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,MinisterofSocialSolidarityofEgyptMr.MarkKamperhoff,HeadofUnit,EUCoordinationandInternationalAffairs,FederalMinistryforFamilyAffairs,SeniorCitizens,WomenandYouth,Germany

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 the LifetimeAchievementAward by theMDGAwards Committee inNewYork, forhisworktowardstheachievementof theMillenniumDevelopmentGoals(MDGs)andpromotingsocialdevelopment.AnaHelena Chacón, hasbeen servingasCostaRica’sVice President, since2014.Her political career is dedicated to issues of feminism, human rights, and publichealthpolicy.Previouslyacabinetministeranddeputy,Ms.Chacónhasalsoservedonnumerous committeesandconferencesonthenational and international level.Ms. Chacón served as ViceMinister of PublicSafety 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 ofher position, she is the Chairperson ofNasser Social Bank, apro-poor developmental financial institution. She chairs the boards of NationalCenter forSocialandCriminologyResearch,NationalFundforDrugandaddictionControl and the National Authority of Social Insurance which serves 25 millionEgyptians.Shealsositsontheboardof theSocialHousingFundintheministryofHousingandUrbandevelopment, 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 theBoardof avarietyofCSorganizationsand is anadvocate forwomeneconomicandsocialempowermentandSMEsaswellasservingastheVice-chairpersonoftheEgyptianRedCrescentAssociation.Ms.WalyholdsanMAandaBAfromColoradoStateUniversity,USAinHumanities;she also holds a diploma in international development and a diploma in ProjectManagement.MarkKamperhoffhasworkedfortheGermanFederalMinistryforFamilyAffairs,Senior Citizens, Women and Youth since 2009. He currently acts as head of thedivision for EU coordination and International Affairs. From 2012 to 2016, heworked at the German Permanent Representation to the European Union inBrussels where he headed the corresponding unit for Family Affairs and YouthPolicy.Hismain task therewas the representation of the interestsof theGermangovernment at EU level. Mr. Kamperhoff is therefore closely engaged in theelaboration as well as in the implementation of related policies at national andinternationallevel.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.McGreevyjoinedDePaulinFebruary1990asoneofthefirstemployeesofthecharityandhasbeendirectlyresponsible 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 between DePaul 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.

Jane Barratt 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

H.E.Mr.MachariaKamau,AmbassadorandPermanentRepresentativeofKenyatotheUnitedNationsDr.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

ProfilesofSpeakersMacharia Kamau is currently the Ambassador and Permanent Representative ofKenya to theUnitedNations.Healso servesas theSpecialEnvoyof theSecretaryGeneraloftheUnitedNationsonElNiñoandClimate.DuringhistenureinNewYorkattheUN,KamauwasinstrumentalindevelopingtheSustainableDevelopmentGoalsandthe2030AgendaforSustainableDevelopmentasCo-ChairandCo-Facilitatorrespectively.HealsosatasChairofthePeacebuildingCommission, President of the UNICEF Board, President of Convention of StatePartiesofPeopleLivingwithDisabilitiesandPresidentoftheUnitedNationsForestForum,amongotherresponsibilities.He is the recipient of the Elizabeth Haub Award, GoldMedal, for EnvironmentalDiplomacy 2014 and was awarded the Moran of the Burning Spear by theGovernmentofKenyain2012.Sen Gong is a Research Fellow of the Development Research Centre of the StateCouncil (DRC), Executive Vice-President of the China Centre for InternationalKnowledge on Development (CIKD), whichwas announced at the UN Summit onsustainabledevelopment inSeptember2015andwas formallylaunched inAugust2017.HeisalsomemberoftheadvisoryteamtotheMinistryofHumanResourcesand Social Security, and to the Commission of Family Planning and Health onChronicDiseaseControl.InJune2016,hewasappointedasatemporaryadvisertotheRegionalConsultationonAchievingSustainableDevelopmentGoalsintheWHOWesternandPacificRegion.BeforejoiningDRCin2012,heworkedattheMinistryofCivilAffairsand theMinistryofHumanResourcesandSocialSecurityaspolicyadviser.Dr.Gong’sresearch focusesondevelopmentareas includingsocialsecurity,healthcare,employment,socialgovernanceandpublicadministration,andhealsodeeplyinvolves instudiesonconnectivity inparticular theBeltandRoadInitiative.He isnowworkingonaresearchprojectontheconnectivitybetweenChinaandselectedBelt and Road Initiative countries and its impacts on shared development. Dr.Gong’smajoracademicpublicationsincludeChina’sHealthCareReform:Problems,Origins, and Suggestions; Welfare System and Social Policy: An InternationalComparison; Social Policies for both People’s Livelihood and Inclusive Growth;ResearchonSalarySystemofPublicSectorsinChina;RuralPensioninChina:FromLandReformtoGlobalization(ADBworkingpaper).NoorAlMalkiAlJehaniistheExecutiveDirectoroftheDohaInternationalFamilyInstitute (DIFI) and a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science andCommunityDevelopment.Ms.AlJehaniisaBoardMemberatQatarFoundationforSocialWork.ShewasalsoanexpertinUnitedNationsCommitteeontheEliminationofAllFormsofDiscriminationagainstwomen (CEDAW) from2013-2014. BeforejoiningDIFI, sheworkedasSecretaryGeneral for theSupremeCouncil forFamilyAffairs(SCFA).ShewasalsoamemberoftheNationalCommitteeforHumanRightsintheStateofQatarsinceitsformationin2003until2011.

Ms. Al Jehani was Qatar's representative in the Arab Women Committee (Arableague) andWomen Committee (UNESCWA) and head/member ofmany nationaldelegations to regional and international conferences on the family, women, andchild rights. Ms. Al Jehani participated in drafting many national strategies andplans including Qatar's first national development strategy, 2011-2016. She alsoparticipatedinthereviewordraftingofseverallegislationspertainingtosocialandwomen's issues. She organized and supervised numerous workshops, paneldiscussions, and awareness raising campaigns onwomen issues such as domesticviolence,familylaw,andwomen’spoliticalrights.Walter Valdivia is Senior Fellow to Consortium for Science, Policy & Outcomes(CSPO)at Arizona State University, and Adjunct Faculty at Johns Hopkins, and aSenior Policy Editor for theMercatus Center at GeorgeMasonUniversity. RecentpublicationsincludetheNationalAcademiesIssuesinS&T,BrookingsandCSPO.MariaGarrido isaPrincipalResearchScientistattheTechnology&SocialChangeGroup of the University of Washington’s Information School. Experienced inconductingmulti-countrystudiesthatspandiversegeographicregions,muchofherresearch focuses on the appropriation of information and communicationtechnologies (ICTs) to catalyze social change, specifically in communities facingsocial, political, and economic challenges. Keenly interested in the role of ICTs insocial movements, youth employability, and skill development, Ms. Garrido hasworked closely with civil society organizations, NGOs, public libraries, anddevelopment funders to conduct participatory research that results in actionablerecommendationsforpolicyandpractice.RecentexamplesofherresearchincludetheroleofMassiveOpenOnlineCourses(MOOCs)inadvancingyouthemployabilityinColombia,thePhilippines,andSouthAfrica;employabilityofmigrantwomenande-skills in the European Union; and youthmovements, ICTs, and the struggle fordemocracy in Egypt’s Arab Spring. She is currently leading amulti-year researcheffort focusing on the role of access to information in advancing the SustainableDevelopment Goals (SDGs). She holds a Ph.D. in Communications from theUniversity of Washington and a Masters in International Relations from theUniversityofChicago.Donna Scheeder was the President of International Federation of LibraryAssociationsandInstitutions(IFLA) for theperiod2015-17,choosingto focusherpresidencyonthethemeof ‘ACalltoAction’.Duringthistime,sheworkedbothtoleadchangewithinthelibraryfield,aswellasengagingcloselyandsuccessfullyinthe process that led to the agreement of the 2030 Agenda. She also oversaw thedevelopmentof new efforts to bring the global library field together to realise itspotential todeliverdevelopment. Shespenthercareer in theLibraryofCongress,risingtobeDeputyChiefInformationOfficer.ShehasalsopreviouslybeenPresidentoftheSpecialLibrariesAssociation.Jeremy Millard currently serves as Chief Policy Advisor at DanishTechnologicalInstitute, Denmark and Research Fellow at Bradford University, United Kingdom.SpecialAdvisortoDGCONNECT,EuropeanCommissiononpublicsectorinnovation,

e-government and public services, and to DG Research & Innovation on socialsciencesandhumanities,includingasrapporteurontheSC6ExpertAdvisoryGroup(Europe in a changing world - inclusive, innovative and reflective societies). Heundertakes selective assignments on eGovernment, public sector innovation, theknowledge society plus open and social innovation, in Europe, North-America,Africa and Asia. He counts the EC, UN, OECD and WB amongst his clients andpartners,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.Mr.LazarousKapambweAmbassadorExtraordinaryandPlenipotentiaryPermanentRepresentative,ZambiaHon.Ms.ShirinSharminChaudhury,SpeakeroftheBangladeshParliamentDr.AblaSibai,ChairoftheEpidemiologyandPopulationHealthDepartmentattheAmericanUniversityofBeirut,andtheCo-foundingDirectoroftheCentreforStudiesonAgeinginLebanon,andtheCo-foundingDirectorandExecutiveCommitteeMemberoftheAUBUniversityforSeniorsProgram

Moderator Ms.SylviaBeales,Independentinclusivesocialdevelopmentconsultantand formerHeadofStrategicAlliances,HelpAgeInternational

ProfilesofspeakersHéctorRamónCárdenasMolinas isthecurrentMinister-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 intheelaborationofotherrelevantdocuments 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-uptheProgramofFinancialAssistancetoPortugal.HewasMinisterofEconomy,InnovationandDevelopment(2009-2011);MinisterofLabourandSocialSolidarity(2005-2009);Deputyto 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).LazarousKapambwe iscurrentlytheAmbassadorandPermanentRepresentativeofZambiatotheUnitedNationssince2007.Hewaselectedsixty-seventhPresidentoftheEconomicandSocialCouncilin2011.PriortotheUnitedNations,heservedasZambia’sAmbassadortoEthiopiaandtheAfrican Union (2003-2007). He was concurrently accredited as Ambassador ofZambia to Sudan, Yemen, Djibouti and Somalia. Before holding that post, hewasPermanentSecretaryoftheMinistryforForeignAffairs(2002-2003),afterservingasDeputyPermanentSecretaryresponsibleforAsia,AfricaandtheMiddleEast.HewastheDirectorforAfricaandOrganizationofAfricanUnityAffairs(1996-2000).Mr.Kapambwealsoheldposts inEuropeandtheUnitedStates,asCounsellorandDeputy Chief of Mission at the Zambian Embassies in Bonn, Germany and in

Washington,D.C..HewasCounsellorforPoliticalAffairsatthePermanentMissionofZambiatotheUnitedNations(1987-1988).During his career, Mr. Kapambwe represented Zambia in major multilateral andregional meetings of the United Nations, Organization of African Unity, AfricanUnion, Southern African Development Community (SADC), Common Market forEastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Great Lakes region and theIntergovernmentalAuthorityforDevelopment(IGAD).Mr. Kapambwe, obtained a bachelor’s degree in political economy from theUniversity of Zambia and has a post-graduate diploma in international relationsfromNairobiUniversity,KenyaandreceivedacertificateincontemporaryAmericanpoliticsfromNewYorkUniversity.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.Abla Mehio Sibai is Professor and Chair of Epidemiology and Population HealthDepartmentat theFacultyofHealthSciences(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 for2 cyclesand 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 builtup 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,sheisthefounderandactivememberof 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. Catalina Devandas Aguilar, Special Rapporteur on theRightsof PersonswithDisabilitiesoftheHumanRightsCouncil

Ms. Margaret Mbogoni, 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 85millionpersonswith disabilities in China since 2008 and amember of theStandingCommitteeof the12thChinesePeople’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 otherUNdocuments 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 in96 countries).Asawell-knownwriter inChina (amemberof theChineseWriters’AssociationandVicePresidentofShandongWriters’AssociationinChina),Madame. Zhang publishedmany literatureworks and books in China andothercountriessuchasGermany, JapanandKoreasince1983.SheholdsaMasterDegreeofPhilosophy(JilinUniversity,China)andanhonorarydoctorate(UniversityofYorkandUniversityofMassachusetts,USA).Mesbah Ansari is aDeputyDirector forHumanRightsof theMinistryofForeignAffairs 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,administrativeandconstitutionallaw,public international law,particularlyhumanrightsand international refugee law, andcomparative law.Her researchhasbeenfrequentlyreferredtobyscholarsandcited inAustralia’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). Professor Crock hasa broad experience ofworkingwiththe 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,andwas formerlywiththeUnited 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.Margaret Mbogoni is Senior Statistician at theUnitedNations StatisticsDivision(UNSD)ofDESAwhereshe is theManager for theDisabilityStatisticsProgramme.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.Ilaganhasextensiveexperience indisability, inclusiveeducationandemploymentpolicies,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.