Side event during the 19th Session of the Conference of States Parties to the CRPD (COSP 19)
Date: 9 June 2026
Time: 10:00 – 11:15 EDT / 16:00 – 17:15 CEST
Location: Conference Room 11 (CR11), UN Headquarters, New York
Accessibility: International Sign Language and closed captioning in English will be available
Watch the live stream: https://shorturl.at/OscPt
Live attendance: Only people with access to the Conference of States Parties to the CRPD (COSP 19) can attend in person.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The CRPD has played a vital role in advancing the human rights of persons with disabilities around the world. This is especially important when it comes to Article 19, which recognises the right of disabled people to live independently and be included in the community.
Twenty years after the adoption of the CRPD, however, no country has fully realised this right.
Despite important progress, practical guidance and years of advocacy, disabled people continue to face major barriers to independent living. These include the persistence of institutionalisation, cuts to support services such as personal assistance, poverty, guardianship, discrimination in education and employment, and ableism.
This side event will explore the remaining barriers to independent living, while also reflecting on what has been achieved. Speakers will discuss the current state of implementation of Article 19, the need to challenge institutionalisation in all its forms, good practices from Latin America, the role of Centres for Independent Living, and Personal Following Budgets in Belgium.
The event will also highlight the importance of collective action by disabled people and allies. It aims to inspire hope and renewed commitment, while not shying away from the serious challenges that remain in the fight for Independent Living for all.
Programme
10:00 – 10:10 EDT / 16:00 – 16:10 CEST
Welcoming remarks
Ambassador Bart de Wolf, Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Belgium to the UN
Moderator: Nadia Hadad, Co-Chair of the European Network on Independent Living and Board member of GRIP vzw
10:10 – 10:25 EDT / 16:10 – 16:25 CEST
State of implementation of Article 19 CRPD
Markus Scheffer, Member of the CRPD Committee
10:25 – 10:50 EDT / 16:25 – 16:50 CEST
Putting Independent Living Pillars into practice
Challenging institutionalisation in all its forms
Jarrod Clyne, International Disability Alliance and Global Coalition on Deinstitutionalisation
Good practices from Latin America
Roberto Avedano Sancho, Charge d’affaires a.i., Permanent Mission of Costa Rica to the UN
From Berkeley to the UN: the role of the Centres for Independent Living
Jessica Podesva, Director of Advocacy and Public Policy, National Council on Independent Living, USA
Personal Following Budgets in Belgium
Nadia Hadad, Co-Chair of the European Network on Independent Living and Board member of GRIP vzw
10:50 – 11:00 EDT / 16:50 – 17:00 CEST
Achieving Independent Living as part of the broader human rights agenda
Rio Hada, Chief, Development, Equality and Rule of Law Section, UN OHCHR New York Office
11:00 – 11:10 EDT / 17:00 – 17:10 CEST
Moderated discussion
11:10 – 11:15 EDT / 17:10 – 17:15 CEST
Closing remarks and way forward
Nadia Hadad, Co-Chair of the European Network on Independent Living and Board member of GRIP vzw
Organisers
The event is organised by GRIP vzw and the European Network on Independent Living, with the support of the Government of Belgium and the Permanent Mission of Costa Rica to the UN. We are very thankful to the Robert Bosch Foundation for their financial support, which covered the cost of sign language, captioning, venue and the UN Web TV.
The side event is held in cooperation with the Global Coalition on Deinstitutionalisation.
Accessibility
International Sign Language and closed captioning in English will be available.
The event will also be live streamed on UN Web TV.
Watch the live stream: https://shorturl.at/OscPt
Live attendance: Only people with access to the Conference of States Parties to the CRPD (COSP 19) can attend in person.