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Disabled People's International (DPI) successfully concluded it's 9th World Assembly on 13th April, 2016 in New Delhi, India. With over 200 disabled people participating from nearly 70 countries, this was one of the most historic, path breaking World Assemblies in the history of DPI. Members deliberated on issues of disability inclusive development, a greater say in SDGs, importance of data collection, and resurgence of 800 million people with disabilities from the Global South to have a voice that is heard at global disability platforms. The substance of these discussions has been compiled in the 'Delhi Declaration' that was adopted at the end of the World Assembly.
Affirming the fact that data will be crucial for the effective monitoring and evaluation of disability inclusive development, DPI has called for a “disability data revolution”. DPI has also underscored that SDGs and CRPD are not mutually exclusive of each other. DPI called upon all supranational institutions and governments to take forward the important task of implementation of CRPD by creating laws, policies, and setting aside adequate budgets.
Not just DPI's 9th World Assembly, but also the World Council Meeting was held on 12th April, 2016 and the long overdue DPI Africa Regional Assembly and DPI Asia Pacific Regional Assembly were held on 10th April, 2016.
We would like to congratulate and officially introduce the newly elected Executives:
DPI World Executive Council: Global Chair (2nd Term) – Javed Abidi, India; Deputy Chair 1 – Henrietta Davis-Wray, Jamaica; Deputy Chair 2 – Sylvana Lakkis, Lebanon; Secretary – Ayassou Komivi, Togo; Treasurer – Shudarson Subedi, Nepal; and Information Officer – Trevor Carroll, Australia.
DPI Asia Pacific Regional Executive: Chairperson - Trevor Carroll, Australia; Vice-Chairperson - Casper Fa'asala, Solomon Islands; Vice-Chairperson - Muhammad Usman Khaled, Bangladesh; Secretary - Ky Sophan, Cambodia; Treasurer - Josephine de Vera, Philippines; Information Officer - Ahmed Mohamed, Maldives.
DPI Asia Pacific World Council Members: Trevor Carroll, Australia; Pati Umaga, New Zealand; Javed Abidi, India; Shudarson Subedi, Nepal and Wong Yoon Loong, Malaysia.
DPI Africa Regional Executive: Chairperson – Ekaete Judith Umoh, Nigeria; Vice-Chairperson - Djimnayel Robkedi, Chad; Secretary - Regina Lephoi, Lesotho; Treasurer - Joseph Rono, Kenya; Information Officer - Yatma Fall, Senegal.
DPI Africa World Council Members: Amon Anastaz, Tanzania; Ayassou Komivi, Togo; Colby Kuanda, Malawi; Evelyne Hien-Winkoun, Burkina Faso and Francois Kenfack, Cameroon.
In addition to all of this, DPI in partnership with NCPEDP (DPI India) and UNDP co-organised the Global Leadership Training/International Seminar on Disability & Development on 11th & 12th April, 2016. Mr. Thaawar Chand Gehlot, Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India was the Chief Guest.
With an array of star Speakers and Guests, from Mr. Yuri Afanasiev, UN Resident Coordinator & UNDP Representative India; Ambassador Luis Gallegos, Chair, G3ict Board of Trustees & Former Chair, CRPD Preparatory Committee of the UN General Assembly; Ms. Charlotte Mclain-Nhlapo, Global Disability Advisor, The World Bank (via video message); Mr. Mukhtar Al Shibani, President, GAATES; to Ms. Venus Illagan, former Global Chair, DPI and now Secretary General, Rehabilitation International (via video message); the event went off without a glitch and was extremely well received.
We were deeply honoured to receive a message on this occasion from Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi in which he said, ”It is imperative that as the world advances to accomplish the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, particularly the eradication of extreme poverty, people with disabilities are included in this journey.”
We thank all our funders especially RIST, AIF, TATAs, YES Bank, UNDP and our supporting partners, G3ict and BarrierBreak. Thank you so much for believing in us and supporting our cause.
We also thank the Government of India, the Prime Minister's Office, the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, the Ministry of External Affairs, and the Ministry of Home Affairs. All this could not have been made possible without their help and support!
We would like to end this note with a very special thanks to all our Member National Assemblies for taking out their precious time to attend DPI's 9th World Assembly in India. Also, all those Members who could not attend but sent their good wishes. We are particularly happy with the way these events have helped us deepen our relationships and have infact given birth to a new, more united and more energized and active DPI. We need to constantly develop our capacities and capabilities to make the call ‘Nothing About Us Without Us’ a reality! This event was the start of things to come and we hope we will be able to offer many such platforms in the years to come. The entire DPI Executive and DPI Secretariat look forward to your continued support as always.
Thank you!
Javed Abidi, Global Chair
Henrietta Davis-Wray, Deputy Chair 1
Sylvana Lakkis, Deputy Chair 2
Ayassou Komivi, Secretary
Shudarson Subedi, Treasurer
Trevor Carroll, Information Officer
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