ( please see also the announcement in the UN Journal link)

Provisional agenda and program

Background Documents

Protecting the rights of persons with disabilities in armed conflict and humanitarian emergencies English | Français | Español | Русский | عربي | 汉语
Living independently, being included in the community
English | Français | Español | Русский | عربي | 汉语
Right to education: challenges with inclusive education and accessibility during the coronavirus disease pandemic English | Français | Español | Русский | عربي | 汉语

Information Note

The virtual platform that will be used for the COSP14 is Zoom Webinar.

If you experience further difficulties during the Conference, please send an email to lamrabat@un.org with a copy to enable@un.org.

Civil Society Participation

Registration for NGOs with ECOSOC status and NGOs Accredited to the Conference of State Parties is now OPEN. The deadline is 4 June 2021.
Application for New NGO accreditation: The deadline is CLOSED.
Please read carefully the instructions and consult the List of NGOs Accredited to the Conference of States Parties to the CRPD before applying.
Virtual Civil Society Forum: The Civil Society Coordination Mechanism, facilitated by the International Disability Alliance (IDA) will host a Civil Society Forum on 14 June 2021. More information coming soon...
For questions, please contact directly the secretariat of the civil society coordination mechanism, via email to Ms. Erin Hardin at ehardin@ida-secretariat.org.

National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs)

Registration for the NHRIs. The deadline is CLOSED.

Side Events

Side events provide an excellent opportunity for the Member States, UN entities, and NGOs to discuss the themes of the COSP and other critical issues related to persons with disabilities.
Side events are for COSP attendees and registered participants as well as invited registered external guests.
All questions on side events should be directed to socialngo@un.org and copy lamrabat@un.org.

View the Draft List of Side Events (as of 4 June 2021)

Important Deadlines

As the 14th session of the Conference of States Parties to the CRPD will open in about a week, States Parties are kindly reminded of the following important deadlines:

Inscribe to the List of Speakers of the General debate immediately via the Edelegate portal speakers list, if your delegation wishes to make a statement under agenda item 5 (a) General Debate but has not done so yet.
Upload pre-recorded video statement/message (up to 2 and a half minutes) through the only devoted website portal Link no later than 10 June, if your delegation wishes to choose to deliver your national statement via a pre-recorded video. If you have already submitted your video through the link through the above-mentioned portal as instructed by the automatic email that was sent acknowledging their inscription to the list of speakers for the General Debate, then there is no need for further action.
A provisional e-List of Speakers ( General Debate) (as of 9 June 2021) will be published here on our COSP14 website on 14 June 10 A.M, a day before the official opening of the 14^th session of the Conference.
A provisional Seating Chart of the in-person meeting venue at the General Assembly Hall on 15 June 2021 (draft as of 9 June 2021) will be made available through the COSP14 website on 10 June and may be updated if necessary to accommodate the accessibility requirements of all delegates and participants with disabilities.
Register your representative/s, by 11 June, through two devoted website links, namely (1) the link entitled “ Register for In-person meetings (15 June)” and the one to “Register for Virtual meetings (16 and 17 June)”, in case your delegation has not done so yet. The virtual platform that will be used for the COSP14 is Zoom Webinar.
Credentials. all States Parties are requested to (1) upload a scanned copy of the credentials to the e-DELEGATE /e-Credentials portal by 8 June 2021, and (2) bring the hard copy or a Letter/ Note issued by the Mission just in case the original copy is not ready for the depository at the first meeting of the Conference on 15 June 2021.
Quorum required. All delegates attending the first in-person meeting are kindly reminded to arrive at and take their seat in the GA Hall venue by 9:50 AM on 15 June 2021 to assure the quorum required and avoid potential delays or cancellation of the meeting.

Useful Links

e-Speaker List of the General Debate e-Speaker List following the UN protocol (as of 6 am of 15 June 2021)
General Assembly Seating Chart for Tuesday 15 June 2021 (as of 14 June 2021)
Decisions by Conference of States Parties

For Delegations

Registration for in-person meeting, including accessibility requirements
Registration for virtual meetings, 16 and 17 June 2021
The e-DELEGATE portal service is used to (1) submit scanned copy of credentials via e-Credential by 8 June 2021; and (2) Inscribe their speaker to the List of Speakers of the General Debate, via the e-SPEAKERS, between 10 am on 26 May and 6 pm on 9 June 2021

For UN Entities and National Human Rights Institutes

Registration for virtual meetings, 16 and 17 June 2021

For Civil Society Organizations

For questions, please contact directly the secretariat of the civil society coordination mechanism, via email to Ms. Erin Hardin at ehardin@ida-secretariat.org.

Contributions to the COSP14

“You Gotta Be” (ユー・ガッタ・ビー) True Colors Music Video [EN & JA Subs, ISL]

This year the Nippon Foundation, supported by Member States, is dedicating the music video “You Gotta Be”, filmed over hundreds of hours online by globally known artists with disabilities.