DONATE

Sightsavers’ Gertrude Oforiwa Fefoame elected to UN disability committee

June 2018
Gertrude Oforiwa Fefoame smiling.

Gertrude Oforiwa Fefoame, Sightsavers’ advocacy adviser for social inclusion, has been elected to the United Nations committee that monitors the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

Gertrude was one of six candidates elected in the first round of voting, of whom three were women. This has improved the gender balance on the committee, which may be boosted further in the second round of elections.

Speaking after the first round of results was announced, Gertrude said: “I am proud and honoured to be elected to the CRPD committee. I am pleased to represent women with disabilities from developing countries and I look forward to getting to work and promoting the rights and freedoms of all people with disabilities through the CRPD.”

Natasha Kennedy, Sightsavers’ Head of Multilateral Engagement and Campaigns, said: “We are incredibly proud of Gertrude’s achievement and the efforts undertaken by the government of Ghana to address the lack of gender parity on the CRPD committee. We continue to be committed to promoting an equal UN that is fully representative of all people with disabilities and as we move into the second round of voting, we hope to see more women elected to the committee.”

The other women elected were Rosemary Kayess (Australia) and Miyoon Kim (Republic of Korea). Three men were also elected: Jonas Ruskus (Lithuania), Danlami Basharu (Nigeria) and Markus Schefer (Switzerland).

In the run-up to the election, Sightsavers has been calling on UN member states to ensure better representation of women on the CRPD committee with its #EqualUN campaign.

 

A young group of visually impaired Judo players laughing in Sightsavers' tracksuits.

Join our campaign

Sightsavers’ Put Us in the Picture campaign calls for people with disabilities to have the same opportunities as everyone else.

More on the campaign
A large group of people from Ghana celebrating Gertrude's election.
Gertrude (centre) celebrating with representatives from the government of Ghana and the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations.

Want to read more about our work?

Sightsavers and disability rights
A group of women wearing colourful headscarves smile and laugh during a puppet show in their community.
sightsavers_news

UK government strategy: Sightsavers calls for further action for women and girls with disabilities

The UK government’s new international women and girls strategy is a positive step. But because 18 per cent of women have a disability, it is essential that disability inclusion is prioritised.

March 2023
Gertrude Oforiwa Fefoame speaking into a microphone.
sightsavers_news

Gertrude Oforiwa Fefoame elected chair of UN disability committee

Gertrude, who is Sightsavers’ global advocacy manager for social inclusion, becomes the first African woman to lead the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

March 2023
A group of seven people, four of whom are wheelchair users.
sightsavers_news

Judith Heumann: “A giant of activism and campaigning”

Sightsavers is sad to learn of the death of disability rights activist Judith Heumann, who was often referred to as the ‘mother of the disability rights movement’.

March 2023