List of Experts
United Nations Expert Group Meeting co-organized by the Division for Social Policy and Development (DSPD) of DESA and by the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin American and the Caribbean (ECLAC)
Advancing the Rights and Perspectives of Women and Girls with Disabilities in Development and Society
15-17 November2016
Santiago, Chile
Experts
Ms. Ana Maria Pelaez
Ms. Pelaez is a member of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the International Relations Director of the Spanish National Organization of the Blind, the Executive Vice-President of the ONCE Foundation for Solidarity with the Blind of Latin America, the Commissioner for Gender Affairs of the Spanish Disability Council, a member of the Executive Committee and of the Board of Directors of the European Disability Forum (EDF) and Chairwoman of its Women’s Committee.
Mr. Armando Vasquez Barrios
Mr. Vasquez Barrios is a regional adviser for the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and is a member of the Latin American Medical Association of Rehabilitation (AMLAR) and the International Commission on Technology and Accessibility (ICTA-LA).
Ms. Carolyn Frohmader
Ms. Frohmader is the Executive Director of Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) and a human rights campaigner for women and girls with disabilities.
Ms. Claudia Pascual Grau
Hon. Pascual Grau is Minister for Women and Gender Equality in Chile and previously served as Minister for National Women’s Service.
Mr. Daniel Concha
Mr. Concha is the Principal Delegate of Chile to the Committee for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (OAS) and the Directorof theNationalService of Disability of Chile (SENADIS).
Ms. Deborah Stienstra
Ms. Stienstra is a professor in Disability Studies at the University of Manitoba, Canada, academic co-director of the Feminist Northern Networkand lead of the Disability and Global Development Network.
Ms. Gabriela Alejandra Troiano
Ms. Troiano is a Congresswoman in theArgentine National Congress. She is also the Secretary of Himan RIghts of the Socialist Party at the national and Buenos Aires province level.
Ms. Gabriele Gerda Martha Weigt
Ms. Weigt is the Managing Director for Disability and Development Cooperation, BEZEV – Behinderung and researcher on disability and development.
Ms. Heba Hagrass
Hon Hagrass is a Member of the Egyptian Parliament, Board Member of the National Council for Disability Affairs and Board Member of the National Council of Women.
Ms. Jolly Acen
Ms. Acen is the Executive Secretary of the National Union of Disabled Women in Uganda.
Ms. Krista Orama
Ms. Orama works for the Danish Institute for Human Rights. She worked previously for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Ms. Marcela Benadvides
Ms. Benadvides is the President, of the Círculo Emancipador de Mujeres y Niñas con discapacidad de Chile (CIMUNIDIS) and an NGO dedicated to advancing the situation of women and girls with disabilities.
Ms. Maria Soledad Cisternas
Ms. Cisternas is the Chair of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and Director of the Legal Programme on Disability, Faculty of Law, Diego Portales University, Chile.
Ms. Maria Veronica Reina
Ms. Reina is the Executive Director, Global Partnership on Disability and Development, the World Bank Group.
Ms. Olga Montufar Contreras
Ms. Contreras is the Director of Step by Step Foundation in Mexico, and hosts the Paso a Paso Radio program which raises public awareness on disability rights.
Ms. Pamela Cecilila Molina Toledo
Ms. Toledo is a disability specialist for the Organisation of American States (OAS), and supports follow-up to the CIADDIS-OAS (Inter-American Convention on Disabilities).
Ms. Rangita De Silva De Alwis
Ms. De Silva De Alwis is the Associate Dean of International Affairs at University of Pennsylvania Law School, US, works OHCHR, UN Women and UNESCO and other multinational organizations and serves as the Academic Director of Penn Law’s Global Institute for Human Rights.
Mr. Sergio Meresman
Mr. Meresman leads the Uruguayan Foundation on Disability and Inclusive Development and is a consultant for WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, the World Bank and Disabled People International . He is also on the advisory board of the UNFPA-led Global Study on Youth with Disabilities and Sexual Health.
Ms. Stephanie Ortoleva
Ms. Ortoleva, is the President of Women Enabled International, is the founding Co-Chair of the American Society of International Law's International Disability Rights Interest Group, serves on the American Bar Association's Commission on Disability Rights and serves on the Board of Directors of several women's rights and disability rights organizations.
Ms. Therese Paula Sands
Ms. Sands has recently been seconded from her Co-CEO role at People with Disability Australia (PWDA) to serve as Director of Disabled People’s Organisations Australia (DPO Australia), and she is a member of Women With Disabilities Australia.
Ms. Venus Ilagan
Ms. Ilagan serves as Secretary General to Rehabilitation International
Representatives from the United Nations system
Ms. Akiko Ito
Secretariat to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, UN DESA
Ms. Ana De Souza
Regional Office for South America, UN OHCHR
Ms. Heidi Ullmann
Social Development Division, UN ECLAC
Ms. Lotta Goller
Office of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
Ms. Maria Salamanca
Regional Office for the Americas and Caribbean, UN WOMEN
Ms. Maribel Derjani-Bayeh
Coordination Division, UN WOMEN
Ms. Miranda Fajerman
Secretariat to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, UN DESA
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