09
Jul
2025

Closing the Revolving Doors: A Lifespan Approach to Deinstitutionalization

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On June 9, Keystone Human Services International organized the side event “Closing the Revolving Doors: A Lifespan Approach to Deinstitutionalization” alongside the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Moldova in New York at the 18th Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Co-hosts included the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the Government of UK, UNICEF, and Hope and Homes for Children. Moderated by Genevieve Fitzgibbon, Vice President of Global Programs and Advocacy for Keystone Human Services, panelists discussed critical issues, challenges, and opportunities around deinstitutionalization for children and adults with disabilities and shared success stories of partnerships that led to sustainable care reform and community-based supports.

“A child has the right to grow up in a family. If there is no immediate family, they have the right to grow up in a family in the context of community,” said Aminul Islam, Global Technical Lead on Child Protection for UNICEF.

“Institutions are not a part of care,” said Miyeon Kim, Chair of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) Committee. “They are a violation of civil rights. People should not be separated from their families and communities.”

Waqar Puri, Director of Programming and Operations for Transforming Communities for Inclusion (TCI), said, “Institutions remove children from family, culture, love, and belonging. Children need dignity, autonomy, and personal agency.”

Galina Nipomici, Deputy Permanent Representative, Counsellor,  Permanent Mission of the Republic of Moldova spoke about having gatekeeping mechanisms in place to promote community-based solutions to institutions.

“Inclusive communities start services in the local community,” said Fatma Wangare Haji, Executive Officer of the Kenya Association of the Intellectually Handicapped and Regional Coordinator of Inclusion Africa. “Services need to be where people are.”

Speakers included:

Aminul Islam, Global Technical Lead on Child Protection, UNICEF

Miyeon Kim, Chair of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) Committee

Galina Nipomici, Deputy Permanent Representative, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Moldova

Waqar Puri, Director of Programming and Operations for Transforming Communities for Inclusion (TCI)

Fatma Wangare Haji, Executive Officer of the Kenya Association of the Intellectually Handicapped and Regional Coordinator of Inclusion Africa

Kemi Williams, Head of Gender, Equalities, and Rights for the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO)

Marin Andronachi, self-advocate

Diana Zgherea, self-advocate

Self-advocate speaking on behalf of Hope and Homes for Children

Dorodi Sharma, Director of Inclusive Development and Engagement, Keystone Human Services International

Genevieve Fitzgibbon, Vice President of Global Programs and Advocacy, Keystone Human Services