What is on this page
1. Words we use
Some words on this page are hard. Here is what they mean.
- ForumA meeting with many people. People come together to talk about a problem.
- MigrantSomeone who leaves their country to live in another country. Many people move to find work.
- RefugeeSomeone who had to leave their country because it was not safe to stay.
- Persons with disabilitiesPeople who have a disability. Some disabilities you can see. Some you cannot see.
- OPDAn organisation of persons with disabilities. It is a group run by persons with disabilities, for persons with disabilities.
- CRPDA promise that countries around the world made. They promised to respect the rights of persons with disabilities.
- InterpreterSomeone who says the words again in your language, so you can understand.
- International SignA sign language that deaf people from different countries can use together.
- CaptionsWords on the screen that show what people are saying.
2. What this forum is
Picture: group meeting
This forum is an online meeting with many people.
People from all over the world will join.
Picture: persons with disabilities travelling
The meeting is about persons with disabilities who move to another country.
Some people move to find work.
Some people move because it is not safe at home.
Picture: barrier or blocked path
Moving to another country can be very hard for persons with disabilities.
The rules can stop them getting work.
The rules can stop them getting help they need.
Picture: person leading a group
Persons with disabilities are running this forum.
This is important. It means persons with disabilities decide what we talk about.
3. When and where it is
Picture: calendar
The forum is on 2 days:
Wednesday 23 September 2026
Thursday 24 September 2026
Picture: laptop with video call
The forum is online.
You join on a computer, a tablet or a phone.
You do not need to travel.
Picture: free, no money
It is free.
You do not pay any money.
Picture: clock
The times on this page are times in Europe.
The time where you live may be different.
We will tell you your time when you sign up.
4. Why we are having this forum
Picture: book of rules or law
Countries have rules about people moving between countries.
Countries also made promises about the rights of persons with disabilities.
Picture: person left out of group
But the rules often forget persons with disabilities.
People who make the rules do not always think about disability.
Picture: person feeling unwell or upset
Some people get a disability while they are moving.
This can happen because of violence.
This can happen because they are locked up.
This can happen because they cannot see a doctor.
Picture: two people talking
People who work on disability and people who work on migration do not talk to each other enough.
We want to change that.
5. Some numbers
304 million people live in a country they were not born in.
167 million of them moved to find work.
38 million people had to leave their country because it was not safe.
1 billion 300 million people in the world are persons with disabilities.
That is about 16 people out of every 100 people.
Picture: question mark
Nobody knows how many persons with disabilities move to another country.
Nobody counts them properly.
This is a problem. It is hard to help people you do not count.
6. What we want to happen
We want 4 things from this forum.
Picture: two links joined
1. Join up the rules
We want to look at the migration rules together.
We want to see how they help persons with disabilities, and how they do not.
Picture: eye, looking
2. Show what goes wrong
We want people to hear real stories.
We want to show how the rules hurt persons with disabilities.
Picture: person with microphone
3. Listen to persons with disabilities
Persons with disabilities must be part of the talking.
Not just listened to. Part of deciding.
Picture: checklist or action plan
4. Say what needs to change
We want a clear list of things that must get better.
7. Day 1: Wednesday 23 September
There are 2 talks on Day 1
Talk 1: How we got here
We look back at the past.
Persons with disabilities have been treated badly for a long time.
We look at how this still happens today.
We look at what the migration rules say, and how the rules could help.
Led by Catalina Devandas Aguilar. She used to work for the United Nations on disability rights.
30 minute break
A rest. You can get a drink or move around.
Talk 2: Persons with disabilities and work in another country
We talk about persons with disabilities who move to find a job.
It can be hard to get hired.
It can be hard to be safe at work.
It can be hard to get help if something goes wrong.
We hear about this from Asia, Australia, South Korea and Poland.
Led by Rebecca Napier-Moore from the International Labour Organization.
8. Day 2: Thursday 24 September
There are 3 talks on Day 2
Talk 3: What we can learn from groups of persons with disabilities
Groups of persons with disabilities have fought for change for many years.
We talk about what worked.
We talk about how groups can speak to the people who make the rules.
Led by Atty. Rhealeth Ramos from the National Council on Disability Affairs in the Philippines.
30 minute break
A rest. You can get a drink or move around.
Talk 4: Persons with disabilities in refugee camps
A refugee camp is a place where people live after they leave their country.
Life in a camp is very hard for persons with disabilities.
We hear from persons with disabilities who have lived in camps.
They will tell us what needs to change.
Led by Julius Ntobuah from the Global Network of Refugees with Disabilities.
30 minute break
A rest. You can get a drink or move around.
Talk 5: When the system makes people disabled
This talk is about rich countries like the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
The rules in these countries can stop people getting food, a home, or a doctor.
This can make people unwell.
We hear how persons with disabilities help each other and fight back.
Led by Rebecca Yeo from the Disability and Migration Network.
Picture: list or timetable
Every talk has short breaks in the middle.
Every talk has time for questions.
You can see the full list of times on the main website.
9. Who is speaking
These people will speak at the forum.
- Catalina Devandas AguilarShe used to work for the United Nations on disability rights.
- USEC Atty. Darlene R. PajaritoShe works for the government of the Philippines, on people who go abroad to work.
- Ben ThatcherHe helped start the Disability Migration Network.
- Amalia GamioShe is on the United Nations group that checks how countries treat persons with disabilities.
- Leana PodeszfaShe works for the United Nations on refugees. Her job is to include persons with disabilities.
- Katerine LanduytShe works for the International Labour Organization on people who move for work.
- Rebecca Napier-MooreShe works for the International Labour Organization in Asia.
- Matthew HallHe works for a group of organisations of persons with disabilities in Australia.
- Jueon LeeShe is a lawyer in South Korea. She helps people go to court.
- Dr Eva Anna Duda-MikulinShe is a teacher at a university in Poland.
- Atty. Rhealeth RamosShe works for the disability office of the government in the Philippines.
- José Maria VieraHe works for the International Disability Alliance.
- Mak MonikaShe leads a organisation of persons with disabilities in Cambodia.
- Julius NtobuahHe leads the Global Network of Refugees with Disabilities.
- Rosa MariaShe works with groups of persons with disabilities in South America.
- Muluka-Anne Miti-DrummondShe works for the United Nations. Her job is the rights of people with albinism.
- Rebecca YeoShe works with the Disability and Migration Network in the United Kingdom.
Picture: person waiting, more to come
Some speakers are still being asked. We will add their names later.
Some speakers will not use their real name.
This is to keep them safe.
10. Who can come
Anyone can come. We would like these people to come:
- Persons with disabilities who have moved to another country
- Organisations of persons with disabilities
- People who make the rules about moving between countries
- People who work for the United Nations
- Groups for workers, and groups for bosses
- People who study these problems at universities
- People who give money to help
- Anyone who wants to help make things better
11. What happens after the forum
Picture: writing a plan
We do not want to just talk.
We want things to change.
Picture: document or report
At the forum, people will say what needs to change most.
After the forum, we will write a plan.
The plan is called a Call to Action.
It will say what countries and organisations must do next.
12. Who is running the forum
4 groups are running the forum together. All 4 groups are run by persons with disabilities.
- Global Network of Refugees with DisabilitiesThey help groups of refugees with disabilities speak up and get money for their work.
- Korean Disability ForumThey are 18 groups of persons with disabilities in South Korea working together. They check that the government keeps its promises.
- Disability Migration NetworkThey work on the right of persons with disabilities to move to another country.
- Disability and Migration NetworkThey are groups of persons with disabilities and migrant groups in the United Kingdom. They help each other and fight unfair rules.
Picture: giving money or support
Who pays for the forum
2 organisations pay for the forum.
The International Disability Alliance.
The International Labour Organization.
13. Help to join in
We want everyone to be able to join in. Here is the help we will have.
Picture: interpreter speaking
Interpreters
Someone will say the words in your language.
We will have 10 languages:
Spanish, French, Arabic, Swahili, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Lao, Myanmar and Khmer.
Picture: sign language
Sign language
We will have International Sign.
The interpreters will take turns so they do not get tired.
Picture: screen with captions
Captions
Words will show on the screen.
You can read what people are saying.
Picture: person giving help
Someone to help
If the computer does not work, someone will help you.
You can ask for help at any time.
Picture: person resting
Breaks
There are breaks in every talk.
You can leave your camera off.
You can join for only the parts you want.
14. How to sign up
Picture: filling in a form
You fill in a short form on Zoom.
You tell us your name and your email.
You tell us what help you need to join in.
The form opens in a new tab.
Picture: email arriving
We will send you an email.
The email will tell you how to join the meeting.
Picture: asking a question
If you need help
If something on this page is hard to understand, tell us.
If something on this page does not work, tell us.
We will fix it.