Thirty one papers were delivered at the conference, on a diverse range of issues including the right to education, the right to work and employment, political participation and empowerment, right to legal capacity, access to healthcare and other services, sexuality, sexual and reproductive health of youth with disabilities, freedom from violence and abuse and access to justice.

The conference drew participants from at least fifteen countries and there were over eighty participants. Participants included persons with disabilities, their families, academics, civil society groups as well as advocates for disability law reform, lawyers, policymakers and others. Conference presenters were drawn from diverse backgrounds including academics, practitioners, advocates and policymakers from around the world.

The Conference coincided with the launch of the third issue of the African Disability Rights Yearbook on the evening of 3 November. The Yearbook’s open-access online journal was also launched and can be viewed by visiting www.adry.up.ac.za. It is anticipated that papers presented at the conference would be subsequently re-worked for consideration for publication in the 2016 issue of the African Disability Rights Yearbook.

With the support of OSISA and the Open Society Foundations International Higher Education Support Programme.