Civil Society Forum

What is the Civil Society Forum?

The Civil Society Forum is organized to give space to the disability community to unify their voice, share experience and create partnerships ahead of the Summit. It leverages the occurrence of the Global Disability Summit to amplify the voice and participation of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities, and to highlight current issues relevant to the global disability movement.

The Civil Society Forum 2025 was held a day ahead of the GDS 2025 on April 1, 2025. To see the full overview of the sessions, download the program agenda here.

The Civil Society Reference Group

The Civil Society Forum is organized by the Civil Society Reference Group (CSRG). The aim of the Civil Society Reference Group is to ensure the meaningful participation of OPDs and civil society, in all their diversity, in the build-up to the Summit, the GDS itself and its follow-up.

The CSRG’s membership comprises representatives of civil society from the global south and the global north.

Civil Society Declaration 2025

The Civil Society Declaration was adopted at the closing ceremony of the CSF 2025. Access it here.

Watch the recorded livestream

Click here to watch the recorded livestream from CSF 2025.

Daily Program

1st April, 2025

Exhibition Space

All day

Time:

08:00 AM – 09:45 AM

105’

Location:

Registration, Coffee & Networking

Time:

09:45 AM – 10:00 AM

15’

Location:

Hall 1.2

Introduction of accessibility features and information on venue by moderator

Time:

10:00 AM – 10:30 AM

30’

Location:

Hall 1.2

Opening Ceremony

Welcoming words and greetings by IDA, CSRG

Moderators

Janet Charchuk

Ambassador, Down Syndrome International
Charlotte Young

Youth Ambassador, International Disability Alliance

Speakers

Nawaf Kabbara

Chair and President, International Disability Alliance
Hans-Peter Baur

Deputy Director-General BMZ
Muhannad Alazzeh

Secretary General, Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Jordan
Mary Keogh

Chair, International Disability and Development Consortium

Time:

10:30 AM – 11:45 AM

75’

Location:

Hall 1.2

Thematic Session 1

Inclusive Humanitarian Action

Moderators

Jahda Abou Khalil

General Director, Arab Organization of Persons with Disabilities

Speakers

Abdelqader Suleiman

The Executive Director of the Jordanian Coalition for Persons with Disabilities.
Esma Gumberidze

IDA Representative
Monica Cortes

Executive Director of Asdown Colombia
Mauot Luis Alier Anyang

IDA Representative
Dr. Iga Daniel Mwesigwa

Co-Chair of the World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry (WNUSP)
Ulrike Last

Policy & Development Lead, Inclusive Humanitarian Action, Governance and Protection at H&I DRG

Break

11:45 AM – 12:00 PM

Time:

12:00 PM – 13:15 PM

75’

Location:

Hall 1.2

Thematic Session 2

Youth and Children with Disabilities

Moderators

Sue Swenson

President, Inclusion International

Speakers

Rokiatou Maiga

Country Project Officer, Malian Association for Deaf
Juan Cobeñas

IDA Youth Fellow and member of the Board of Trustees for Spoon Foundation
Angelina Gustenhoff

Internal Deputy Head of Autism Youth
Lisanne van der Steeg

Lobby and Advocacy lead at Lilliane Fonds

Lunch and Networking

13:15 PM – 14:15 PM

Time:

14:15 PM – 15:30 PM

75’

Location:

Hall 1.2

Thematic Session 3

The Rights of Women and Girls with Disabilities

Moderators

Gertrude Oforiwa Fefoame

Global Advocacy Manager (Social Inclusion), Sightsavers

Speakers

Sophie Pécourt

Making It Work Gender and Disability Project Coordinator at Humanity & Inclusion.
Aiswarya Rajyalaxmi

Shelter for Homeless Women with Disabilities in Chennai
Dulamsuren Jigjid

Executive Director, Culture Centre of the Deaf, Mongolia
Amanda McRae

Director of Advocacy and Accountability,Women Enabled International
Bisi Bamishe

Executive Director, Albinism Association of Nigeria

Break

15:30 PM – 16:00 PM

Time:

16:00 PM – 17:15 PM

75’

Location:

Hall 1.2

Thematic Session 4

Funding and Budgeting for Disability

Moderators

Mary Keogh

Chair, International Disability and Development Consortium

Speakers

Ola Abualghaib

Director, UN Global Disability Fund
Sally Nduta

United Disabled Persons of Kenya
Fredrick Ouko

Co-CEO ADD International
José Maria Viera

Executive Director, International Disability Alliance
Javier Güemes

Director of International Relations at Grupo Social ONCE
Auberon Jeleel Odoom

Board Member, ADF

Break

17:15 PM – 17:30 PM

Time:

17:30 PM – 18:00 PM

30’

Location:

Hall 1.2

Closing and Adoption of Civil Society Declaration

Moderators

Janet Charchuk

Ambassador, Down Syndrome International
Charlotte Young

Youth Ambassador, International Disability Alliance

Speakers

Sanja Tarczay

President, World Federation of the Deafblind
Diana Dalton

Deputy Director for Gender, Equalities and Rights, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, UK Government
Gopal Mitra

Global Lead, Children with Disabilities, UNICEF
Sally-Anne Henfry

Assistant Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia