Embracing the UN Disability Strategy at UNITAR

18 February 2026, Geneva, Switzerland - UNITAR successfully held its UN Disability Inclusion Strategy (UNDIS) workshop of the year, bringing together personnel from across its divisions and offices on 17 February 2026. The aim of this learning initiative was to increase staff's knowledge about the implementation of the strategy’s indicators, as well as to cover key highlights from UNITAR’s last report. It was an opportunity to reaffirm UNITAR’s commitment and strengths to implement the UNDIS due to its unique mandate focused on research and training. This positions the Institute as a catalyst to contribute to the strategy’s effective implementation at the internal level and across the UN system.

The event was led by Ms Michelle Gyles-McDonnough, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of UNITAR, with the participation of H.E. Amb. Luis Gallegos, Past Chair of the Ad-Hoc Committee of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), Mr Alex Mejía, Director of the Division for People and Social Development, UNITAR, together with Ms Mina Mojtahedi, Senior Social Affairs Officer and team lead, and Ms Megan Smith, Social Affairs Officer, of the UN Disability Inclusion Team from the Executive Office of the UN Secretary General. This activity was complemented with a presentation on UNITAR’s webpage dedicated to UNDIS and a group exercise.

Looking ahead, UNITAR seeks to translate the Accountability Framework into actionable practice by ensuring all personnel understand and engage with the 15 performance indicators. Spaces such as this workshop represent an opportunity to advance inclusiveness, considering lessons learned from the institute and other UN entities, while fostering dialogue across teams. By making disability inclusion a central part of its operations and programmes, UNITAR strengthens its institutional identity, upholds accountability, and demonstrates leadership in promoting equity, accessibility, and inclusion across the United Nations System.

Further activities to promote inclusiveness within the UN system and beyond are envisaged by UNITAR, including through inputs for shaping the UNDIS 2.0, as well as sharing good practices and learning material, and including other UN Agencies in its training activities.