A/HRC/34/69 Convention at all levels. They could create institutions and hold them accountable. Laws had to ensure equality; control over land, property and inheritance for everyone; and access to health care, transport and information infrastructure. Kenya sought to secure the participation of youth, women and persons with disabilities in all spheres through affirmative action. However, public policies had failed to achieve desired outcomes because of mismanagement of resources and failure to monitor implementation closely. Parliaments must ensure continuous monitoring and evaluation in order to make timely and necessary changes. 47. The President of the World Federation of the Deafblind, Geir Jensen, recalled that the role of rights holders in monitoring implementation of the Convention was reinforced by the principle of full participation and inclusion of persons with disabilities and by the general obligations of States parties to consult with and involve such persons and their organizations in decision-making processes. The International Disability Association and its partners had strengthened these organizations’ capacity in several countries to increase their involvement in law-making processes, budget analysis and institutional arrangements, resulting in strengthened capacity of United Nations mechanisms. There was a need for more understanding of United Nations mandates and working methods, as well as full inclusion of underrepresented groups, such as persons with autism, deaf-blindness and intellectual disabilities. 48. Representatives of Peru, Mexico, Association of World Citizens, International Lawyers.org, Dementia Alliance International, Niger Federation of Persons with Disabilities, Transforming Communities Asia and World Federation of the Deaf took the floor. Issues raised included State accountability; lack of State resources for statistical data collection; shared educational aid and assistance among States; legal capacity; inclusion of students with disabilities in English- and French-speaking schools in Africa; the failure of States to fully include organizations of persons with disabilities in planning implementation of the Convention; including sign language in legislation; and the role of civil society and persons with disabilities in measuring implementation of the Convention. 49. In her concluding remarks, Ms. Pineda Ángeles encouraged coordination among rights defenders and with Governments to promote the rights of all persons with disabilities, highlighting the added benefits of reports on key issues. Mr. McEwin emphasized collaboration with civil society to ensure a participatory and inclusive approach to planning and implementing legislation. Senator Omondi shared experiences from Kenya on representation and participation of persons with disabilities in political processes, including the agendas of commissions dealing with issues of women, youth and other marginalized groups. Mr. Jensen noted that a public interpreter guide service could be a tool linking persons with deaf-blindness, authorities and societies at large. H. Round table: informing policy 50. A representative of Transforming Communities for Inclusion Asia, Bhargavi Davar, called for inclusion of people’s experiences and voices in policy and research, especially those marginalized by exclusion and multiple discrimination. Auto-ethnographic detailing often discredited people and made their experiences invisible. Incapacity laws negated the personhood of women with disabilities. Denial of a person’s voice and personhood resulted in abuse, violence, exploitation, forced institutionalization and other ignominy. Policy research should be informed by values and practices, providing evidence that nondiscrimination is intersectional and layered. Informed consent to research should be an unconditional and safeguarded legal area, including strict regulation of psychopharmaceuticals, invasive medical practices and clinical trials. 13

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