This oral statement was broadcasted at the 52nd Session of the Human Rights Council Annual interactive debate on the rights of persons with disabilities on March 13th, 2023. Watch a video of the intervention here.

Distinguished delegates,

My name is Momota Hena and I am making this statement on behalf of the Asian Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women, ARROW.

Ensuring that people with disabilities have the right to live with dignity is a social co-responsibility and governments/states are responsible to ensure that.

We, therefore, call on the member states to take action on the following recommendations:

1. Ensure the cross-cutting implementation measures towards comprehensive support and care systems including equitable educational opportunities, employment opportunities, a supportive care system, an inclusive health care system, infrastructural inclusion, and equitable justice system.
2. Ensure that the education entities are responsible to develop, include and strengthen curricula that are disability-specific and disability-inclusive, and also provide training for teachers and educators including when addressing the workforce.
3. Guarantee that the care agenda should have the provision of support that recognizes their dignity and promote their autonomy as the core of community inclusion.
4. Guarantee that there is an appropriate and equitable funding distribution for not only providing care and support in health care but also providing equitable educational and employment opportunities.
5. Ensure that the new framework for care and support addresses the limitations of the traditional framework and addresses the challenges and learnings from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
6. Guarantee that the care and support system frameworks will make sure of no discrimination against sexual minorities, preventing gender-based and sexual violence, and ensure access to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights.
7. Ensure that the health care system is equal and equitable to provide care and support to people living with disabilities, including access to play, recreation, leisure, and sporting activities, as well as physical education and SRH services.