Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto to attend the Global Disability Summit

NordenBladet — Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto will attend the Global Disability Summit in Oslo on 16–17 February. He will announce the Foreign Ministry’s commitments on the promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities at the meeting. The aim of the summit is to intensify the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and thereby to bring about substantial improvements in the lives of persons with disabilities.The second Global Disability Summit will be co-hosted by Norway together with the International Disability Alliance and Ghana in Oslo on 16–17 February 2022. The first summit took place in London in summer 2018. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s event will be held virtually to ensure the widest possible participation.“Active participation and agency of persons with disabilities must be at the heart of the fulfilment of their rights. At the Oslo summit, they will have opportunities to be heard, and Finland strongly supports this,” says Minister for Foreign Affairs Haavisto.The event is expected to attract high-level representatives, and UN Secretary-General António Guterres and several ministers have already confirmed their participation.Persons with disabilities and their representative organisations are at the forefront at the summitPersons with disabilities experience discrimination in all parts of the world and are often excluded from development in their communities . At the summit, persons with disabilities and their representative organisations will be able to bring their views to discussion at the global forum and to promote better implementation of their rights. One of Finland’s long-term priorities is to ensure the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities. Finland has consistently highlighted the rights of persons with disabilities in different forums, such as the UN Human Rights Council. Commitments to promote these rights will be published in connection with the summit.Finland’s commitments deal with inclusive education and strengthening disability inclusion in both disaster risk reduction and peace processes and peacebuilding. Finland will continue to champion the implementation of rights of persons with disabilities, especially women and girls with disabilities, in global contexts. In addition, Finland pledges sustained support for the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities through the Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD).