From Disability Representation to Systems Change: Exploring Participation and Advocacy with the CPwD Forum

In May 2026, the Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities Network held a Forum in Cape Town for Commonwealth Legislators.

This blog looks at the issues raised there and at the 19th session of the Conference of States Parties (COSP) to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), and how the work of the Global Disability Innovation Hub promotes advocacy, participation and systems change for Persons with Disabilities.

Blog by Shivani Gupta, Senior Inclusive Design Manager at the University College London Global Disability Innovation Hub.

Published 11/06/2026.

From 9 to 11 June 2026, the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP) took place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, under the theme of ‘CRPD at 20: celebrating and consolidating achievements and shaping the next phase of implementation in a changing world’. 

As leaders and representatives from across politics, disability advocacy, civil society and the public and private sectors come together, a key sub-theme is the importance of representation. How can we enhance accessible civic engagement, leadership and advocacy in political and public life? 

The timing is pertinent. At the end of May, the Global Disability Innovation Hub joined the Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities (CPwD) Forum in Western Cape, South Africa. This event brought together Parliamentarians, policymakers, disability advocates, researchers and practitioners from across the Commonwealth to explore how democratic institutions can better enable the participation and leadership of persons with disabilities. 

The CPwD Network sits within the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), playing an important role in ensuring that disability perspectives are reflected in policy discussions and decision-making processes. By increasing the visibility and leadership of Parliamentarians with disabilities, the Network helps bring lived experience into the heart of governance. 

The CPwD Forum highlighted both progress and ongoing challenges. There was widespread acknowledgement that representation alone is not sufficient. Genuine participation requires institutions, systems and processes to be designed inclusively and to bring about systemic change. 

However, significant barriers persist. It was recognised that an elected Parliamentarian with a disability requires accessible meeting venues, information systems, digital platforms, public consultations and communication channels. This challenge is not unique to legislatures. It is equally relevant to public services and institutions worldwide. 

This is where Global Disability Innovation Hub's (GDI Hub) expertise in inclusive design offers valuable insight. GDI Hub has reached over 64 million people and supports a global community of Assistive Technology entrepreneurs by bringing locally produced innovations to market through its flagship AT2030 programme. This programme, funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, tests what works to improve access to life-changing Assistive Technology for all, generating evidence, developing local and cutting-edge innovations and strengthening Assistive Technology ecosystems in low- and middle-income countries globally. A key component is Inclusive Infrastructure, including the Global Action Report, which equips cities with practical actions to accelerate accessibility and inclusion in their physical infrastructure, buildings, services and operations. It can be used to support the development of city action plans on inclusive design and pilot projects that help drive disability inclusion. 

Above: Delegates at the 2026 CPwD Forum in Cape Town, South Africa.

Designing Democratic Systems for Everyone 

The Forum deliberations highlighted the need to embed inclusion and accessibility from the outset, rather than treating them as an afterthought, to realise economic, social and environmental benefits. 

This principle sits at the heart of GDI Hub's approach to inclusive design. Inclusive design recognises human diversity as a starting point, not an exception. It seeks to create products, services, environments, technologies and systems that can be accessed and used by the widest possible range of people, regardless of circumstance. 

Importantly, inclusive design is not only about accessibility. It is about participation. It is about ensuring that people are involved in shaping the systems they use and that diverse experiences are considered throughout the design process. 

Through research, technical assistance, capacity building and partnerships, GDI Hub supports institutions to translate ambition into implementation. This includes work on accessible and climate-resilient cities, public infrastructure, digital inclusion, assistive technology and disability-inclusive policy development. Its Delivering Inclusive Design in Cities: A Global Action Report is based on four years of research across six cities in the Global South under the AT2030 programme, and speaks directly to the risk of persons with disabilities being left behind amid rapid urbanisation. The findings of the report are now being tested through the Inclusive City Pilot Project in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 

What makes inclusive design especially valuable is that its benefits extend far beyond any single group. Accessible information supports not only persons with disabilities but also older people, individuals with low literacy levels and those navigating challenging environments. Well-designed public spaces, transport systems and digital services create better experiences for everyone. 

The same principle applies to democratic institutions. When Parliamentary systems, public consultations, communication channels and decision-making processes are designed inclusively, more people can participate meaningfully. The result is a democracy that is stronger, more representative and more responsive to the needs of its citizens. 

The discussions in Western Cape reinforced an important principle: disability inclusion is not only about removing barriers, but about proactively designing systems that prevent those barriers from arising in the first place.

Above: CPwD Forum attendees at an outreach event at the Jo-Dolphin Swartland Association for Persons with Disabilities (APD).

Innovation as a Catalyst for Inclusive Change 

While inclusive design provides the foundation for participation, innovation can help accelerate and scale inclusion across society. 

At GDI Hub, disability innovation is not pursued for its own sake. It is a means of developing practical solutions that remove barriers and expand opportunities for participation. This includes work on assistive technology, inclusive artificial intelligence, accessible digital systems, and other emerging technologies that support greater independence and inclusion. 

However, innovation is most effective when guided by inclusive design principles and informed by the lived experiences of persons with disabilities. Technology that is not designed inclusively can create new forms of exclusion. By contrast, innovation that centres accessibility and participation can become a powerful driver of social change.  

The conversations at the Forum highlighted the importance of ensuring that future democratic systems are not only technologically advanced but also inclusive by design. As governments increasingly adopt digital tools and platforms, accessibility must remain a central consideration. 

These discussions also reflect GDI Hub's concept of Butterfly Innovation—the idea that targeted interventions can generate wider systemic impacts. When a parliament adopts accessible communication practices, or when a parliamentarian with a disability influences legislation, the benefits often extend far beyond the institution itself, shaping outcomes in areas such as education, employment, transport and public services. 

This is the power of innovation combined with inclusive design. Relatively small changes can create ripple effects across policies, institutions, and communities, contributing to broader systems transformation. The Forum served as a reminder that innovation is not simply about developing new solutions; it is about creating lasting change that enables more people to participate, contribute, and thrive. 

Looking Forward 

The CPwD Forum demonstrated growing momentum across the Commonwealth to advance disability inclusion within democratic institutions. COSP19’s focus on enhancing accessible civic engagement, leadership and advocacy in political and public life reflects the growing prominence of this issue on the international stage. 

Perhaps most encouraging was the recognition that progress requires collaboration. Parliamentarians, governments, persons with disabilities, researchers, designers, innovators and civil society organisations all have a role to play in creating more inclusive societies. 

By combining expertise in inclusive design, disability innovation, research, and evidence generation, we can support institutions to become more accessible, participatory and responsive. 

The work of the Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities Network and the work of GDI Hub are connected by this shared ambition: building a world where inclusion is not treated as an exception, but is embedded within the design of our institutions, communities and societies. 

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