Inspection Panel Explains Mandate, Procedures at COSP9

The Inspection Panel and Catalina Devandas Aguilar, the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities, on June 15 co-sponsored an event at the 9th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP9.) Panel Member Zeinab Bashir Elbakri moderated the discussion and explained the Panel’s mandate and procedures. Ms. Devandas Aquilar confirmed that the session was important for the disability community to “try to better understand the tools in the system” to promote inclusive development, accountability and how to utilize the independent monitoring mechanisms that exist at the World Bank and other international financial institutions. Mohammed Ali Loutfy, executive director of the Arab Forum for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, DPI, Arab Regional Office, also spoke at the event. He said the disability community wants the World Bank to be a role model in promoting best standards for improving the lives of poor and marginalized people, including persons with disabilities, and that it is important to identify “tools, information and mechanisms” like the Panel to make this possible.