UN China Strengthens System-Wide Disability Inclusion Through Landmark Capacity-Building Workshop

The workshop was organized under the strategic guidance of Prof. Shahbaz Khan, Director of UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia and Chair of the UNTGD, whose leadership continues to strengthen the UN system’s collective commitment to disability inclusion. Aligned with this broader vision, the workshop contributes to the UN Country Team’s (UNCT) ongoing efforts to accelerate the implementation of the UN Disability Inclusion Strategy (UNDIS) and strengthen the UN system’s ability to mainstream disability inclusion across leadership, strategic planning, programming, and organizational culture.

Facilitated by Ms. Sreerupa Mitra, Regional Disability Inclusion Specialist at UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office, and co-facilitated by Ms. Zeng Qingyi, National Professional Officer at UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia, the training brought together more than 33 participants from 12 UN agencies.

Opening the workshop, Ms. Sarwat Adnan, Head of UN RCO, welcomed participants and commended their commitment to strengthening disability inclusion across the UN system. She emphasized that the UNDIS is not merely a checklist but a shared responsibility and mindset that should guide how the UN plans, communicates, engages, and delivers. True inclusion, she stressed, requires removing barriers so that persons with disabilities can participate fully and with dignity.

Ms. Mitra then provided an overview of the workshop objectives and introduced key disability-inclusion concepts, including the social model of disability, Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) compliance, and preconditions for meaningful inclusion. Participants deepened their understanding of the twin-track approach and explored how the principles of the CRPD can be applied throughout the programme cycle.

Ms. Mitra also briefed participants on the UNDIS framework, while Ms. Zeng presented trends and lessons from UNDIS implementation in China between 2020 and 2024.

Building Shared Understanding and Practical Skills

Over two days, participants engaged in discussions, technical sessions, and interactive exercises designed to equip them with practical tools to advance disability inclusion. Working in breakout groups, participants assessed progress and identified concrete actions across 14 UNDIS indicators within four key dimensions: leadership and strategic planning, inclusiveness, programming, and organizational culture.

Key Highlights

• UNDIS Scorecard Deep Dive:

Participants reviewed the 14 indicators of the UNCT Accountability Scorecard on Disability Inclusion, analyzed performance trends, discussed good practices, and identified gaps and opportunities for joint action in 2025 and beyond.

• Digital Accessibility Demonstration:

Digital accessibility expert Mr. Prashant Ranjan Verma led a hands-on session on creating accessible Word documents. Participants practiced using in-built accessibility checkers, adding alt text, structuring headings, and ensuring keyboard navigation—core skills required to meet UN digital accessibility standards.

• Meaningful Engagement with OPDs:

Ms. Ji Xun, Founder of Rare & Roll, presented a case study illustrating meaningful engagement of organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) in a UN joint programme in the museum sector. She highlighted three key strategies: enhancing accessibility, strengthening partnerships with OPDs, and improving communication and advocacy.

From Training to Action

By the end of the workshop, each UN entity developed an entity-specific action plan aligned with the UNDIS Scorecard indicators. The UNTGD Secretariat will consolidate these into UNCT China UNDIS Roadmap 2025, serving as a shared framework to guide continued progress.

The outcomes of the workshop were presented to the UNCT leadership on 14 November 2025, followed by bilateral discussions with the RCO and the UN Communications Group (UNCG) Chair and Co-Chair to review key takeaways and next steps.

About the UNTGD

Established in 2015 and chaired by UNESCO, the UNTGD is a unique multi-stakeholder platform for dialogue and advocacy on the rights and needs of persons with disabilities in China. The Group currently brings together more than 170 members from 118 entities, working collaboratively to advance disability inclusion across the UN system. The UNTGD coordinates efforts among UN agencies in China to strengthen coherence, share good practices, and support the implementation of the UNDIS and the CRPD. Through its collective work, the Group contributes to ensuring that the UN system in China leaves no one behind.