Disability inclusion must go beyond representation in Climate action
s Moce said representation was important, but meaningful participation was equally critical.
Thursday 20 August 2026 | 18:00
Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) and Officer at Field Ready, Sabina Moce.
Photo: Supplied
People with disabilities must have a meaningful voice in climate discussions rather than simply being represented in the room, says Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) officer Sabina Moce.
Ms Moce, who works with civil society organisation Field Ready, said climate policies risked overlooking the realities faced by people with disabilities if they were not given opportunities to participate, speak and influence decisions.
Speaking on the second day of the ongoing Regional Conference of Youth at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in Suva, she said her participation in such a space was an important step towards greater inclusion.
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“I have never been to COP. This was my first COP, and being invited to this kind of space was a step towards inclusion,” she said.
Ms Moce said representation was important, but meaningful participation was equally critical because it allowed decision-makers to better understand the different needs of people with disabilities.
She said those attending international and regional discussions often represented communities whose members did not have the opportunity to be physically present.
“We have the power. We were in this room, and we had the power to implement those conversations and then lead them to policies,” she said.
Ms Moce said greater representation was also needed among young people with different disabilities, warning that having only a small number involved could limit the range of experiences and challenges presented to decision-makers.
“Luisa was a person with a mobility impairment, and she could tell you the needs of persons with mobility impairments. But what about those who had hearing impairments? What about those who had other disabilities?” she said.
Ms Moce, who also serves as secretary of the Fiji Disability People’s Board and a board member of the Pacific Disability Forum Youth Board, said meaningful participation and representation were essential if climate action was to be truly inclusive.
