“Development must be inclusive, sustainable, and equitable. It must be anchored in the full realization of the rights of persons with disabilities. The Philippines believes that inclusive development is not optional—it is essential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.”

This was emphasized by Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Asst. Secretary Elaine Fallarcuna of the International Affairs, Attached and Supervised Agencies (IAASA) as she read the national statement of the Philippines during the high-level segment of the 18th Session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP18-CRPD) on Tuesday (June 10) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.

Asst. Secretary Fallarcuna said that in order to fully realize the rights of persons with disabilities, it is necessary to prioritize development investments that will help remove the societal barriers that they face every day.

Among the country’s interventions for persons with disabilities that the DSWD official highlighted were the current initiative to align public financing with inclusive priorities; strengthening of data systems for vulnerable sectors; and expansion of access to assistive technologies and services.

“These efforts must be matched by global cooperation and partnerships that respect national contexts and the leadership of persons with disabilities,” Asst. Secretary Fallarcuna pointed out.

Aside from public financing, the DSWD executive emphasized that the Philippine government, through the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., continues to advance the policies rooted in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CPRD) that promote inclusive education, accessible health care, decent work, and social protection to help persons with disabilities to live fuller and more productive lives.

Also joining Asst. Secretary Fallarcuna in the UN Conference is National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) Executive Director Glenda Relova.

The COSP18-CPDR, which is from June 10 to 12, is organized by the UN Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and girls and the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities. (AKDL)