16th Session COP to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)

The 16th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), COSP16, will take place at the United Nations Headquarters, New York,  from 13 to 15 June 2023. The session will be officially opened at 10 A.M, in the morning of the 13 June, in the General Assembly Hall. Opening remarks will be delivered by President of the Conference, the President of the General Assembly, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Chair of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Disability and Accessibility, a Civil Society representative as well as a Youth Representative.

The overarching theme for this year’s session is “Harmonising national policies and strategies with the CRPD: achievements and challenges”, with the following sub-themes:

1. Ensuring equal access to and accessibility of sexual and reproductive health services for persons with disabilities
2. Digital accessibility for persons with disabilities
3. Reaching the under-represented groups of persons with disabilities

The CRPD was adopted by the General Assembly by its resolution 61/106 of 13 December 2006. It came into force on 3 May 2008 upon its 20th ratification.

Article 40 of the Convention stipulates that “The States Parties shall meet regularly in a Conference of States Parties (COSP) in order to consider any matter with regard to the implementation of the present Convention.”