SAFOD’s Participation AT GDS 2022
Through the #Inclusive Young Voices (#IYV) project, the Southern Africa Federation of the Disabled (SAFOD) will also mobilize young people to actively contribute and participate in the upcoming Global Disability Summit (GDS) 2022, especially during its Youth Summit, to be held on 14 February 2022.
The Youth Summit is being organized by the Government of Norway, the International Disability Alliance (IDA), and the Atlas Alliance, in consultation with IDA’s Youth Committee and Youth Mental Health Norway.
The GDS 2022 creates a huge global advocacy opportunity particularly young people and children with disabilities. This will ensure that their participation and contribution is actively considered and included and to ensure that their views are not marginalized in broader youth-led conversations. Building on the in-country Youth & Children Dialogues, as well as the Engagement Meetings with their duty bearers at the national levels, the #IYV initiative will seek to encourage our Youth Ambassadors to discuss the GDS 2018 Commitments at the global level and evaluate the progress their respective countries will have made.
It is this context why, commissioned by the Atlas Alliance, SAFOD took the lead in the development of the GDS Advocacy Package/Toolkit that guides the youths and other strategic stakeholders on identifying specific advocacy issues and implementing advocacy programs within their countries and at sub-regional/international levels before, during and even after the next GDS event takes place mid-February 2022.
Children with disabilities, like all other children, have a right to express their views freely in all matters affecting them, and to have their views and experiences given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child. However, there is still a reluctance to recognize the competence of children and youth with disabilities to contribute to policy development, decision making process and be agents of change. Hence the #IYV is creating an opportunity to build or strengthen the capacity of young persons with disabilities to effectively advocate for their rights at various international forums beyond the engagement meetings in their own countries.
This project has come at the right time when the world has moved to engaging virtually and tapping onto the opportunities that are available online as well as strengthening digitizing disability rights advocacy to catch up with the digital era of advocacy and communication. In this context, the #IYV Youth Ambassadors will also seek to cease the opportunity to share with other kids the lessons they will have learnt on using social media and other online tools to advocate for the rights of young persons with disabilities.