ESCAP was pleased to announce the First Session of the Working Group on the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, 2023-2032, which was held on June 3–4, 2025, at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok and online.

This landmark meeting marked a pivotal step in the new Decade, bringing together government representatives, civil society leaders, and UN entities to advance disability-inclusive development across the Asia-Pacific region. Building on the Jakarta Declaration on the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities 2023–2032 and the ESCAP Resolution 79/5, the Working Group guided the implementation of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities 2023-2032, ensuring that commitments translated into meaningful progress for persons with disabilities.

Consisting of forty members—20 representing Asian and Pacific governments and 20 representing civil society organizations—the Working Group maintained its essential role and expanded its scope to address emerging regional challenges. In accordance with the Terms of Reference, the Working Group’s mandate encompassed multiple key functions: promoting the Decade at regional, subregional, and national levels; providing technical advice on the Declaration’s six priority areas; facilitating regional and subregional cooperation; fostering multi-stakeholder collaboration and reviewing implementation progress.

In reviewing the implementation of the Asia and Pacific Decade, the Working Group examined the Six Priority Areas of Action as outlined in the Jakarta Declaration:

• Harmonizing national legislation with the CRPD;
• Promoting meaningful participation of persons with disabilities;
• Enhancing physical and digital accessibility;
• Engaging the private sector;
• Applying a gender-responsive, life-cycle approach to disability policies;
• Closing disability gaps and strengthening tracking capacities.

The First Session of the Working Group served as a key platform for in-depth discussions, knowledge sharing, and forward-looking strategies in line with the six priority areas. This first meeting represented a critical opportunity to shape the region’s collective efforts toward the full and effective participation of persons with disabilities in all aspects of society.

For more information, you can contact Ms. Cai Cai (Chief of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Section) at [email protected].