In this video clip, WFD President Colin Allen and WFDYS President Jenny Nilsson, summarise the outcomes of their attendance at meetings held in New York during the last three days of the International Disability Alliance (IDA) Pre-Conference and Civil Society Forum.

The WFD President provides an overview of the IDA and what it stands for. He explains that the IDA is a network of international disabled people’s organisations (DPOs) representing blind, deafblind and deaf people. Set up in 1999, he confirms that it has twelve member organisations including four regional disabled people’s organisations, which joined in 2007.

Two important developments within the IDA are shared with WFD members. Firstly, while the IDA continues to co-ordinate the involvement of organisations representing the interests of people with disabilities, the IDA Board discussed and developed new statutes and internal rules. Secondly, the IDA three-year strategy is discussed, which seeks to empower disabled people, including deafblind and deaf people, by increasing their understanding of their human rights in relation to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

WFDYS President, Jenny Nilsson, reports that she is keen to see how young people are represented among the twelve disabled people’s organisations, as the extent in which young people are actively involved within DPOs is thought to vary. At the IDA meeting, the WFDYS proposes that youth representatives from DPOs should be invited at the next IDA Board Meeting or at a later stage. This meeting will discuss how youth associations will co-operate together and ensure youth involvement in the future.

WFD President congratulates the WFDYS President for getting IDA to adopt her proposal to involve young people more in the work of the IDA.