OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe supports conference on rights of people with disabilities

A three-day conference on the rights of people with disabilities, organized by the civil society organization National Union of People with Disabilities with the support of the UN and the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, concluded in Tajikistan’s capital on 17 November 2017. Experts from 12 countries discussed UN and OSCE recommendations for implementing the UN Convention on Rights of People with Disabilities with representatives of the Government of Tajikistan.

The Government of Tajikistan has committed itself to signing the UN Convention by the end of the year. Experts, mainly from countries of the former Soviet Union, shared their views on difficulties and successes in implementing the Convention in their respective countries, where it has already been signed or ratified.

The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe presented the work currently being done by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights to further promote the participation of people with disabilities in public and political life throughout the OSCE area.

The participants recognized that good co-operation between the government and civil society organizations focused on and run by people with disabilities is key to the successful implementation of the UN Convention.

Asadullo Zikrikhudoev, Chairperson of the National Union of People with Disabilities, said: “We see positive steps from the Government of Tajikistan and the city of Dushanbe in terms of support for people with disabilities. We still have progress to make but this conference is a step in the right direction, hopefully smoothing the process towards signing and ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities.”