Mobility International USA (MIUSA), in partnership with three leading U.S. organizations, welcomed a delegation of 25 disability rights leaders from six countries to Washington D.C. for the RightsNow!: Exploring the U.S. Model conference during one week in September 2016. This prestigious and high-level conference was a part of the RightsNow!: Strong Communities through Enforcing the Rights of Persons with Disabilities project, funded by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor of the U.S. Department of State and administered by MIUSA.
The Delegation
Representing Armenia, Guatemala, Kenya, Mexico, Peru and Vietnam, the international delegation included leaders from disabled persons’ organizations, human rights organizations and government agencies who are spearheading initiatives to strengthen the implementation and enforcement of disability rights legislation, as well as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, at national and local levels.
Conference Highlights
Throughout the conference, delegates met and engaged with U.S. disability rights experts and government leaders who played key roles in the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act and other important legislation. Delegates also met with leading agencies and specialists in the fields of inclusive education, independent living, employment, coalition building, and other priority areas, to gain insights into principles, strategies, and lessons learned from implementation and enforcement of U.S. laws and policies.
A press release and photos from the conference are available below. To access photo captions , view the album in full screen mode.
The RightsNow! Project & Team
Mobility International USA (MIUSA), a disability-led organization dedicated to advancing leadership and disability rights globally, conducts the project with a consortium of U.S. partners that includes:
- The Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF), a disability-led organization at the forefront of U.S. disability civil rights law and policy
- The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), a global leader in democracy promotion and good governance
- The U.S. International Council on Disabilities (USICD), a disability-led organization committed to advocacy and action to promote the global disability rights agenda
