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Vice Chair of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), Rosemary Kayess, expresses her hope for a better understanding of the challenges faced by Fiji, Vanuatu, and Tonga.

The initiative comes as discussions are underway on the UN Treaty Body Follow-up Review Pilot in the Pacific Region, emphasizing a shift towards more inclusive and dynamic engagement with member states.

Kayess highlights the importance of holding such meetings in the very regions under scrutiny, allowing the Committee to witness firsthand the benefits and challenges faced by these nations.

“And this is a really important pilot project because what it does is let us trial and meet in regions and in countries so we become closer to the experiences and the communities locally.”

She stresses the significance of hearing directly from people with disabilities, women, children, and other key stakeholders, emphasizing that the Committee is actively going to the communities affected.

By taking the sessions to the heart of the affected regions, the UN aims to create a more robust and participatory dialogue.

Kayess believes that engaging directly with those on the ground will provide invaluable insights into the specific challenges faced by Pacific nations in upholding the rights of persons with disabilities.

Fiji will be giving their update to the committee today.