Conference Of States Parties (COSP)

Since the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) came into force in 2008, there has been a yearly conference at the United Nations Headquarters in New York for countries that have ratified the convention to talk about how they are putting it into practice and anything related to that.

Each year’s COSP has an overarching theme, often accompanied by subthemes, an agenda, program and side events. You can read about COSP past sessions on the UN website.

The day before the main COSP, there is a Civil Society Forum where Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs) and civil society (i.e. not part of the government) organisations participating in COSP have their own discussions in preparation for the main program.

This is an opportunity to highlight current issues relevant to the disability movement and realisation of the CRPD, and to share and capture what civil society sees as some current standing issues.

2025

Once again PWDA will represent Australians with disability at the 18th session of the Conference of States Parties to the CRPD (COSP18) which will take place at the United Nations Headquarters, New York, from Tuesday 10 to Thursday 12 June 2025.

The 2025 COSP18 will meet under the overarching theme of Enhancing public awareness of the rights and contributions of persons with disabilities for social development leading up to the World Social Summit.  The subthemes supporting the principal focus are:

1. Empowering persons with disabilities and enhancing social development policies through innovative financing. 
2. Leaving no one behind: using AI as a tool for supporting inclusivity to strengthen the participation of persons with disabilities. 
3. Recognising and addressing the rights of Indigenous persons with disabilities and their role in advancing disability inclusion. 

Reconciliation must live in the hearts, minds and actions of all Australians as we move forward, creating a nation strengthened by respectful relationships between the wider Australian community, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

Watch the PWDA blog for regular updates.

• Stay up to date with news and events by subscribing to our newsletter.
• Visit the United Nations COSP18 website.

Previous sessions

We participate in COSP as part of DPO Australia. You can read about what we’ve done at past sessions below and on the DPO Australia website.

2024

PWDA represented the Disabled Peoples’ Organisations Australia (DPOA) at the 17th Session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP17)

Representatives from PWDA, Senior Manager of Policy, Giancarlo de Vera and Senior Policy Manager, Lisa Ira were in New York for the event, which took place from 11 to 13 June 2024 at the UN Headquarters in New York, USA.

The overarching theme was “Rethinking disability inclusion in the current international juncture and ahead of the Summit of the Future,” highlighting the urgency of advancing the rights of people with disabilities. Three sub-themes supported the principal focus.

1. International cooperation to promote technology innovations and transfer for an inclusive future.
2. Persons with disabilities in situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies.
3. Promoting the rights of persons with disabilities to decent work and sustainable livelihood.

Partial funding to attend COSP has been provided by the Australian Government. We thank the Australian Government for their support.

PWDA Sponsorship of COSP17 Side Event: INTERSECTIONAL INSIGHTS: Advancing Employment Inclusion for LGBTIQA+ People with Disability was held on Thursday 13 June, 10.15am – 11am (New York, GMT-4) responding to sub-theme 3.

2023

PWDA represented Australians with disability at the 16th session of the Conference of States Parties to the CRPD (COSP16) which took place at the United Nations Headquarters, New York from Monday 13 to Wednesday 15 June 2023.

The 2023 COSP16 met under an overarching theme of Harmonizing national policies and strategies with the CRPD: achievements and challenges, and considered three main themes:

1. Ensuring equal access to and accessibility of sexual and reproductive health services for persons with disabilities
2. Digital accessibility for persons with disabilities
3. Reaching the under-represented groups of persons with disabilities.

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