L’Arche at the United Nations
L’Arche attended the United Nation’s 17th session of the Conference of State Parties (COSP) to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
Our official delegates from the United States, Canada and Lithuania were joining hundreds of people with disabilities, Civil Society representatives and governmental officials from around the world at the UN Headquarters in New York. They contributed to important discussions on current issues that were fed into the U.N.’s Summit of the Future in September as well as help advance the implementation of the CRPD and ensure the rights of persons with disabilities are respected.
L’Arche works in some of the world’s most fragile contexts, where crises further complicate the already challenging effort to promote inclusion and provide accompanying services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This conference was a key moment for us to share ideas, learnings and experiences and develop partnerships to create a world where everyone is valued and belongs.
What is the Conference of States Parties (COSP)?
The Conference of States Parties (COSP) to the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is the world’s largest gathering of people with disabilities. The COSP brings together people with disabilities, family members and friends, support professionals and organizations along with government and U.N. officials in dialogue and work.
It is centered around the CRPD which is the international agreement to ensure the dignity and rights, full social inclusion and opportunities of people with disabilities.
The theme this year at COSP was about inclusion and included three sub-themes that directly affect the daily life of L’Arche members around the world – technological innovation, employment, and inclusive preparation and response in situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies.
Why does L’Arche participate in COSP?
L’Arche holds special consultative status with the U.N. which means our Federation holds both the privilege and the responsibility to speak to issues that impact the daily life of our members and the society we envision. Together, we can share our experiences, interests, and perspectives.
By participating with the U.N. we can build relationships with a diversity of people who hold many roles in our global community. We can learn from one another, and we can connect around mutual goals that make life better for everyone in the world we share. At the U.N. we meet and build partnerships to help bring forward a world where everyone belongs.
Highlights
- Our members brought forward leadership and participated in international conversations that impact L’Arche communities
- L’Arche formally called on society to advance inclusive leadership in the work and decisions that affect our members and neighbors around the world
- A history-making project with U.N. News was successfully achieved
- New audiences were reached through personal engagement, storytelling, and social media
- We shared in mutual relationships of learning with our global friends and partners, and shared from our experiences and our values as a Federation
Making history at #COSP17
Activist, actor and talk show host Nick Herd led the UN News team for the opening day of the 17th session of the Conference of States Parties (COSP17) to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which took place from 11 to 13 June 2024.
Part of his mission is to amplify voices and drive change, so learn more about Nick’s work with UN News here where he offers invaluable insights into the ongoing dialogue surrounding disability rights and inclusive communities, meeting change makers from around the world to find out how best to boost inclusivity in tech, jobs and aid efforts in times of war and climate disasters.
I am still opening the box of all the gifts I received from COSP, it will take me a year perhaps. One gift isa new understanding of human rights - the work to just give back to people what rightly belongs to them. This is justice.
