20 June 2023
The (CRPD) guarantees the human rights of people with disabilities. UN entities and CRPD mandate¡¯s representatives met on the 16th session of the Conference of States Parties (COSP16) to explore how to further ensure equal access to and accessibility of sexual and reproductive health services, and promote digital accessibility for persons with disabilities, from 13 to 15 June 2023 in UNHQ, New York. Over 1,600 participants attended, including representatives from the Member States, Delegates and observers. To better prepare and respond to the needs of visitors, including people with disabilities who attended, the Security and Safety Service in New York (SSS NY) organized a training session for its security professionals.
On 7 June 2023, SSS NY organized three training sessions on ¡°Awareness and etiquette: how to work with people with disabilities¡±. The training focused on the accessibility for people with disabilities and the importance of respectful communication while addressing delegates with disabilities; persons with hidden or invisible disabilities; persons with intellectual disabilities; blind, partially sighted persons, and deafblind persons; and deaf and hard of hearing persons.
Dr. Mohammed Ali Loutfy, Director for Capacity Building and Advocacy from the Global Initiative for Inclusive ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies) (also representing the stakeholder group of Persons with Disabilities); Dr. Elizabeth Lockwood, Representative at the United Nations from the CBM (Christian Blind Mission) Global Disability Inclusion (also representing the World Federation of the Deaf); Ms. Sofija Korac, Delegate of the United States Mission to the United Nations; and Ms. Talin Avades, COSP Coordinator, International Disability Alliance presented as part of the panel during the training sessions.
¡°This significant training was eye-opening and I will be more careful while working with the people with disabilities.¡± ¡°I never thought that visitors at the UN could have an invisible disability and I should be attentive to the signs and symptoms of whether a visitor has any disability.¡± ¡°This training session definitely will make us confident and more efficient in working with people with disabilities, especially during the upcoming COSPs,¡± said some of the 76 participants who attended.
Chief of Security and Safety, Michael Browne and Deputy Chief of Safety and Security Rodrigo Victor Da Paixao recognized the importance of this training. Given the positive feedback, SSS NY plans to organize such training periodically and especially, before high-level events including CSW, COSP, HLPF, UNGA among others.