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Observances
4 January: World Braille Day*
8 February: International Epilepsy Day*
21 March: World Down…
The Netherlands ratified the Convention on 13 July 2016, bringing the total number of States Parties to the CRPD to 166.
Working towards universal ratification and implementation of the CRPD:
Ratifications and Signatories of the…
Beijing, China, 7 July 2016 - Secretary-General's remarks at the Tenth Anniversary Meeting of the Adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Your Excellency Mr. Wang Yong, State Councilor of China,
Ms. Zhang Hai Di,…
Canada today became the key 20th nation to accede to the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled, which will bring the Treaty into force in three month’s time…
Comoros ratified the Convention and the Optional Protocol on 17 June 2016, bringing the total number of States Parties to the CRPD to 165.
Working towards universal ratification and implementation of the CRPD:
Ratifications and Signatories of…
9th session of the Conference of States Parties (COSP), 14-16 June 2016, UN Headquarters.
The overarching theme of this year’s session is: “Implementing the 2030 development agenda for all persons with disabilities: Leaving no one behind”. Sub-…
International Albinism Awareness Day, 13 June
People with albinism face multiple forms of discrimination worldwide. Albinism is still profoundly misunderstood, socially and medically. The physical appearance of persons with albinism is often the…
A new charter to significantly improve living conditions of persons with disabilities during emergencies has been endorsed at the Special Session on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities into Humanitarian Action of the United Nations…
Finland ratified the Convention and the Optional Protocol on 11 May 2016, bringing the total number of States Parties to the CRPD to 164 and total ratification of the Optional Protocol to 89.
Working towards universal…
This October, Habitat III – the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development – will take place in Ecuador to design and launch a transformative and inclusive “New Urban Agenda” for the world cities in the next two decades.…
Japan earthquake
A series of earthquakes and aftershocks has hit Kumamoto Prefecture on Kyushu Island in southern Japan since 14 April, including a 6.5 magnitude tremor on 14 April, a 7.3 magnitude that hit on 16 April and a 5.8 magnitude tremor on…
Key dates:
25-29 April 2016: Open-ended Informal Consultative Meeting on the Zero Draft of Habitat III Outcome Document in New York;
6-7 June 2016: Informal Hearing with Stakeholders in New York;
25-27 July 2016: The third session of the…