Brief GDS History

The first Global Disability Summit 2018, co-hosted by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (now FCDO), the Government of Kenya, and the International Disability Alliance (IDA), was held in London. It was a major event for disability inclusion with approximately 1.200 delegates, gathering unprecedented attention from leaders and decision makers.

The second Global Disability Summit 2022, co-hosted by the Governments of Norway and Ghana, together with IDA, was held in Oslo. The summit resulted in even stronger participation from high-level representatives mainly due to its digital format. Over 7.000 participants attended the virtual summit in February 2022.

The third Global Disability Summit 2025 builds upon the achievements of the two previous summits and is cohosted by the Governments of Germany and Jordan, alongside the permanent cohost IDA. The summit is planned as an in-person event (with the possibility for virtual attendance) on 2nd-3rd April 2025 in Berlin, Germany.

For the latest information about GDS2025, check out the official GDS website.

GDS Commitments

The GDS commitments mechanism is a structured process through which stakeholders can make concrete pledges or commitments to implement the rights of persons with disabilities enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). It provides a framework for governments, UN agencies, civil society including organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs), the private sector, academia, foundations and other stakeholders to outline specific actions, initiatives, or policies they will implement on disability inclusion. GDS commitments are essential because they help incorporate disability inclusion in development cooperation more systematically and drive action and accountability in contributing to collective efforts to promote the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities globally.

Learn more about Commitments and how to make them on the GDS website.