Speech Pathology Australia at the United Nations

Speech Pathology Australia (SPA) presented three times at the 12th Session of the Conference of State Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities:

Side Event 
1. People With Communication Disabilities Speak Up For Inclusion and Participation
UN Web TV (90 minutes)
Wednesday, June 12, 2019, 8:15 am – 9:30 am
http://webtv.un.org/watch/people-with-communication-disability-speak-up-for-inclusion-and-participation-how-the-implementation-of-the-crpd-and-the-sdgs-can-support-this-right-cosp12-side-event/6047514452001/

Moderator:

• Derek Munn, Director of Policy and Public Affairs, Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists

Speakers:

• Ms. Gail Mulcair, Chief Executive Officer, Speech Pathology Australia
• Prof Sharynne McLeod, Professor at Charles Sturt University, Australia, and Editor, special issue of the International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology (Communication is a Human Right: Celebrating the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights). 
• Ms. Meredith Allan, President, International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC) and Augmentative Communication User
•  Mr. Miles Forma, Disability Advocate and Augmentative Communication User, United States of America 
• Julia McGeown, Global Inclusive Education Specialist, Humanity and Inclusion

Interventions
2. Belinda Hill (SPA vice-president) - Intervention at the Civil Society Forum about the rights of children with disability
UN Web TV @36.00min (3 min)
http://webtv.un.org/meetings-events/watch/part-2-civil-society-forum-under-the-auspice-of-the-12th-session-of-the-conference-of-states-parties-to-the-un-crpd-cosp12-side-event/6046685362001/?term= 

3. Gail Mulcair (SPA CEO) on behalf of Gaenor Dixon (SPA past-president) – Intervention at the at the 6th meeting about the importance of independent advocacy to foster social inclusion and implement the CRPD
UN Web TV @39:00min (3 min)
http://webtv.un.org/search/6th-meeting-12th-session-of-the-conference-of-states-parties-to-the-convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities-cosp12-11-13-june-2019/6048377739001/?term=COSP12&sort=date&page=1

Gaenor Dixon, Sharynne McLeod, Belinda Hill, Gail Mulcair

 In addition, we attended a number of Australian Government events:
https://speakingmylanguages.blogspot.com/2019/06/australian-government-events-while-in.html


Link to the International Communication Project information about the event
Link to the Charles Sturt University media release
Link to Speech Pathology Australia media release
Link to the special issue of International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology on communication rights