COSP-19: a year of anniversaries and action, to consider what next

This statement was delivered by GDI Hub CEO Iain McKinnon, at the UN in New York, as part of the General Debate for COSP-19, the UN’s annual disability conference.

This is the year of anniversaries. The UN CRPD turns 20.  My organisation, the Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDI Hub) turns 10.  And our host organisation, University College London (UCL) turns 200.

Anniversaries are a time for reflection, a time to look back on what has been achieved. However, they also offer an opportunity to look forward.  To take stock and consider what next.  

While we celebrate all that has been done and thank those who made it happen, we need to hold the responsibility of what comes next.  We must look to the future with purpose and ensure that the foundations that have already been built are used as the launch pad they were always intended to be as we work together to create a more inclusive world. 

It’s easy to be disheartened by the current geopolitical landscape.  But in the disability sector, we’ve never subscribed to the easy perspective.  We all know that real change is hard.  And while the landscape may have gotten a little harder, it does not and will not affect our resolve…to forge new paths, create new opportunities and form new alliances that push disability inclusion deeper and further into both familiar and new spaces. 

At GDI Hub, we’re using our own anniversary to double down on the work we know makes a real difference.  Our world leading research, our innovative programmes and strong partnerships.  We will also continue our world class teaching and training, including through our Masters course, Disability, Design and Innovation, that we teach at UCL.  This is so important as an inclusive future is only possible through inclusive education.

So many times this week I’ve heard people talk about capacity building and having disabled people in leadership positions, influencing the big decisions.  And how do we achieve that.  By educating the next generation of disabled and non-disabled leaders and decision makers.  The designers, researchers, planners, technologists, policy makers, law makers and story tellers. Ensuring through education that they all go into their respective workplaces knowing that disability inclusion is a pre-requisite for success. 

So as we look to the next 20 years of the CRPD, yes, we must respond to the geopolitical and technological changes that are upon us, but we must also remain true to our core principles of inclusion and equality, and share these through education with the next generation, as these values will endure and we know will result in better outcomes for everyone.