Ministry Statements & Speeches:
Thank you Chair.
It is an honour to be here to commemorate this year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, and truly leaving no one behind, will only be possible if persons with disabilities are kept at the centre of our global discussions.
Disability-inclusive approaches are critical to safeguarding the progress we have already made towards Agenda 2030, and in accelerating our global efforts to achieve positive outcomes.
Ensuring full, equal and meaningful participation for persons with disabilities, including by improving accessibility, leadership opportunities, and disaggregated data collection, is essential to fulfilling our international obligations.
New Zealand has a strong history of protecting and promoting the rights of persons with disabilities, alongside many in this room today.
We are proud to be a global leader on advancing disability rights, including from our role in the development of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (the CRPD).
Achieving universal ratification of the CRPD is now closely within reach. We take this opportunity to call on those Member States who are yet to ratify the convention to do so as soon as possible.
Enhancing international recognition of the diversity of the disability community, and an inclusive approach to leaving no one behind, is an essential part of achieving our international human rights obligations.
In this regard, New Zealand was pleased to co-facilitate, alongside Mexico, this year’s General Assembly resolution on implementation of the Convention.
We present this resolution in recognition of the importance of ensuring the rights of all persons with disabilities are respected, protected and fulfilled – acknowledging the difficult times that we find ourselves in.
This year’s focus on the participation and safety of persons with disabilities in situations of risk, including humanitarian emergencies, armed conflict, and disasters, was a timely reminder of the importance of ensuring a disability-inclusive approach to humanitarian preparedness, response, and recovery action.
As co-chair of the UN Group of Friends of Persons with Disabilities, New Zealand has a strong focus on driving collective action to advance the full participation and empowerment of persons with disabilities, including in times of crisis.
We also wish to acknowledge today the important work of the UN system in supporting our shared efforts to leave no-one behind.
We strongly support continued progress on the UN Disability Inclusion Strategy, including the system-wide efforts that are being taken to advance disability inclusion and to ensure that the UN leads by example.
New Zealand further echoes the call for re-energised efforts by the international community to ensure that inclusive action is at the forefront of our work to achieve the 2030 Agenda.
We stand ready to continue to support collaboration and innovation in partnership with persons with disabilities, as well as with Member States, the UN, human rights defenders, and our regional and multilateral partners.
Thank you.