Minister of Social Services, Information and Broadcasting, the Hon. Myles K. LaRoda, characterized The Bahamas’ participation at the 18th Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP 18) as productive, meaningful and beneficial.
As one of the world’s largest gatherings focused on disability rights and inclusion, COSP 18 brought together governments, organizations that advocate on behalf of persons with disabilities, civil society, and international organizations, to advance the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), and to reinforce global commitments to disability-inclusive social development.
The Conference focused on enhancing public awareness of the rights and contributions of persons with disabilities — ensuring that disability inclusion remains central to global social development efforts. It also highlighted the vital role of persons with disabilities in shaping inclusive policies, economies, and societies, while providing a platform for dialogue ahead of the United Nations World Social Summit, 2025.
Officially titled the Second World Summit for Social Development (WSSD2), World Social Summit 2025 is being hailed as a significant global event aimed at fostering inclusive social development, and addressing key challenges to achieve well-being for all. It will serve as a platform for governments, civil society organizations, private sector actors, and other stakeholders to collaborate on creating policies and strategies that promote inclusivity, equity, and sustainability.
WSSD2 will be held November 4-6, 2025, in Doha, Qatar, almost 30 years after the historic first World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen, Denmark, at which Heads of State and Government set out an ambitious common vision for social development aimed at social justice, solidarity, harmony and equality within, and among, countries. The Summit adopted the 1995 Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action to place people at the centre of development, with 10 commitments including poverty, reducing inequality, promoting full employment and social inclusion. It was the largest gathering ever of world leaders at that time.
The 2025 social summit aims to reinvigorate support for the commitments made in Copenhagen, while also aligning with the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Minister LaRoda attended the first of two Roundtables on Wednesday’s schedule that focused on empowering persons with disabilities and enhancing social development policies through innovative financing — a theme, Mr. LaRoda said, in which the country was “very much interested.” Mr. LaRoda and the delegation also held a Bilateral Meeting with the delegation from Malta with whom The Bahamas established diplomatic relations in September, 2004.
Mr. LaRoda said participation in the Roundtable gave The Bahamas’ delegation, which included Ministry officials, counterparts from the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) and its Secretariat, and the Office of the Attorney-General, an opportunity to hear from the community of persons with disabilities in countries around the globe.
He said he was “heartened by the amount of congratulatory remarks” he received after delivering the country’s National Statement on Tuesday as part of the General Debate held in the General Assembly Hall of the United Nations during which he reiterated the Davis Administration’s commitment to disability-inclusive social development, and some of the investments the Administration have made towards the 2025 COSP theme, while advising his global counterparts of the Administration’s policy and legislative push towards a rights-based and inclusive future.
“Through the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) and partnerships with Disabled Persons Organizations, the Government ensures that the voices of persons with disabilities shape our national agenda,” Mr. LaRoda said during his delivery. “In our Small-Island Developing State, Persons with Disabilities are not just beneficiaries of development, they are agents of it.”
Minister LaRoda also outlined a number of initiatives the Davis Administration has undertaken with regards to persons with disabilities. He said the appreciation for the work The Bahamas is doing, particular in the more remote areas of the country, was encouraging.
“It was so encouraging listening to the delegation of Malta — and we have to realize that we don’t live in a vacuum — and so the work that’s being done by the ministry in terms of going into those marginalized, vulnerable communities in particular to our southern islands, to hear them reference those steps that are being made; to hear them reference the position of The Bahamas Government that those remote islands, although being small in population, should have the same access to basic amenities that we take for granted in New Providence, or Grand Bahama, or in Abaco, or those islands with larger populations and more advanced economies… you realize that we are on the right track,” Mr. LaRoda said.
“The Founding Fathers of our country were onto something when they decided that what New Providence had, Acklins, Crooked Island, Long Cay, Long Island, Ragged Island, etcetera should have. And what we take for granted, other countries are very impressed by because we are finding out that not every country takes the same position; and they were prepared to share those congratulatory remarks as it regards The Bahamas’ position as it relates to infrastructure and also as it relates to the disabled community and what we can do to make life better for that vulnerable group of persons.”
Minister LaRoda said while progress has been made in The Bahamas, like most other countries, work remains to be done.
“There has been progress, but there is still a lot of work to be done as it relates to uplifting the disabled community. Yeah we are better off than we were 20 years ago, but we are not as good as we are going to be 20 years from now, and so we cannot sit on our laurels,” Minister LaRoda added.
The minister returned to The Bahamas Thursday afternoon to fulfill his Parliamentary obligations in the House of Assembly: the UN summit ended Thursday afternoon. Under Secretary in the Ministry of Social Services, Information and Broadcasting, Mrs. Donette Williamson assumed the role of Head of Delegation following the Minister’s departure.
