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Working Group on the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, 2023─2032

The Working Group is composed of 40 members, 20 from member States and 20 from civil society organizations. Its main responsibility is to provide technical advice and support to members and associate members for the full and effective implementation of the Jakarta Declaration on the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, 2023–2032 ("Jakarta Declaration"). Membership of the Working Group was decided by the Commission at its eightieth session in 2024.

Background and Historical Development

The first Working Group on the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities was established during the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, 2013–2022 ("Decade 2013-2022"), to inform the implementation of the Decade with its expertise and knowledge. At the final review of the Decade 2013-2022 in Jakarta, Indonesia from 19 to 21 October 2022, member States adopted the Jakarta Declaration, which proclaimed the new regional Disability Decade from 2023 to 2032 ("Decade 2023-2032")—marking the fourth consecutive regional Disability Decade since 1993. The Jakarta Declaration represents a strategic vision for the Decade 2023-2032, recognizing and building upon the continued importance of the regional goals established by the Incheon Strategy to "Make the Right Real" ("Incheon Strategy") adopted in the previous Decade. The Declaration emerged in response to continuing and emerging challenges in the Asia-Pacific region, where economic, social, and environmental factors have created new barriers to implementing the Incheon Strategy, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). To address these challenges while maintaining momentum toward disability-inclusive development, members and associate members reached consensus on six priority areas for accelerated action to deliver tangible disability-inclusive results under these regional and global frameworks. The Declaration was subsequently endorsed by the Commission through Resolution 79/5 in May 2023, entitled “Implementation of the Jakarta Declaration on the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, 2023–2032.” Through this resolution, member States reaffirmed the importance of continuing the Working Group's guidance, leading to the establishment of the new Working Group for the Decade 2023-2032. The Working Group serves as the primary mechanism for providing technical support and coordination, ensuring that implementation efforts of the Jakarta Declaration across the region are aligned, effective, and evidence-based.

Functions and Responsibilities

In its capacity as a technical advisory body, the Working Group fulfils multiple key functions and responsibilities: a. Promotion of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, 2023–2032 at the regional, subregional and national levels to increase its visibility and influence; b. Technical advice pertaining to the six priority areas of accelerated actions identified in the Jakarta Declaration on the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, 2023–2032; c. Regional and subregional cooperation to advance the implementation of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, 2023–2032; d. Multi-stakeholder collaboration and partnerships among Governments, organizations of persons with disabilities and other stakeholders to advance disability-inclusive development at the regional, subregional and national levels; e. Reviews of progress concerning the implementation of the Jakarta Declaration on the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, 2023–2032. To operationalize these functions effectively and support the Declaration's objectives, the Working Group has established thematic task forces aligned with the six priority areas of accelerated action identified in the Jakarta Declaration: a. Harmonize national legislation with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; b. Promote the meaningful participation of women and men with diverse disabilities of all ages; c. Improve physical and digital accessibility with special attention to the distinct needs of different groups of persons with disabilities; d. Galvanize the power of the private sector; e. Promote a gender-responsive life cycle approach to developing and implementing disability-related policies and programmes; f. Close disability data gaps and strengthen capacities to track progress in disability-inclusive development at the national and subnational levels.

Membership Structure and Terms

To ensure balanced representation, the Working Group maintains equal membership between Governments and civil society organizations (CSOs). Members serve from their endorsement at the eightieth Commission in 2024, providing continuity and sustained leadership throughout the Decade.

Current Members of the Working Group 2023-2032

Member States

  1. Azerbaijan
  2. Bangladesh
  3. Bhutan
  4. Brunei Darussalam
  5. Cambodia
  6. China
  7. Georgia
  8. India
  9. Japan
  10. Malaysia
  11. Maldives
  12. Mongolia
  13. Pakistan
  14. Philippines
  15. Republic of Korea
  16. Singapore
  17. Sri Lanka
  18. Thailand
  19. Tonga
  20. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Civil Society Organizations

  1. ASEAN Autism Network (AAN)
  2. ASEAN DISABILITY FORUM (ADF)
  3. The Asia-Pacific Development Center on Disability (APCD)
  4. The Asia and Pacific Disability Forum (APDF)
  5. Asia Pacific Disabled Peoples Organisation United (AP-DPO United)
  6. Asia Pacific Down Syndrome Federation (APDSF)
  7. Central Asian Disability Forum (CADF)
  8. Community-based Inclusive Development Asia-Pacific Network (CBID AP Network)
  9. Digital Accessible Information System Consortium (DAISY)
  10. Disabled Peoples’ International Asia Pacific (DPI-AP)
  11. Humanity & Inclusion (HI)
  12. International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES)
  13. Pacific Disability Forum (PDF)
  14. Rehabilitation International (Asia Pacific) (RI-AP)
  15. South Asian Disability Forum (SADF)
  16. Transforming Communities for Inclusion (TCI-Global)
  17. World Blind Union-Asia Pacific (WBU-AP)
  18. World Federation of the Deafblind (WFDB)
  19. World Federation of the Deaf Regional Secretariat for Asia (WFD RSA)
  20. World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry (WNUSP)
  21. Working Group on the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, 2013-2022

    The Working Group is composed of 30 members, 15 from member States and 15 from civil society organizations. Its main responsibility is to provide technical advice and support to ESCAP members and associate members, to promote the full and effective implementation of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, 2013-2022. Membership of the Working Group was decided by the Commission at its sixty-ninth session and its seventy-fourth session. The Jakarta Declaration requested the ESCAP Secretariat continue to utilize the Working Group to support the implementation of the new declaration.

    Members of the Working Group (2018-2022)

    Member States

    1. Bangladesh
    2. Bhutan
    3. China
    4. India
    5. Indonesia
    6. Japan
    7. Kiribati
    8. Malaysia
    9. Myanmar
    10. Pakistan
    11. Republic of Korea
    12. Russian Federation
    13. Samoa
    14. Thailand
    15. Timor-Leste

    Civil Society Organizations

    1. ASEAN Autism Network
    2. Asia-Pacific Development Center on Disability (APCD)
    3. Asia-Pacific Disability Forum (APDF)
    4. Asia-Pacific Women with Disabilities United (APWWDU)
    5. Asia-Pacific Disabled Peoples' Organizations United (AP DPO United)
    6. Digital Accessible Information System (DAISY) Consortium
    7. Disabled Peoples' International Asia-Pacific (DPI AP)
    8. Inclusion International Asia-Pacific
    9. Pacific Disability Forum (PDF)
    10. Rehabilitation International Asia-Pacific (RIAP)
    11. Shuchona Foundation
    12. South Asian Disability Forum (SADF)
    13. World Blind Union Asia-Pacific & Asian Blind Union (WBU-AP&ABU)
    14. World Federation of the Deaf Regional Secretariat for Asia (WFD RSA)
    15. World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry (WNUSP)

    Members of the Working Group (2013-2017)

    Member States

    1. Bangladesh
    2. Bhutan
    3. China
    4. Fiji
    5. India
    6. Indonesia
    7. Japan
    8. Kiribati and Samoa*
    9. Malaysia
    10. Mongolia
    11. Pakistan
    12. Philippines
    13. Republic of Korea
    14. Russian Federation
    15. Thailand

    * Kiribati and Samoa share a seat (Samoa: first 2.5 years; Kiribati: second 2.5 years)

    Civil Society Organizations

    1. Asia and Pacific Disability Forum
    2. Asia-Pacific Development Center on Disability
    3. ASEAN Disability Forum
    4. Asia-Pacific DPO United
    5. Central Asia Disability Forum
    6. South Asian Disability Forum
    7. Pacific Disability Forum
    8. Disabled People’s International Asia-Pacific
    9. Inclusion International Asia-Pacific Regional Forum
    10. World Blind Union Asia-Pacific
    11. World Federation of the Deaf Regional Secretariat in Asia and the Pacific
    12. World Federation of the Deafblind Asia and the Pacific
    13. World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry
    14. Digital Accessible Information System (DAISY) Consortium
    15. Rehabilitation International Asia Pacific Region