COMMISSIONFORSOCIALDEVELOPMENT(56THSESSION)

High‐levelpaneldiscussionontheprioritytheme“Strategiesforeradicatingpovertytoachievesustainabledevelopmentforall”

Monday,29January2018(3:00pm–6:00pm)

ConferenceRoom4 Keynotespeaker

H.E.Mr.JuanSomavia,DirectoroftheDiplomaticAcademyofChile,formerSpecialAdvisertotheSecretary‐GeneralonInterregionalPolicyCooperation,formerPresidentofECOSOC,andtheformerDirector‐GeneraloftheInternationalLabourOrganisation(ILO)

Panellists

H.E.Ms.AnaHelenaChacón,Vice‐PresidentofCostaRicaH.E.Dr.GhadaWaly,MinisterofSocialSolidarityofEgyptH.E.Dr.RalfKleindiek,StateSecretaryattheFederalMinistryforFamilyAffairs,SeniorCitizens,WomenandYouth,GermanyMr.JordiCurell,DirectorforLabourMobilityintheDirectorateGeneralforEmployment,SocialAffairsandInclusion(EMPL)attheEuropeanCommission

Mr.MarkMcGreevyOBE,GroupChiefExecutiveofDePaulInternationalandthefounderoftheInstituteofGlobalHomelessness(IGH)

Moderator

Dr.JaneBarratt,Secretary‐GeneraloftheInternationalFederationonAgeing(IFA)

ProfilesofSpeakersJuanSomaviaisDirector,DiplomaticAcademyofChile,formerSecretary‐General'sSpecial Advisor on Interregional Policy Cooperation, and former President ofECOSOC.HewasDirector‐GeneraloftheILOfromMarch1999toSeptember2012,asthefirstrepresentativefromtheSouthernhemispheretoheadtheOrganization.At his initiative, the ILO created in 2002 the World Commission on the SocialDimensionofGlobalization.Priortothis,hewasAmbassadorofChiletotheUnitedNationsinNewYork(1990to1999).HewasinstrumentalinorganizingtheWorldSummit for Social Development (Copenhagen, 1995): he proposed and wasappointed Chair of the Preparatory Committee of the World Summit for SocialDevelopment(from1993to1995)andhewasakeyparticipantattheSummit.Mr.SomaviawasChairmanoftheBoardoftheUnitedNationsResearchInstituteforSocial Development (UNRISD) from 1996 to 1999. He was President of theInternational Commission of the Democratic Coalition in Chile (1983‐1990) andFounder and Secretary‐General of the South American Peace Commission (1986‐90).Hispursuitof these idealshasearnedhimseveralcitationsandawards,mostrecently theLifetimeAchievementAwardby theMDGAwardsCommittee inNewYork, forhisworktowardstheachievementoftheMillenniumDevelopmentGoals(MDGs)andpromotingsocialdevelopment.AnaHelenaChacón, has been serving as CostaRica’sVicePresident, since 2014.Her political career is dedicated to issues of feminism, human rights, and publichealthpolicy.Previouslyacabinetministeranddeputy,Ms.Chacónhasalsoservedonnumerous committeesandconferenceson thenational and international level.Ms. Chacón served asViceMinister of Public Safety from2002 to 2006. She thenservedasadeputyintheLegislativeAssemblyofCostaRicafrom2006to2010fortheSocialChristianUnityParty(PUSC).In2010,Ms.ChacónleftPUSCtocreateanewpartywithotherex‐PUSCmembers,theChristianDemocraticandSocialParty(CDS).GhadaWaly,hasbeentheMinisterofSocialSolidarityofEgyptsince2014.Dr.Walyis the Coordinator of the Inter‐Ministerial Committee for Social Justice and she chairsTheExecutiveCouncilofArabMinistersofSocialAffairsintheLeague ofArabStates.Herworkexperienceincludes27yearsinthefieldofPovertyReductionandSocialProtection.In the framework of her position, she is the Chairperson ofNasser Social Bank, apro‐poor developmental financial institution. She chairs the boards of NationalCenter forSocialandCriminologyResearch,NationalFund forDrugandaddictionControl and the National Authority of Social Insurance which serves 25 millionEgyptians.ShealsositsontheboardoftheSocialHousingFundintheministryofHousingandUrbandevelopment, theboardof theunplannedsettlement fund, theboardoftheyouthfund,andtheNationalManagementInstitute.Throughoutherprofessionalexperience,shehadleadershippositionsasManagingDirector of Social Fund for Development SFD,a multi‐million dollars SME’sFund.AssistantResidentRepresentativeforPovertyreductionattheUnitedNations

Development Program (UNDP) where she was responsiblefor coordinating theMDGs reports and launched the National Strategy for Micro Finance. She servedasMicroFinanceandAccesstoFinanceAdvisortotheChairmanofEgypt’sFinancialSupervisory Authority and Executive Committee Member. She wasProgramDirector of CARE International in Egypt,working in Poverty Alleviation in UpperEgypt.ShewaselectedCo‐chairofSMEsdonorssubgroupforsixyears.Ms.Walysitson theBoardofavarietyofCSorganizationsand isanadvocate forwomeneconomicandsocialempowermentandSMEsaswellasservingastheVice‐chairpersonoftheEgyptianRedCrescentAssociation.Ms.WalyholdsanMAandaBAfromColoradoStateUniversity,USAinHumanities;she also holds a diploma in international development and a diploma in ProjectManagement.RalfKleindiek, has been the State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for FamilyAffairs,SeniorCitizens,WomenandYouth,Germanysince2014.From 2011 to 2014 he has been the Secretary of State for Justice and GenderEquality andHeadof theCentralDirectorate‐General and ITCommissionerof theFederalMinistryof Justice(2009‐2011).PriortothishewasHeadofDirectorateandHeadoftheExecutiveStaffattheFederalMinistryofJustice(2001‐2009).Dr.KleindiekwasHeadofOfficefortheFederalMinisterofJusticeBrigitteZypries(2002‐2007)andFederalMinistryoftheInterior,interaliainthestaffunit"ModernState ‐ModernAdministration"andHeadof the"BundOnline2005"projectgroup(1999–2002)JordiCurellhasalawbackgroundandsince1986hasworkedindifferentpositionsin the European Commission, including in DG Employment, where he wasresponsible for coordinating thepreparationand implementationof theEuropeanSocial Agenda and afterwards in DG Education and Culture at the head of theDirectorate for "Higher Education and International Affairs", where he led thenegotiationsonthenewErasmus+programme.Mr.CurellispresentlyDirectorfor"LabourMobility"intheDirectorateGeneralforEmployment, Social Affairs and Inclusion. The Directorate is responsible forenhancing labour and social considerations in the EU's overall external and tradepolicy, as well as developing the relations with international organisations, thirdcountries and regions, including the EU strategic partners and the Europeanneighbourhood in these fields. He is in charge of advancing and supporting highqualitylabourmobilitywithintheEUbypromotingfreemovementofworkersandbyfacilitatingthecoordinationofsocialsecuritysystems.HeisalsoresponsibleforpromotingsocialandemploymentrelatedreformsinseveralEUMemberStatesinthecontextofthe"EuropeanSemester"process,andtoensuretheimplementationofEuropeanfundsinthisarea.MarkMcGreevy is the Group Chief Executive of DePaul International, whichoverseesandco‐ordinatestheactivitiesofagroupofDePaulcharitiesoperatinginthe UK, Ireland, Slovakia, Ukraine, France, Croatia and the USA and providingservices forover22,000homelesspeopleperannum.Mr.McGreevyjoinedDePaul

inFebruary1990asoneofthefirstemployeesofthecharityandhasbeendirectlyresponsible for all of its growth to date. In addition to his work at DePaulInternational, he is the founder of The Institute of Global Homelessness (IGH) in2012 based in Chicago,which is a partnership betweenDePaul International andDePaulUniversity.IGHisthefirstorganizationtofocusonhomelessnessasaglobalphenomenon with an emphasis on those who are living on the street or inemergency shelters. The IGH staff and Advisory Committee work with a broadnetwork of world‐class advisors, experts, and organizations — balancinggeographies,cultures,andskills.HewasawardedoftheOrderoftheBritishEmpire(OBE)byPrinceCharlesforservicestothehomelessnessathomeandabroad.HeisalsoanHonoraryFellowofLeedsTrinityUniversity.

JaneBarratt is the Secretary General of the International Federation on Ageing(IFA), which comprises government, industry, academic and non‐governmentalmembersinover70countries,representingsome75millionolderpeople.TheIFAis a global point of connection for experts and expertise that help to shape andinfluence age‐related policy globally. Ms. Barratt has direct responsibility for theorganization’sglobaloperationalperformance,qualityandstrategicimplementation,and business development. This includes leadership at the United NationsEconomicandSocialCouncilinNewYork,GenevaandViennaandformalrelationswith the WHO Department Ageing and Life‐course. She has many national andinternational roles, including Chair, Standing Selection Committee Chair for theNetworksofCentresofExcellenceofCanadaandisaformermemberoftheGlobalAgendaCouncilonAgeingfortheWorldEconomicForum.

High‐levelPanelDiscussiononEmergingIssues“Towardssustainableandresilientsocieties:Innovationandinter‐

connectivityforsocialdevelopment”

Tuesday,30January2018(3:00am–6:00pm)ConferenceRoom4

Panellists

Ms.JosephineMuriuki,DirectoroftheDepartmentofSocialDevelopmentintheStateDepartmentofSocialProtection,KenyaDr.SenGong,ResearchFellowoftheDevelopmentResearchCentreoftheStateCouncil,ExecutiveVice‐PresidentoftheChinaCentreforInternationalKnowledgeonDevelopment

Ms.NoorAlMalkiAlJehani,ExecutiveDirector,DohaInternationalFamily Institute

Prof.WalterValdivia,SeniorFellowtoCSPO,asciencepolicythinktankatArizonaStateUniversity,andAdjunctFacultyatJohnsHopkins,andaSeniorPolicyEditorfortheMercatusCenteratGeorgeMasonUniversity.Prof.MariaGarrido,ResearchAssistantProfessorandPrincipalResearchScientistattheTechnologyandSocialChangeGroup,UniversityofWashington

Ms.DonnaScheeder,President2015‐2017,InternationalFederationofLibraryAssociationsandInstitutions

Moderator

Mr.JeremyMillard,ChiefPolicyAdvisor,DanishTechnologicalInstitute,Denmark,ResearchFellowatBradfordUniversity,UnitedKingdomandSpecialAdvisortoDGCONNECT,EuropeanCommissiononpublicsectorinnovation,e‐governmentandpublicservices

ProfilesofSpeakersJosephineMuriuki, is theDirector of the Department of Social Development in theStateDepartmentofSocialProtection,Kenya.SenGongisaResearchFellowoftheDevelopmentResearchCentreoftheStateCouncil(DRC), Executive Vice‐President of the China Centre for International Knowledge onDevelopment (CIKD), which was announced at the UN Summit on sustainabledevelopmentinSeptember2015andwasformallylaunchedinAugust2017.HeisalsomemberoftheadvisoryteamtotheMinistryofHumanResourcesandSocialSecurity,and to theCommissionof FamilyPlanning andHealthonChronicDiseaseControl. InJune2016,hewas appointed as a temporaryadviser to theRegionalConsultationonAchieving Sustainable Development Goals in the WHO Western and Pacific Region.BeforejoiningDRCin2012,heworkedattheMinistryofCivilAffairsandtheMinistryofHumanResourcesandSocialSecurityaspolicyadviser.Dr.Gong’sresearchfocusesondevelopmentareasincludingsocialsecurity,healthcare,employment,socialgovernanceandpublicadministration,andhealsodeeplyinvolvesinstudiesonconnectivityinparticulartheBeltandRoadInitiative.Heisnowworkingon a research project on the connectivity between China and selectedBelt andRoadInitiativecountriesanditsimpactsonshareddevelopment.Dr.Gong’smajoracademicpublications include China’sHealth CareReform: Problems, Origins, and Suggestions;WelfareSystemandSocialPolicy:AnInternationalComparison;SocialPoliciesforbothPeople’sLivelihoodandInclusiveGrowth;ResearchonSalarySystemofPublicSectorsin China; Rural Pension in China: From Land Reform to Globalization (ADBworkingpaper).NoorAlMalkiAl Jehani is the Executive Director of the Doha International FamilyInstitute (DIFI) and a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science andCommunity Development. Ms. Al Jehani is a Board Member at Qatar Foundation forSocialWork.ShewasalsoanexpertinUnitedNationsCommitteeontheEliminationofAllFormsofDiscriminationagainstwomen(CEDAW)from2013‐2014.BeforejoiningDIFI, she worked as Secretary General for the Supreme Council for Family Affairs(SCFA).ShewasalsoamemberoftheNationalCommitteeforHumanRightsintheStateofQatarsinceitsformationin2003until2011.Ms.AlJehaniwasQatar'srepresentativeintheArabWomenCommittee(Arableague)andWomenCommittee(UNESCWA)andhead/memberofmanynationaldelegationstoregionaland internationalconferencesonthe family,women,andchildrights. Ms.AlJehaniparticipatedindraftingmanynationalstrategiesandplansincludingQatar'sfirstnational development strategy, 2011‐2016. She also participated in the review ordraftingofseveral legislationspertainingtosocialandwomen's issues.Sheorganizedand supervised numerous workshops, panel discussions, and awareness raisingcampaigns on women issues such as domestic violence, family law, and women’spoliticalrights.Walter Valdivia is Senior Fellow to Consortium for Science, Policy & Outcomes(CSPO)atArizonaStateUniversity,andAdjunctFacultyatJohnsHopkins,andaSeniorPolicyEditorfortheMercatusCenteratGeorgeMasonUniversity.RecentpublicationsincludetheNationalAcademiesIssuesinS&T,BrookingsandCSPO.

Maria Garrido is a Principal Research Scientist at the Technology & Social ChangeGroupoftheUniversityofWashington’sInformationSchool.Experiencedinconductingmulti‐country studies that span diverse geographic regions, much of her researchfocusesontheappropriationofinformationandcommunicationtechnologies(ICTs)tocatalyzesocialchange,specificallyincommunitiesfacingsocial,political,andeconomicchallenges. Keenly interested in the role of ICTs in social movements, youthemployability,andskilldevelopment,Ms.Garridohasworkedcloselywithcivilsocietyorganizations,NGOs,publiclibraries,anddevelopmentfunderstoconductparticipatoryresearch that results in actionable recommendations for policy and practice. RecentexamplesofherresearchincludetheroleofMassiveOpenOnlineCourses(MOOCs)inadvancing youth employability in Colombia, the Philippines, and South Africa;employability of migrant women and e‐skills in the European Union; and youthmovements, ICTs, and the struggle for democracy in Egypt’s Arab Spring. She iscurrently leading a multi‐year research effort focusing on the role of access toinformationinadvancingtheSustainableDevelopmentGoals(SDGs).SheholdsaPh.D.inCommunications fromtheUniversityofWashingtonandaMasters in InternationalRelationsfromtheUniversityofChicago.DonnaScheederwasthePresidentofInternationalFederationofLibraryAssociationsandInstitutions(IFLA)fortheperiod2015‐17,choosingtofocusherpresidencyonthethemeof‘ACalltoAction’.Duringthistime,sheworkedbothtoleadchangewithinthelibraryfield,aswellasengagingcloselyandsuccessfullyintheprocessthatledtotheagreement of the 2030 Agenda. She also oversaw the development of new efforts tobring the global library field together to realise its potential to deliver development.ShespenthercareerintheLibraryofCongress,risingtobeDeputyChiefInformationOfficer.ShehasalsopreviouslybeenPresidentoftheSpecialLibrariesAssociation.Jeremy Millard currently serves as Chief Policy Advisor at Danish TechnologicalInstitute, Denmark and Research Fellow at Bradford University, United Kingdom.SpecialAdvisortoDGCONNECT,EuropeanCommissiononpublicsectorinnovation,e‐government and public services, and toDGResearch& Innovation on social sciencesandhumanities,includingasrapporteurontheSC6ExpertAdvisoryGroup(Europeinachangingworld‐inclusive,innovativeandreflectivesocieties).Heundertakesselectiveassignments on eGovernment, public sector innovation, the knowledge society plusopenandsocialinnovation,inEurope,North‐America,AfricaandAsia.HecountstheEC,UN,OECDandWBamongsthisclientsandpartners,aswellasnumerousgovernments,businessesandcivilorganizations.Hehaspublishedover20peer‐reviewedarticlesandbookchaptersoverthelastfiveyears,aswellaseditedanumberofspecializedjournaleditions.

High‐levelPanelDiscussionon“ThethirdReviewandAppraisaloftheMadridPlanofActiononAgeing”

Wednesday,31January2018(10:00am–1:00pm)

ConferenceRoom4 Panellists

H.E.Mr.HéctorRamónCárdenasMolinas,MinisterofSocialAction,ParaguayH.E.Mr.JoséAntónioVieiradaSilva,MinisterofLabour,Solidarity,andSocialSecurityofPortugal,andtheChairoftheECERegionalReviewandAppraisalConferenceH.E.Ms.EmerineKabanshi,MinisterofCommunityDevelopmentandSocialServices,ZambiaHon.Ms.ShirinSharminChaudhury,SpeakeroftheBangladeshParliamentDr.AblaSibai,ChairoftheEpidemiologyandPopulationHealthDepartmentattheAmericanUniversityofBeirut,andtheCo‐foundingDirectoroftheCentreforStudiesonAgeinginLebanon,andtheCo‐foundingDirectorandExecutiveCommitteeMemberoftheAUBUniversityforSeniorsProgram

Moderator Ms.SylviaBeales,Independentinclusivesocialdevelopmentconsultantand formerHeadofStrategicAlliances,HelpAgeInternational

ProfilesofspeakersHéctorRamónCárdenasMolinas is thecurrentMinister‐ExecutiveSecretaryoftheSecretariatofSocialActionofthePresidencyoftheRepublicofParaguay(SAS).HehasaBachelor’sdegreeinHistoryfromtheNationalUniversityofAsunción.Hehas aMaster's Degree in Public and Social Policies from the Join Program of thePompeuFabraUniversityof Spain, and the JohnHopkinsUniversityof theUnitedStatesofAmerica.Minister Cárdenas has a broad professional trajectory in the design andmanagement of public and social policies. He led an inter‐institutional technicalTask‐Team for the elaboration of the Public Policy for Social Development ofParaguay, in his role as Executive Secretary of the Technical Unit of the SocialCabinetofthePresidencyoftheRepublicofParaguay.Previously, he designed and became the first National Coordinator of theimplementation of the Conditional Cash Transfers Program of Paraguay called"Tekoporã",oftheSAS.Inaddition,heparticipated in theelaborationofotherrelevantdocuments for thedefinition of Social Policies in Paraguay, such as the National Strategy for theReductionofPovertyandInequality.Healsoservedasaprofessorofundergraduateandmaster'sdegreesintheareasofpublic and social policies´ design and management at the National University ofAsunciónandprivateuniversities.José António Vieira da Silva is the Minister of Labour, Solidarity, and SocialSecurity of the Portuguese Republic. He holds a degree in Economics from theInstitutoSuperiordeEconomica.Since2011,hehasbeenaMemberoftheAssemblyof the Republic, having been between 2011 and 2015 President of the EventualCommissiontoFollow‐uptheProgramofFinancialAssistance toPortugal.HewasMinisterofEconomy,InnovationandDevelopment(2009‐2011);MinisterofLabourandSocialSolidarity(2005‐2009);Deputy to theAssemblyof theRepublic (2002‐2005), Head of the Parliamentary Committee ofWork and Social Security (2004‐2005); Secretary of State for Social Security (1999‐2001); Secretary of State forPublicWorks(2001‐2002).Emerine Kabanshi is a Parliamentarian and the Minister of CommunityDevelopmentandSocialServices(MCDSS)inZambia.SheiscurrentlypursuingherMaster’sDegree inDevelopmental studiesat theUniversityofLusakaandholdsaDiplomainAnimalHusbandryobtainedfromGrosstienCollege,Germany.She has been amember of parliament since 2011 and prior to beingMinister ofMCDSS she was Deputy Minister of Gender and Child Development, Minister ofChiefs and Traditional Affairs and Minister of Local Government and Housingrespectively. Her key role as a Minister for MCDSS is to formulate policies andlegislation for social protection programmes for the vulnerable includingmarginalizedwomen,children,personswithdisabilitiesandelderlypersons.

She currently serves on the Ministerial Committee and is a Cabinet Committeemember of the following Committees; Disaster, Drought and Relief, SocialRestructuringandDevelopment,PrerogativeofMercyaswellastheIndependenceAnniversaryCelebrations,HonorsandDecorations.Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury is the current and the first woman Speakerof theNational Parliament, Bangladeshsince 2013.She is also the Chairperson of theExecutiveCommitteeoftheCommonwealthParliamentaryAssociation.ShepreviouslyservedastheStateMinisteroftheMinistryofWomenandChildrenAffairs of Bangladesh. Shewas electedMP in 2009 andwas StateMinisterof theMinistryofWomenandChildAffairs(Bangladesh)until2013.ShewasawardedAsiaSociety’sHumanitarianServiceAwardin2010inrecognitionofherroleasaleaderinadvocatingtheeliminationofviolenceagainstwomenandmainstreamingwomen’sempowermentandemploymentinBangladesh.ShehasalsobeenhonouredwithWomenLeadershipAchievementAwardin2015.ShewasapracticingadvocateoftheBangladeshSupremeCourtfor15years.Dr.ChaudhuryearnedherPhDdegreeinconstitutionallawandhumanrightsandin2014,shereceivedanHonoraryPhDfromUniversityofEssex.AblaMehio Sibai is Professor and Chair of Epidemiology and Population HealthDepartmentattheFacultyofHealthSciences(FHS),AmericanUniversityofBeirut(AUB).Sheistheco‐founderoftheUniversityforSeniorsProgramatAUBandthefoundingDirectorofthe“CenterforStudiesonAging”inLebanon.Duringthepast20years,Dr.Sibaihasledthewaytoplacingolderadultissuesattheforefrontonthenationalagendaandintheregion.SheisafrequentconsultanttotheMinistryofSocial Affairs in Lebanon, ESCWA, UNFPA and WHO, and has frequently beencommissionedtopreparetechnicalpapers,reportsandbriefsonpopulationageinginLebanonandtheArabcountriesfromasocialandpolicyperspective.Dr.Sibaiistheauthorofover200scholarlyarticlesinprestigiousjournals,bookchaptersandreports.ShewasamemberoftheWorldEconomicForum’sGlobalAgendaCouncilonAgeing for2cyclesand is currentlyaBoardmemberofHelpAge International.SheholdsaPhD(1997)fromtheLondonSchoolofHygieneofTropicalmedicine.Sylvia Beales is a successful analyst, communicator and advocate, with a trackrecordinhighlevelpolicyanalysis,publicaffairsandpoliticalrelationsonthetopicsof inclusive social development, global ageing, social policy, social protection,gender, inclusion, and human rights. She has developed a wide portfolio ofpartnerships built up over her 36 yearsworkingwithin theNGO sector andwithorganisationsoftheUnitedNations.WhileworkingwithHelpAgeInternational,Ms.Bealeswastheinternationalpolicyleadforthe2008revisionoftheAfricanUnionSocial policy framework, co‐manager with the UNFPA of the global publication‘Ageinginthe21stCentury,acelebrationandachallenge’,securinginputfrom13UNagenciesandolderpeoplefrom36countries,andwasco‐leaderofthreeeditionsoftheGlobalAgeWatchIndex2013‐15.Within‐depthexpertiseonAgenda2030,theSustainableDevelopmentGoalsandintergovernmentalnegotiations,sheisthe

founderandactivememberof theStakeholderGrouponAgeing,whichspeaks forthecommunityofageingontheSDGsattheUnitedNations.Ms.Bealeswasoneoffive civil society representatives selected to speak at the 2015 UN GeneralAssembly. She is a distinguished ‘Fellow’ of the International Council of SocialWelfare (ICSW),advisor toWidows for Peace and Democracy (WPD), member ofand strategic advisor to Gray Panthers, and Strategic Partnerships Adviser to theAfricaPlatformforSocialProtection(APSP).

Paneldiscussionondisabilityunderthetheme“Towardsinclusive,resilientandsustainabledevelopment:anevidence‐based

approachtothemainstreamingofdisabilityintheimplementation,monitoringandevaluationofthe2030Agenda”

Wednesday,31January2018(3:00am–6:00pm)

ConferenceRoom4

Panellists

MadameZhangHaidi,ChairpersonofChinaDisabledPersons’FederationMr.MesbahAnsari,DeputyDirectorforHumanRightsoftheMinistryofForeignAffairsoftheIslamicRepublicofIranProf.MaryCrock,Professor,FacultyofLaw,UniversityofSydney,AustraliaMs.CatalinaDevandasAguilar, Special Rapporteur on the Rights of PersonswithDisabilitiesoftheHumanRightsCouncil

Ms.MargaretMbogoni, Senior Statistician, United Nations Statistics Division(UNSD),DESA

Moderator

Ms.VenusIlagan,SecretaryGeneralofRehabilitationInternationalandformerpresidentofDisabledPeople'sInternational

ProfilesofspeakersZhangHaidihasbeenaworldknowndisabilitymovementleadertakinganumberof important positions in both China and international organizations. Madame.Zhang has been elected and is currently serving as the Chairperson of ChinaDisabledPersons’Federation(Ministerlevel)anationalunifiedorganizationofandfor 85million personswith disabilities in China since 2008 and amember of theStandingCommitteeofthe12thChinesePeople’sPoliticalConsultativeConference(CPPCC). MadameZhang,awheelchairuserwhocontractedspinalangiomaattheageof5,hasbeenakeyleaderindisabilitymovementinChinaandtheAsianPacificregion over the last decades and she attaches great importance and dedicatesherself to the implementation of UN Convention on the Rights of Persons withDisabilities and otherUN documents on disability in China and beyond.Madame.Zhang was elected in 2016 as the President of Rehabilitation International (aninternational organization with over 1000 national and regional memberorganizations in96countries).Asawell‐knownwriter inChina(amemberof theChineseWriters’AssociationandVicePresidentofShandongWriters’AssociationinChina),Madame. Zhang publishedmany literatureworks and books in China andothercountriessuchasGermany, JapanandKoreasince1983.SheholdsaMasterDegreeofPhilosophy(JilinUniversity,China)andanhonorarydoctorate(UniversityofYorkandUniversityofMassachusetts,USA).MesbahAnsari is aDeputyDirector forHumanRights of theMinistryof ForeignAffairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Mr. Ansari participated and madecontributions to the debates on disability issues in theUNGeneral Assembly andother meetings in the recent years during which he serviced as a specialist ondisabilityissuesinthenationaldelegationoftheIslamicRepublicofIran.Mary Crock is Professor of Public Law at Sydney Law School, a Fellow of theAustralianAcademyofLaw,solicitorandAccreditedSpecialistinImmigrationLaw.Her expertise spans immigration, citizenship and refugee and disability law,administrativeandconstitutional law,public international law,particularlyhumanrights and international refugee law, and comparative law.Her researchhasbeenfrequentlyreferredtobyscholarsandcitedinAustralia’sFederalCourtsandHighCourt,andshehasgivenevidencebeforemanyparliamentaryhearingsinAustraliaand (once) in Canada. She has worked as an adviser to the Australian Senate(Inquiry intoAustralia’sRefugeeandHumanitarianProgram,2000); consultant totheHumanRightsandEqualOpportunityCommission(onimmigrationdetention);and consultant to the Royal Commission into Child Sex Abuse (on children inimmigrationdetention). ProfessorCrockhas a broad experienceofworkingwiththe United Nations system including UNHCR and spoke on disability inclusion inhumanitarian actions and development in many international forums andconferencessuchasthe9thsessionoftheConferenceofStatesPartiestotheCRPDin2015.

CatalinaDevandasAguilaristheSpecialRapporteurontheRightsofPersonswithDisabilities of the Human Rights Council. She is a lawyer by training and humanrights advocate, who has worked extensively on disability issues at the national,regional and international level. Before taking up her duties as the first SpecialRapporteurontherightsofpersonswithdisabilitiesoftheHumanRightsCouncilin2014, Ms. Devandas Aguilar worked as a Programme Officer for StrategicPartnershipswiththeDisabilityRightsAdvocacyFund,andwasformerlywiththeUnited Nations Secretariat unit responsible for the Convention on the Rights ofPersons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the World Bank as a consultant for theDisability and Inclusive Development team for Latin America and the Caribbeanregion.ActingastheSpecialRapporteurontheRightsofPersonswithDisabilities,shewas specificallymandated to raise awareness of the human rights of personswith disabilities and has been working closely with the UN human rightsmechanismsfromahumanrights‐basedapproach.MargaretMbogoni isSenior Statistician at the UnitedNations Statistics Division(UNSD)ofDESAwheresheistheManagerfortheDisabilityStatisticsProgramme.In this capacity, she oversees the Division’sworkwith regard to development ofinternationalmethodologicalguidelines,providingtechnicalassistancetocountriesto strengthen national statistical capacity, and compilation and dissemination ofstatistics on disability. Ms. Mbogoni’s other notable achievements in the area ofdisability include contributions to the development of the WHO InternationalClassification of Functioning and Disability (ICF); and organization of the UNInternationalSeminaronDisabilityMeasurementthatrecommendedtheformationoftheWashingtonGrouponDisabilityStatistics.Venus Ilagan is the Secretary General of Rehabilitation International and formerpresident of Disabled People's International. She currently serves as SecretaryGeneralofRehabilitationInternational(RI),thefirstwomenwithadisabilityfromadevelopingcountrytoeveroccupythepostsincetheestablishmentoftheRIin1922.Prior to joining RI, she was the first women Chairperson of Disabled People’sInternational and a DPI’s representative in charge of International Relations. Ms.Ilaganhas extensive experience indisability, inclusive educationand employmentpolicies,humanrightsadvocacyamong theglobaldisability communitywhowereactivelyinvolvedinthenegotiationsworkfortheUnitedNationsConventionontheRights of Persons with Disabilities. Aside from her involvement in internationaldisabilityinitiatives,Ms.IlaganwasalsotheNationalProjectDirectorforthelast14years for the Breaking Barriers for Children Project in the Philippines, whichprovidesfreecomprehensiverehabilitationservicestoover13,000childreninneedandyouthwithdisabilities.ShehasbeenamemberoftheEditorialCommitteefortheWorldReportonDisability–aninitiativeoftheWorldHealthOrganizationandtheWorldBanklaunchedinNewYorkinJune2011.Ms.IlaganalsoparticipatedinthedevelopmentofWHO’sCBRandWheelchairGuidelinesandwasamemberofateamwhichproducedreportsondisabilityfortheAsianDevelopmentBankandtheFinnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She actively took part as a member of Civil

Society in the elaboration of the Convention on the Rights of Persons withDisabilities(CRPD)intheUnitedNations.