Disability rights advocates across Africa and beyond are preparing for a landmark virtual gathering next month as the PIP Africa Alliance hosts the PIP Five Continents Meeting 2026.
The free online event takes place on Thursday, 27 August 2026, under the theme “CRPD at 20: Turning Commitments into Action.” It marks two decades since the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and aims to move from global promises to concrete progress on the ground.
Organised by the Japan-based international disability organisation PEACE INCLUSION PIECE (PIP), the meeting forms part of a broader five-continent alliance structure. PIP, established under its current name in January 2025 and led by Representative Director Chitose Namboku, works to build inclusive societies where no one is left behind. Through arts, culture, economic collaboration and international networks, the organisation connects organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs), governments, researchers and other stakeholders.
PIP has already convened major online Five Continents Meetings earlier in 2026 — one in February that drew participants from 101 countries and another in May that attracted more than 120 countries — to strengthen ties ahead of the planned Global Disability Summit Asia Regional Summit in Tokyo in 2027.
Global leaders in the spotlight
The August meeting features two high-profile Guests of Honor:
– José Maria Viera, Executive Director of the International Disability Alliance (IDA)
– Lim Puay Tiak, Chairperson of the Asia & Pacific Disability Forum (APDF)
A strong line-up of “Global Leaders for Disability Inclusion” will also take part, representing organisations and networks across Africa and beyond. Confirmed speakers include:
– Chitose Namboku (Japan) – Representative Director, PEACE INCLUSION PIECE (PIP)
– Abayneh Gujo (Ethiopia) – President, Federation of Ethiopian Associations of Persons with Disabilities (FEAPD)
– Aziz Moustafa Ibn Ismail (Cameroon) – National President, ACADEHLIB
– Dr. Mohamed Abdelraouf (Egypt) – Senior Researcher, Gulf Research Center
– Elaine Passmoor (South Africa) – National Executive Director, Down Syndrome South Africa
– Agbeyibor Koffi Jonas (Togo) – President, Fédération Togolaise des Associations de Personnes Handicapées
– Michael Anguria (Uganda) – CEO & Disability Human Rights Advocate, SAF-Teso
– Joseph Kwaku Mihaye (Ghana) – President, Apostolic Ministerial
– Dr. Jacqueline Mohair (United States) – Founder, Trinity Girls Network
– Gbemutor Kama (Nigeria) – Executive Director, Professionals For Humanity (PROFOH)
The session will run at staggered times to accommodate participants across Africa: 10:00 AM Côte d’Ivoire time, 11:00 AM Cameroon and Nigeria time, 12:00 PM Zambia time, and 1:00 PM Uganda time.
Why this meeting matters
Twenty years after the CRPD opened for signature, many African countries continue to face gaps between legal commitments and everyday realities for persons with disabilities, from access to education, employment and healthcare to meaningful participation in decision-making.
The African Disability Protocol, which entered into force more recently, adds a continental layer of rights protection tailored to African contexts, including harmful traditional practices and the roles of families and communities.
By bringing African disability leaders into direct dialogue with global figures from IDA and the Asia-Pacific region, the PIP Africa Alliance meeting seeks to share practical strategies, amplify African voices, and accelerate the shift from policy on paper to tangible inclusion.
Registration is free via a QR code on the official event poster. Organisers encourage OPDs, policymakers, researchers, civil society groups and allies from across the continent and the diaspora to join.
As the world marks the CRPD’s 20th anniversary, the message from the PIP Africa Alliance is clear: commitments are only the beginning. Action must follow.
