(1st meeting) 19th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP19)

Adoption of the agenda

Organization of work

Opening remarks by: H.E António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations; Ms. Miyeon Kim, Chairperson, Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; Ms. Heba Hagrass, Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; Mr. Santosh Kuman Rungta, Civil Society Representative from the World Blind Union; Ms. Nilshani De Silva, Youth Representative from Sri Lanka

Election of the members of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Matters related to the implementation of the Convention: general debate

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The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) was adopted by the UN General Assembly by its resolution 61/106 of 13 December 2006. It came into force on 3 May 2008 upon its 20th ratification. The CRPD is a legally-binding agreement between Member States who have signed the Convention to uphold, promote and protect the rights of persons with disabilities as defined in the treaty.

Article 40 of the CRPD stipulates that States Parties (signatories to the Convention) shall meet regularly in a Conference of States Parties (COSP) to consider any matter with regard to the implementation of the Convention. Since 2008, the COSP has been held annually at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, covering a range of themes and issues in round-tables, interactive dialogues and side-events.