Ministry Statements & Speeches:
Madam President,
New Zealand would like to take this opportunity to commend the important work of the Special Rapporteur, Ms. Catalina Devandas, and thank her for her professional and valued contributions to this mandate.
New Zealand is proud to have co-led, with our esteemed colleagues from Mexico, the Council resolution in 2014 which established the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. New Zealand continues to be a steadfast supporter of this mandate, and is dedicated to taking global leadership to progress the rights of persons with disabilities.
We commend the Special Rapporteur for the extensive work she has done for the Council over her six year term, including the production of 11 reports, the completion of 9 country visits, and her determined efforts to mainstream the rights of persons with disabilities in the Council and the UN system.
We are especially grateful for the Special Rapporteur’s valuable contributions to the development of the UN Disability Inclusion Strategy launched in June last year. We hope that the strategy will result in a significant increase in the participation of persons with disabilities across the UN system and that this will be one of many lasting legacies of her work.
To end, New Zealand would like to reiterate our sincere thanks to Ms. Catalina Devandas, and we urge all States to support the continuation of this important mandate when this comes before the Council in June.
Thank you Madam President