12 Sep 2024
External Events, Other,
13:30 - 14:45,
Room Library, WTO,
Public Forum
Trade Agreements and Disability Inclusion: Demystifying the Disconnect between Barriers and Policy Solutions
Trade agreements impact all lives and can disproportionately affect those who are marginalized or vulnerable. However, if negotiated through an inclusive lens, trade agreements can lead to positive outcomes for all, including for persons with disabilities, women, and indigenous communities.
This session will launch and discuss a new study that critically examines the interaction between trade agreements and disability inclusion. Drawing from a UK-funded study 'Making Trade Agreements Work for People with Disabilities: What’s been Achieved and What Remains Undone?' (2022), which revealed that only 27% of trade agreements include explicit provisions on disability inclusion, this new study highlights that significant disconnect exists between the barriers faced by persons with disabilities and the content of disability provisions in current trade agreements. Our discussion aims to expand the current discourse in this area, ensuring that future negotiated provisions can address and respond to the critical challenges faced by persons with disabilities.
The session will begin with a short keynote speech by WTO Deputy Director-General Angela Ellard.
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