From 21st to 22nd October 2024, I had the immense honor of attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) Youth Forum in Samoa, representing the Commonwealth Disabled People’s Forum (CDPF) as a youth delegate. This was a particularly meaningful experience for me, as I had missed out on attending the 2022 CHOGM Youth Forum in Kigali, Rwanda. Being my first CHOGM Youth Forum, I was determined to use this platform to ensure that the voices of disabled youth were heard loud and clear.
I was privileged to speak during the Spotlight Session for the Africa region on the first day of the forum. While being non-verbal presented communication challenges, I wrote my intervention and had someone read it on my behalf, allowing my message to resonate within the room. Despite the difficulties in interacting and networking with others, I found solace in being surrounded by like-minded individuals, all sharing a commitment to youth development and inclusion. The breakout sessions became a powerful tool for me to amplify the voices of disabled youth, ensuring that our unique challenges and contributions were acknowledged and discussed.
However, one aspect of the forum that was disappointing was the low representation of disabled youth. Out of all the participants, I was the only youth from Africa with a major disability. Alongside me were three other disabled youth—two from Samoa and one from Asia. This underrepresentation of disabled youth is a serious issue that cannot be ignored. It is not something to be proud of, but rather a call to action for Commonwealth states, organizations, and the Commonwealth Youth Program to prioritize the inclusion of disabled youth in all future events and initiatives
Africa Spotlight Session https://youtu.be/b7oc9DFygBE?si=li0zU0-SlG-wfQ3D
Other Presentations https://youtu.be/XMyQYG46X5s?si=JdbMc87k6-UNncYC
CHOGM CDPF Side Event Presentation https://youtu.be/kjctKvM8-HY?si=eXGdcz4ng6rXiftZ