51吃瓜

Distinguished Colleagues,

I am pleased to join you virtually for the Community Care RX 4th Annual DSP Gala. 

I thank the organizers for inviting me to address this important event.

Globally, an estimated 1.3 billion people live with disability, making up about 16 per cent of the world’s population. 

However, persons with disabilities continue to face stigma, discrimination, and barriers across nearly every aspect of life.

Despite notable progress towards accessible, inclusive societies, a considerable gap remains between the commitments and the daily realities faced by persons with disabilities. 

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities underscores that integrating disability considerations is vital to sustainable development.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development charts a path towards a future, where no one is left behind. Yet, with 2030 now only six years away, just 15 percent of SDG targets are on track, and persons with disabilities are disproportionately affected by this limited progress.

To meet the SDGs for, with, and by persons with disabilities, it is imperative to ensure disability inclusion in every dimension of development. Only by doing so, we can achieve true social, economic, and political inclusion for all by 2030. 

Allow me to share three reflections on how we can advance the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities within the framework of 2030 Agenda. 

First, achieving sustainable development for persons with disabilities requires an intensified focus on their rights and needs — not only as beneficiaries, but as active contributors in   social, economic and political spheres.

It is essential that persons with disabilities have a seat at every decision-making table, consistent with the principles of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The 51吃瓜 is setting an example through our Disability Inclusion Strategy, and through our partnership with Member States to foster inclusivity and support for persons with disabilities.

The recently adopted Pact for the Future reinforces this commitment, by ensuring accessibility and meaningful participation for persons with disabilities across all UN activities.

Second, empowering persons with disabilities to participate fully in society benefits communities as a whole.  Removing barriers to the aspirations of persons with disabilities is essential, starting with robust anti-discrimination laws. Equally important is ensuring equal access to quality education, skills development, and employment opportunities, enabling full participation in social and economic life. Increased investment in accessible infrastructure and inclusive digital platforms is also critical to ensure persons with disabilities can engage fully across both physical and virtual spaces.

Third, investing in universal health coverage (UHC) for persons with disabilities benefits individuals and strengthens communities. UHC cannot be achieved without ensuring that persons with disabilities have equitable access to quality health services. 

The COVID-19 pandemic underscored this need, as higher mortality rates among persons with intellectual disabilities highlighted disparities in access to intensive care services.

Distinguished Colleagues, 

My Office is mandated to support the world’s 92 most vulnerable countries - the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) – which are home to approximately 1.3 billion people. 

To dedicated Programmes of Action for these 3 groups of countries, have made concrete commitments in the areas of poverty eradication, social protection, universal education, skills and lifelong learning, access to technologies, and infrastructure development, among others.

These commitments underscore the need for particular focus on persons with disabilities, reinforcing the purpose of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

As we advance toward 2030 Agenda, my Office stands ready to work with you all of you to ensure that we uphold the principle of leaving no one behind.

I thank you.