Rosemary Kayess nominated for re-election to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

I am pleased to announce that Australia will nominate Ms Rosemary Kayess for re-election to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), for 2023-2026.

Australia is committed to disability-inclusive development and disability rights globally. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone, but people with disabilities are disproportionately affected by the health, economic and social impacts.

Ms Kayess is the current Chair of the UNCRPD and Senior Academic in the Faculty of Law at the University of NSW, where she has taught international human rights law and anti-discrimination law for the past 15 years. She has advised and researched on numerous projects on human rights, disability and the implementation of the CRPD in Australia, the Indo-Pacific and Europe. Ms Kayess has lived experience of the challenges faced by people with disabilities.

The UNCRPD remains an important human rights treaty body that monitors implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. A continued Australian presence on the Committee will further strengthen Australia’s efforts on disability inclusion and rights for all people across the world.