Tunis: Social Affairs Minister Kamel Maddouri, Tuesday, presented Tunisia’s declaration, during the inaugural session of the 17th Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP17), chaired by Tunisia. The event is being held from June 11 to 13, in New York.
According to the minister, the 17th conference is an opportunity to review the achievements made in implementing the provisions of the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). It is also meant to increase understanding about policies and new programmes which seek to promote inclusion and combat exclusion and marginalization.
He pointed out that Article 54 of the Tunisian Constitution stipulates that “The State protects persons with disabilities against all forms of discrimination and takes all necessary measures to ensure their full integration within society.”
The Social Affairs Minister called on the international community to further fulfill its obligations while ensu
ring the empowerment and inclusion of persons with disabilities. He reiterated the need to adapt public policies to CRPD by launching programmes and mechanisms of a preventive and inclusive nature.
He also called for making use of the digital revolution and involving the private sector so that it assumes its joint social responsibility and provides care to the disabled.
Maddouri emphasized Tunisia’s call to the international community to redouble efforts and provide assistance to disabled in the Gaza Strip who are facing Zionist aggression, shortages of medicine, water and of electricity.
The inaugural session made it possible to discuss the general theme of this conference, namely «Rethinking disability inclusion in the current international juncture and ahead of the Summit of the Future.»
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse