Driving Social Progress through Disability Inclusion: Outcomes of COSP18

The eighteenth session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP18) was held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 10 to 12 June 2025. The session convened under the theme: “Enhancing public awareness of the rights and contributions of persons with disabilities for social development leading up to the Second World Summit for Social Development”. The President of the Conference, Jayantha Jayasuriya, the Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN, emphasized that social progress for persons with disabilities, particularly on poverty eradication, full and productive employment and decent work for all, and social integration, was lagging. The Conference also took place in a critical year, with milestone global summits such as the Second World Summit for Social Development on the horizon, serving as a key convergence point to shape global dialogue on disability inclusion.

The conference hosted three round-table discussions on:

· Empowering persons with disabilities and enhancing social development policies through innovative financing, which emphasized the need for sustained, disability-inclusive funding mechanisms, the leadership of organizations of persons with disabilities, and alignment with broader development financing agendas.

· Leaving no one behind: using artificial intelligence as a tool for supporting inclusivity to strengthen the participation of persons with disabilities, which spotlighted both the promise and risks of AI, calling for inclusive design from the outset, the integration of disability rights into digital policy frameworks, and safeguards against algorithmic bias.

· Recognizing and addressing the rights of Indigenous persons with disabilities and their role in advancing disability inclusion, which highlighted the compounded discrimination faced by Indigenous peoples with disabilities and called for visibility, political recognition, culturally appropriate services, and meaningful participation in decision-making processes.

Held in the lead-up to the Second World Summit for Social Development, COSP18 served as a strategic platform to build political momentum and influence global discourse. Over 160 statements were delivered by Member States, civil society organizations, UN entities, and NGOs, reaffirming the central role of organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) as equal partners and change agents. Across all discussions, the session spotlighted the need for sustained financing, inclusive innovation, and accessible services, while also stressing the integration of disability rights into social protection systems, peacebuilding frameworks, and broader sustainable development processes.

As the world moves toward the Second World Social Summit, the message from COSP18 is clear: social progress depends on recognizing the leadership of persons with disabilities in shaping a better future for all.

Read the final report on COSP18 here.