First session of the Conference of States Parties: 31 October and 3 November 2008

First session - 31 October and 3 November 2008 

• Bureau:
  • President: Mexico
  • Vice-Presidents: Hungary, Jordan, New Zealand and South Africa    

• Elected Members of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities:
  • Mr. Monsur Ahmed Choudhuri (Bangladesh)  
  • Ms. Amna Ali Al Suweidi (Qatar)        
  • Mr. György Könczei (Hungary)*    
  • Ms. Ana Peláez Narváez (Spain)     
  • Mr. Cveto Ursic (Slovenia)*      
  • Ms. Jia Yang (China)        
  • Mr. Mohammed Al-Tarawneh (Jordan)      
  • Mr. Ronald McCallum AO (Australia)*  
  • Ms. María Soledad Cisternas Reyes (Chile)     
  • Mr. Germán Xavier Torres Correa (Ecuador)*   
  • Mr. Lotfi Ben Lallohom (Tunisia)*       
  • Ms. Edah Wangechi Maina (Kenya)*

    *These members' terms shall expire at the end of two years. 

• Official Documents:  
  • CRPD/CSP/2008/1: Note by the Secretary General (containing the nominations for the election of 12 members of the Committee) 
  • CRPD/CSP/2008/1/Add.1: Note by the Secretary General (Addendum containing five nominations received after 3  September 2008) 
  • CRPD/CSP/2008/2: Provisional agenda  
  • CRPD/CSP/2008/3: Rules of Procedure 
  • CRPD/CSP/2008/4: Report on the Conference of States Parties to Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities

• Statements:
  • Mr. Sha Zukang, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs
  • Ms. Navanethem Pillay, United Nation High Commissioner for Human Rights

• Interactive panel discussion: “The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as a human rights instrument and a tool for achieving the Millennium Development Goals.” Panelists:
  • Ms. Rachel Mayanja, Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, Assistant Secretary-General, Department for Econmic and Social Affairs (DESA)
  • Ms. Janet Amegatcher
  • Ms. Jane Connors
  • Ms. Charlotte McClain-Nhlapo
  • Mr. Gerard Quinn

• Press releases 
  • Meeting elected twelve independents experts to monitor implementation of disability Convention
  • Conference of States Parties to Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Holding inaugural meeting at UN Headquarters, elects President, Vice-Presidents (HR/4965)
  • States Parties to Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities elect first 12 experts to monitoring committee; Term ofoffice begins 1 january 2009 (HR/4966)

• Photos of the First session:
  • First meeting - 31 October 2008