News and Updates
Feature

World Leaders Convene in D.C. to Activate Disability Rights Implementation

Published

The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), in partnership with Mobility International USA (MIUSA), Disability Rights and Education Defense Fund (DREDF), and the U.S. International Council on Disabilities (USICD), is honored to welcome 24 disability rights leaders from six countries to Washington D.C. for the “RightsNow!: Exploring the U.S. Model” conference, from September 17-24. This prestigious and high-level conference is a part of the “RightsNow!: Strong Communities through Enforcing the Rights of Persons with Disabilities” project, funded by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor of the U.S. Department of State and administered by MIUSA.

Representing Armenia, Guatemala, Kenya, Mexico, Peru and Vietnam, the international delegation includes leaders from disabled persons’ organizations, human rights organizations and government agencies who are spearheading initiatives to strengthen the implementation and enforcement of disability rights legislation, as well as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, at national and local levels.

Throughout the conference, delegates are meeting and engaging with U.S. disability rights experts and government leaders who played key roles in the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act and other key legislation. Delegates are also meeting with leading agencies and specialists in the fields of inclusive education, independent living, employment, coalition building, and other key priority areas, to gain insights into principles, strategies, and lessons learned from implementation and enforcement of U.S. laws and policies.

The Rights Now! consortium consists of four partners: MIUSA, a disability-led organization founded in 1981 dedicated to advancing leadership and disability rights globally; DREDF, a disability-led organization at the forefront of U.S. disability civil rights law and policy; IFES, a global leader in democracy promotion and good governance; and USICD, a disability-led organization committed to advocacy and action to promote the global disability rights agenda.

To learn more, please click here.