Supporting the Right to Higher Education of Students with Disabilities – ECOSOC Youth Forum 2024

In the framework of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum 2024, interested parties are invited to the side event Supporting the Right to Higher Education of Students with Disabilities, organized by UNESCO IESALC in collaboration with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Stakeholder Group of Persons with Disabilities, the UNESCO SDG4 Youth and Student Network, the Global Student Forum, Queen’s University (Canada) and University of Gondar (Ethiopia). The event is scheduled to take place in person on April 18, 2024, between 9:30 – 11:00 a.m., NY Time (GMT-4) EST at UNOSSC Office, 304 E 45th Street, FF 11th Fl, and online via Zoom. The event aims to enhance access to higher education for students with disabilities globally by learning from successful projects, experiences, and good practices. By leveraging partnerships and collaboration under SDG 17, the event also seeks to promote inclusion and innovation for students with disabilities in higher education institutions.  

Other objectives include exploring the interconnected roles of SDGs 4 and 1 in combating poverty through the right to higher education for persons with disabilities; promoting collaboration across sectors to ensure inclusive education; creating spaces for knowledge sharing and innovation in assistive technologies and discussing actionable ideas for improving higher education experiences for persons with disabilities.  

Moreover, this event will focus on the principle of “nothing about us without us,” which emphasizes the importance of including the voices and self-advocacy of students with disabilities in decision-making processes. 

Speakers:

• Francesc Pedró, Director, UNESCO IESALC 
• Rio Hada, Chief of Equality, Development and Rule of Law Section, OHCHR (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights)  
• Heather Aldersey, Associate Professor, Queen’s University, Canada & Co-Director, the University of Gondar/Queen’s University Mastercard Foundation Scholars program.  
• Molalign Adugna, Assistant Professor, University of Gondar, Ethiopia &Co-Director, the University of Gondar/Queen’s University Mastercard Foundation Scholars program.  
• Jacob Blasius, Executive Director of the Global Student Forum. 
• Lydia Vlagsma, Youth Representative, European Disability Forum and Stakeholder Group of Persons with Disabilities.
• Juliette Gudknecht, Member, UNESCO SDG4 Youth & Student Network.

Event in English with interpretation to Spanish and to sign language.

For online participation via zoom register here

For assisting in person (opened until April 16) register here

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