Geneva vlogs for 11 September

Kelly Cox talks about representing people with disability.

Transcript

Frances: Hi Kelly.

Kelly Cox: Hi.

Frances: So, how have you found being at the UN for the first couple of days?

Kelly: I’ve found it very interesting, and a little bit exciting, and an honour to be here to represent the disability community of Australia.

Frances: Do you think any themes have come out of our meetings or anything?

Kelly: I think institutionalisation has been a big thing, we know Robert Martin is really interested in institutionalisation. I’m interested to meet with Ms Utami and Ms Kim later on today to talk about women with disability, parenting with disability and violence toward disabled people.

Frances: That’s great, thanks very much.

Judy Huett talks about some of the issues discussed in Geneva.

Transcript

Frances: Hi Judy, how are you?

Judy Huett: Good, thank you.

Frances: How have you found the first few days here at the UN?

Judy: Oh, it’s been brilliant. Today we went and met with Mr Robert Martin and Mr Buntan and spoke about closure of institutions, advocacy and how it’s really underfunded, and all those sorts of things, you know. Parents with intellectual disabilities having a child taken away. They were really receptive and really understanding to the needs… And especially towards institutions and the NDIS, because there are still institutions being built under the NDIS, so… Yeah, they were really understanding, and I found it a great meeting.

Frances: That’s fantastic, thank you Judy.

Disability Voices Now side event snippet: acknowledgements.

Transcript

Damian Griffis: For us, at gatherings like this, we have some acknowledgements we’d like to do. So I’d like to hand over to colleagues Judy Huett and Uncle Paul Calcott to lead us. Thank you, Judy.

Judy: I would like to acknowledge and pay my respects for the contribution made by self-advocates past and present in the fight for equality, and the advocates who stand beside me.

Paul: As there are a number of First Nations representatives from Australia here today, our protocols require that we acknowledge the traditional owners of the land we’re meeting on and conducting business, and pay our respect to their elders and to their ancestors. Thank you.