COSP18: Spotlight on disability rights ahead of Second World Summit for Social Development

Persons with disabilities continue to face persistent barriers in daily life - limited access to education and employment, discrimination, and exclusion from decision-making. While progress has been made since the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the pace of change remains far too slow.

Globally, persons with disabilities are more likely to live in poverty, experience higher unemployment, and face disproportionate challenges accessing public services. Emerging issues, from artificial intelligence to climate change, risk leaving them further behind unless deliberate action is taken.

The 18th Session of the Conference of State Parties (COSP18) to the CRPD will be held from 10 to 12 June 2025 at UN Headquarters in New York. This year’s theme - Enhancing public awareness of the rights and contributions of persons with disabilities for social development - aligns with global momentum toward the Second World Summit for Social Development and the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development.

A civil society forum and three roundtables will explore key areas: innovative financing for disability-inclusive development; harnessing artificial intelligence for inclusion; and advancing the rights of Indigenous persons with disabilities. Governments, UN agencies, experts, advocates, and civil society will exchange strategies and share promising practices.

Outcomes from COSP18 will shape recommendations ahead of the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha this November, where world leaders will recommit to pursuing equity and dignity for all.

For more information: COSP18