Thank you very much, Diane.
I appreciate the opportunity to talk with you today and to share our experience in Colombia. As members of Inclusion International, we have been promoting inclusive education for more than 15 years, providing tools to families, teachers and decision-makers so they can have a shared vision of what inclusive education means for people with intellectual disabilities.
We know the transformative power of inclusive education when our children can be recognized and valued by other students without disabilities and by the community in which they live and develop. Only then will they have real networks in the future to live in the community with sufficient social capital to make them part of it and to provide them with the necessary support.
The goal of inclusive education, as stated in SDG 4, led us to participate in an initiative funded by Education Cannot Wait to ensure education for students who live at risk of prolonged emergencies, such as migrant children, victims of armed conflict, and girls and women victims of gender-based violence, among whom are people with disabilities. We are learning that inclusive education is a gender issue. When children with disabilities are left out of education, their mothers cannot participate in the labour market. In conflict and crisis, education is often the only place where girls and women can be included.
Colombia is committed to having a unique, inclusive education system that recognizes the importance of giving a place to each student, valuing their individual differences and providing the necessary supports and adjustments.
Countries that have ratified the CRPD and committed to closing gaps in access to inclusive education for students with disabilities must invest resources in cultural transformation to break down barriers that still exist for under-represented groups such as students with intellectual disabilities and those with high support needs, a high proportion of whom remain out of school.
Finally, from my experience as a mother with a son who has an intellectual disability and knowing other persons who are adults today, I can say that we see the favourable impact that inclusive education has on the lives of persons with intellectual disabilities and their families. They can transition to training programs and employment and enjoy a full life in the community.
Thank you very much.
Diane, I'll turn it back to you.