The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) represented by its Commissioner for Women, Children, Older Persons and Disability Rights, Rigbe Gebrehawaria, participated in the side event titled “Building Inclusive Societies: The Role of NHRIs in Promoting, Protecting, and Monitoring the Rights of Persons with Disabilities” held during the 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, where Australia and Timor-Leste are proposing a resolution to highlight NHRIs’ key role in promoting and protecting the rights of persons with disabilities.
The event was hosted by Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) and co-sponsored by the Permanent Missions of Australia, New Zealand, and Timor Leste, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and the International Disability Alliance (IDA). It presented an important opportunity to renew international support for independent, pluralistic, and effective NHRIs in line with the Paris Principles. It also highlighted how NHRIs from various regions are promoting, protecting, and monitoring the rights of persons with disabilities, with a focus on their national and international engagement. Panelists included representatives from NHRIs in Australia, Canada, Ethiopia and Germany, with discussions moderated by H.E. Mrs. Maria de Lurdes BESSA Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of Timor-Leste to the UN.
During the panel, Commissioner Rigbe Gebrehawaria shared insights from EHRC, highlighting its key achievements in promoting and protecting the rights of persons with disabilities. These efforts encompass human rights monitoring, investigations, research and awareness-raising activities and annual situation reports. She highlighted opportunities like the Commission’s establishment of a specialized department for disability rights and older persons, as well as the implementation of a twin-track approach to ensure that initiatives for disability rights are integrated across all areas and prioritize meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in national peace and justice efforts. She also discussed the challenges faced from limited political will to ongoing conflicts, and natural disasters impacting various regions of the country.
The side event facilitated collaboration and knowledge-sharing among NHRIs, states, the UN, and international mechanisms, particularly regarding the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It aimed to promote inclusive policy development, encouraging states to adopt and implement national policies that address intersectional discrimination and ensure the inclusion of persons with disabilities in all areas of social, economic and political life.
