On the 6th of July, I landed in Kenya for my second visit, this time for the Commonwealth Disabled People’s Forum (CDPF) Executive Meeting, held from the 7th to the 11th of July at Maanzoni Lodge, Nairobi. The meeting was followed by discussions with Kenyan Government Officials on the 12th of July, 2024.
The CDPF represents national umbrella Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs) from 48 Commonwealth countries and over 50 other DPOs. Our primary focus during this meeting was to push for the adoption of a Disability Inclusion Action Plan at the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM) meeting in Samoa, scheduled for the week of October 20th, 2024. We are strongly urging all Commonwealth Governments to support this critical initiative.
This face-to-face meeting felt like a reunion, as we finally had the chance to meet in person after numerous online sessions. I was particularly excited to reconnect with my friend Claire, whom I met at the UN COSP 16 last year. Claire helped me read my intervention at the Australia Government Department of Social Services side event. After COSP 16, she shared a LinkedIn post from the former Australia Human Rights Commissioner, featuring a photo of him and me. Earlier this year, we randomly met again at an online spotlight series organized by Dream Network Children and Young People with Disability Australia. It was no surprise that Claire eventually joined us on the CDPF executive board. Meeting her in person again was a highlight of the event.
The Executive carried out important discussions and made far-reaching decisions that will impact the lives of the 430 million disabled people across the Commonwealth’s 56 countries. Members traveled from Solomon Islands, Western Australia, British Columbia (Canada), Barbados, Guyana, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the UK, and across Africa, including Nigeria, Uganda, Malawi, Rwanda, South Africa, Zambia, and Kenya.
Key decisions included prioritizing the development of inclusive education and employment policies, challenging negative stereotypes in the media, urging governments to include disabled people in their climate emergency preparations (as disabled individuals are four times more at risk), involving people who are neurodiverse, mental health survivors, and cognitively impaired individuals, and developing a draft policy on Disability. The CDPF will also campaign to equally involve disabled people in the political process in each country, advocating for equality in voting through reasonable accommodations and accelerating training for political leadership.
During the meeting, my initiative to establish the CDPF Commonwealth Disabled Youth Network was approved, although we decided to call it a Forum instead of a Network. I am excited about influencing and growing this Forum to make a significant impact.
Young disabled leaders from seven East and Southern African countries joined the Executive for a highly successful joint training session. I had the opportunity to mentor one of the trainees, which was a rewarding experience.
On Friday, July 12th, we held a productive roundtable with 20 officials from various Kenyan Government Departments, the Human Rights Commission, the National Council for Disability, representatives of the UNCRPD, the United Disabled Persons of Kenya, and representatives of CDPF. This roundtable led to a deeper understanding of the requirements to fully implement the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities across Kenya. I was honored to deliver a speech at this event, which you can watch on YouTube https://youtu.be/X6QhHyzn1fE
The CDPF Executive Meeting in Kenya marked a significant step forward in advocating for disability inclusion and empowerment across the Commonwealth. The collective efforts and decisions made during this event will pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable future for all disabled individuals.
Kihembo Wilbert
CDPF Youth Officer