Celebrating disability As part of human diversity | CATALINA DEVANDAS AGUILAR | TEDxGeneva

A life-long human rights activist, Catalina Devandas became the first United Nations Special
Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities in 2014.
In her talk, Catalina will share important lessons she learned about the barriers that she, together with millions of other persons with disabilities face in their lives. She explains how the most difficult barriers are not those in buildings, streets or the physical environment, but those emanating from a system of social values that
deem persons with disabilities as less worthy and unable to lead meaningful lives.
She also explains how the global movement of persons with disabilities is fighting back against those barriers, and why the UN convention on the rights of persons with disabilities has been such a crucial ally in their struggle! Catalina Devandas is the first UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. She was born in Costa Rica with spina bifida. A lawyer by training, Catalina
is a dedicated human rights advocate. She has worked for
the Disability Rights Fund (DRF), the United Nations, and
the World Bank, and, in 2006, she took part in the drafting
of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities (CRPD).
In her work as Special Rapporteur, Catalina collects
testimonies and evidence of human rights violations from
persons with disabilities around the world, and makes
recommendations to governments, to promote and
protect their rights in laws and institutional practices.
More on her work and her vision:
Blog : embracingdiversity.net/ This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@velvetstaub8443]

I am so honored to have been called to this journey. Society is scared of disability because they k ow it can strike anyone any time and this world is unkind maybe they too have been unkind. They power to make disability feel like part of life is in the hands of each person.
Dyslexia didn’t stop me from going to grad school, heart condition POTs and dis autonomy didn’t stop me from learning to talk and walk again and Now I’m going blind and I can reassure y’all it won’t stop me from loving my life and beautiful 7 children.
❤ we are humans with a great lesson to share with the world. 🎉celebrate

[@elodieleaf]

Brilliant talk❤but as per usual whenever there is a TED talk about disability the views drop and the likes too, that says it all! Society still is too ableist to accept us

[@bilbaop]

I am born with SBO
I am still stnding and take the pain, just to be accepted by the system. it is hard to accept to be disabled for me, but you give me a vision to speak out for so many hwo think it is normal to feel the pain. i might go to university just to be heard, what problem is out there. some gap within the sience that torture us... the one with SBO

[@K-pt5gz]

This is an amazing talk and deserves more views.

[@angieseravalli925]

Muy bueno, Bravo!!!👌👍

[@AnaRamos-iq8wx]

Excellent

[@user-mj6of8mp6b]

What were your experiences as a parent with a disability?

[@muthonikarime2664]

Thanks. May i have your email please. I am a person with disability woth two daughters with didabiliy. I am encouraged

[@JoaoCosta-db1en]

We don't wan't to be cured!?! WTF!?!?