Delhi: Civil20 empowers disability advocacy with conference
The 'Disability, Equity, Justice' working group of Civil20 (C20) organized an international conference in Delhi. The event attracted over 500 attendees both in-person and online. The attendees' list also included persons with disabilities and disabled experts from nine countries physically present and participants from more than 15 countries who joined virtually. Here's more about the international conference.
Civil20 forms standalone group for 1.3 billion persons with disabilities
Civil20, an official engagement group of G20, includes 15 working groups, with 'Disability, Equity, and Justice' being one of them. In a groundbreaking step, Civil20 India established a dedicated working group to address the needs of the 1.3 billion persons with disabilities, acknowledging their status as the world's largest minority. This showcases India's historic leadership to ensure that disability finds space within G20 declarations.
Nidhi Goyal appointed as primary coordinator of working group
Civil20 has demonstrated G20's commitment to women-led development by appointing Nidhi Ashok Goyal as the primary coordinator of the 'Disability, Equity, and Justice' working group. Ms. Goyal, a globally recognized advocate for disability rights and founder/executive director of Rising Flame, is herself a woman with a disability. Her appointment highlights the significance of recognizing disabled women from the Global South in leadership roles.
Exclusion of disabled individuals costs 7% of GDP
"Research shows that the cost of exclusion can be as high as 7% of the GDP of a country, hence it's important that persons with disabilities are at the table to ensure that the economic development is just, resilient, inclusive, and sustainable," said Nidhi Goyal.
Conference began with an inspiring performance by 'We Are One'
The Conference kicked off with a performance by 'We Are One,' a talented group of specially-abled artists. This was followed by a journey presentation on the 'Disability, Equity, Justice' working group by Ms. Goyal. Plenary sessions on important topics like creating inclusive economies and communities, empowering persons with disabilities through education and livelihoods, and the significance of accessibility for sustainable development were held.
'Group created to amplify voices of persons with disabilities'
"C20 leaders decided to mainstream disability and announced the creation of this stand-alone group to amplify the voices of persons with disabilities. This dedicated attention to disability rights will have a profound positive impact on persons living with disabilities, worldwide," Goyal shared at the event.
Aim is to cater to needs of persons with disabilities
The primary goal of the working group is to create a policy brief that adequately represents persons with disabilities and addresses the wide range of issues faced by women and individuals with disabilities. This will be achieved through an inclusive and participatory process. The aim is to ensure that the policy brief reflects the diverse perspectives and experiences of these marginalized groups.
The conference was attended by many important delegates
Many important C20 delegates and sectoral experts were a part of these consultations and the Conference, including Vijay Nambiar, Former Ambassador of India, Sherpa - C20, Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, and Shombi Sharp, UN Resident Coordinator.
Talks provide strong foundation for global disability advocacy
Before the international conference, the working group conducted four hybrid consultations nationwide, engaging over 1000 participants from 15 countries. The consultations focused on vital topics like inclusive education, women with disabilities, meaningful participation, workforce inclusion, livelihoods, new-age jobs, and access to health. These discussions serve as a valuable foundation for paving the way for disability advocacy globally.
We are only doing the right thing: Keshav Suri
"We are not saving anybody, we are only doing the right thing. We are only building an empathetic organization, for an empathetic country and the world," says Keshav Suri, executive director, The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group and founder of the Keshav Suri Foundation.
