Mr. President of the General Assembly
Mr. Secretary General
Excellencies,
The field of Disability and Development constitutes a positive, highly important challenge for a decisive cooperation of the international community. Today, we have a great opportunity to take a step forward in order to constructively complement the until now incomplete institutional framework. This HLMDD gives us the chance to underline and reinforce the existing connection among disability, human rights and development by advancing the mainstreaming of disability in development policies.
The adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRDP), in 2006, constitutes a landmark in the history of Human Rights. The time has now come to ensure that international community’s commitment for a disability-inclusive development agenda will lead to action. In this framework, and despite the financial and economic crisis, Greece strives to find solutions that will help people in need, especially persons with disabilities. My country has already signed and ratified the CRPD and its Optional Protocol, while we are working on the implementation of the conventional obligation provided thereof.
We should ensure full enjoyment of human rights for all, therefore, on our part, we are already in the process of elaborating the first National Action Plan of Greece on Human Rights, aiming at promoting a human rights-based approach to our policies, through a relevant comprehensive strategy.
Specific references to persons with disabilities are due to be included into this National Action Plan.
Acknowledging the serious challenges that persons with disabilities face in times of crises, the Greek government firmly believes that equal and active participation of persons with disabilities in the economic, social and political life will effectively contribute to restoring economic growth.
In this respect, a series of initiatives have been taken, in order to remove barriers and facilitate people with disabilities, in their everyday life. Moreover, Greece in collaboration with neighbouring countries, co-fund cross border programs and actions aiming at enhancing the accessibility of disabled people to tourist destinations.
Since stereotypes constitute a serious threat against active participation of people with disabilities in society, Greece is looking forward to the implementation of the post-2015 development agenda, recognizing the importance of raising awareness in order to fight discrimination.
Despite the existing challenges, the most important being the lack of capacity, including human resources, the post-2015 agenda creates an opportunity to lift the above restrictions by promoting disability-inclusive cooperation and partnership.
This will facilitate capacity-building, via cooperation in research and scientific knowledge, sharing of information as well as the exchange of best practices, aiming at the inclusion of disabled persons not only as beneficiaries but also as agents of development.
Finally, I would like to emphasize the role and scope of civil society, NGO’s and the private sector, in the achievement of all the above targets. Working together is a precondition for the realization of our commitments.Today we have an excellent opportunity to exchange views and to underline the significance of a more inclusive development agenda, where the rights of persons with disabilities will constitute one of the core elements for the future, which must be CRPD driven.
September 23, 2013