5 December 2022 — The United Nations appointed Mr. Giles Duley on 3 December, the International Day for Persons with Disabilities, as the first United Nations Global Advocate for persons with disabilities in conflict and peacebuilding situations.

Mr. Giles Duley is a documentary photographer, writer, storyteller and the CEO of the Legacy of War Foundation.

In 2011, while working in Afghanistan, Mr. Duley was severely injured by an improvised explosive device and was left a triple-amputee. He underwent dozens of operations and returned to Afghanistan to continue his work as a photographer the next year. His work focuses on the long-term humanitarian impact of conflict and seeks to drive change for people with disabilities through sustainable, localised projects, including in Ukraine where the Foundation has delivered specialised aid including wheelchairs, medical equipment and ambulances.

The Global Advocate will speak to the immediate and long-term needs and rights of persons injured in conflict and living with disabilities in conflict and peacebuilding situations, including those affected by explosive ordnance. And he will ensure that the voices of those disabled by explosive ordnance are heard in the larger conversations on persons with disabilities in peacebuilding processes.

Mr. Duley will complement the work of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities. He will advocate for the universalization of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.   

The United Nations Secretary-General has stated: “There are more than one billion people with disabilities in the world. Realizing their rights is a matter of justice and investment in our common future. It is also central to realizing the core promise of the 2030 Agenda to leave no one behind.”

The role will be administered by the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), Department of Peace Operations.

MEDIA CONTACTS

For more information please contact, Lee Woodyear, Communications Officer, woodyear@un.org at UNMAS.