UNITED NATIONS, New York — With the overarching theme, “Ensuring inclusion of persons with disabilities in a changing world through the implementation of the CRPD,” the 12th session of the Conference of States Parties (COSP12) to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) convened at the United Nations on Tuesday, June 11, 2019 and concluded on Thursday, June 13, 2019. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was adopted by the U.N. General Assembly by its resolution 61/106 of 13 December 2006 and came into force on May 3, 2008, upon the 20th ratification. The Bahamas, which was well represented at the conference, signed onto the Convention on September 24, 2013, and ratified the Instrument on 28 September 2015. Pictured, seated from left to right: Mr. Michael Foulkes, Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development; Ms. Gillian Bethel, Assistant Director of Disability Affairs; and Mr. Kendrick Rolle, Technical Officer; standing, from left: Ms. Simone Bridgewater, Coordinator; Mr. Lester Ferguson, Chairman of the National Commission of Persons with Disabilities; and Her Excellency Ms. Sheila Carey, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas to the United Nations.
