SESRIC Participated in the Thematic Debate of the 17th Regular Session of IPHRC
Date: 30 March 2021
Venue: Virtual, Jeddah - Saudi Arabia

The OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) held a virtual thematic debate on the “Promotion and Protection of Rights of Persons with Disabilities” as part of the 17th Regular Session of IPHRC to be held on 28 – 31 March 2021.

The debate identified major challenges and issues faced by OIC Member States, which hinder the enjoyment of human rights by persons with disabilities and discuss modalities to improve their standards of living in light of existing regional, OIC, and international initiatives and best practices. The OIC Secretary General, notable international experts on the subject, IPHRC Commission Members, representatives of the OIC Member and Observer States and their National Human Rights Institutions attended the debate. In his opening remarks, the Secretary General of OIC called upon OIC Member States to work together to prioritize the welfare of people with disabilities and protect their human rights.

As a panellist, SESRIC participated in the debate and made a presentation on the ‘State of People with Disabilities and Special Needs in OIC Countries in Comparative Perspective’ on 30th March 2021 from 1100 – 1500 (GMT +3). The recommendations and interventions made by the participants as part of this debate are going to be included in the outcome document of the 17th Regular Session of IPHRC.