Skills development and economic empowerment: Towards inclusive, sustainable development for all

Zero Project Report 2017 presented at the 34th session of the UN Human Rights Council

Geneva, 17th March 2017: Which innovative practices and policies exist, and how best to cooperate to implement the CRPD? Which ways forward to enhance the inclusion of the rights of persons with disabilities in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development? How to ensure the correct implementation of the right to employment and inclusive vocational education and training as of article 27 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities? These are just a few of the questions that were discussed during Friday’s side event at the 34th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council, together with about 40 representatives of permanent missions to the UN, international organizations and NGOs.

The event, held in room XXVII at Palais des Nations, United Nations Office in Geneva, was organised by the Permanent Missions of Austria and the International Disability Alliance, together with the Permanent Missions of Australia, Ecuador, Finland, Italy, Israel, New Zealand, Spain, and Thailand, in collaboration with the Zero Project, an initiative of the Essl Foundation, in partnership with the World Future Council & the European Foundation Centre.

Its aim was to discuss how access to inclusive and quality vocational education and training & employment enables persons with disabilities to participate fully in society; to present Innovative Policies and Practices advancing vocational education and training & employment for persons with disabilities from around the world; and to explore ways on how to strengthen work and cooperation towards “a world without barriers”.

Chaired by H.E. Thomas Hajnoczi, Permanent Representative of Austria to the United Nations in Geneva, the event saw the interventions of speakers that shed light on several different issues regarding the right to inclusive vocational education and training and employment, including by:

·  Fernanda ALMEIDA, President of the National Federation of Persons with Autism from Brazil and member of RIADIS;

·  Virginia CARCEDO ILLERA, CEO and General Manager of Inserta Empleo;

·  Matthieu CHATELIN, Cerebral Palsy European Communities’ Association and youth leader of the European Disability Forum;

·  Ingrid Heindorf of the Zero Project/World Future Council who presented the Zero Project 2017 and its focus on Employment, Work and Vocational Education and Training; and

·  Stefan TRÖMEL, Senior Disability Specialist at the International Labour Organization.

The side event «Skills development and economic empowerment: Towards inclusive, sustainable development for all» took place on 17 March 2017, at 1-3 PM in Room XXVII, Palais des Nations. The event was webcasted at www.treatybodywebcast.org

Contact:

Dr Michael Fembek, Director of the Zero Project, Essl Foundation

Phone +43 2243/420 - 9149 /

Ingrid Heindorf, Head of the Zero Project’s Policy Research, World Future Council

Phone +41 79 523 81 27 /

About the Zero Project

The Zero Project promotes the rights of persons with disabilities globally, according to the principles and Articles of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD). It is a platform where the most innovative and effective solutions overcoming the barriers that persons with disabilities face, are being shared. Every year, the Zero Project concentrates on a theme: on independent living and political participation (2015), on accessibility (2014) and on employment (2013). In 2016 the project concentrates on inclusive education and ICTs. As of today, more than 3,000 experts around the world have contributed to the initiative. The Zero Project was initiated by the Essl Foundation in 2010 and is run in partnership with the World Future Council (since 2011) and with the European Foundation Centre (since 2013). More information at: www.zeroproject.org