Maria Verónica Reina facts for kids

Maria Verónica Reina (born June 15, 1964 – died October 27, 2017) was an amazing activist from Argentina. She worked hard around the world to make sure people with disabilities had equal rights. She was a key person in creating the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This important agreement helps protect the rights of people with disabilities everywhere.

Early Life and Big Dreams

Maria Verónica Reina was born in Argentina on June 15, 1964. When she was 17, she had a car accident that caused her disability. This happened in her last year of school. Even after spending time in the hospital, she was determined and finished her schooling.

Maria had a dream of becoming a teacher. However, at that time, disabled people were not allowed to teach in Argentina. She didn't give up! Instead, she chose to study educational psychology. She graduated from the Catholic University of Santa Fe with a degree in Special Education for School Integration. Later, she earned a master's degree from Spain's National University of Distance Education. Her master's degree was in Open and Distance Learning and Teaching.

Working for Disability Rights

Maria Verónica Reina gained a lot of experience working at different organizations. She worked at the University Institute San Martin in Rosario, Argentina. She also worked with the Argentinean Disabled People Organization, Cilsa. Her work took her to places like the Center for International Rehabilitation in Chicago and the Institute for International Disability Advocacy.

From 2006, she led international projects at Syracuse University's Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) in Washington D.C.. In 2008, she became the first Executive Director of the Global Partnership for Disability and Development. This partnership worked to include disabled people in important policies and practices. Maria was very active in the United Nations committee that created the Disability Convention.

Helping Create a Global Agreement

Maria played a huge role in the negotiations for the UN Convention. She made sure that disability organizations from all over the world were involved. Her goal was to achieve universal human rights for people with disabilities. She wanted a world that was inclusive, accessible, and sustainable for everyone.

As the Coordinator of the International Disability Caucus, she spoke for people with disabilities during these important talks. She was excellent at helping different groups communicate and agree, even when they had different ideas. She led meetings and conferences. She also made sure that important documents were translated into Spanish for people in Latin America.

In the months before she passed away, Maria continued to work hard. She helped strengthen the role of people with disabilities in carrying out the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. She attended a United Nations meeting in Buenos Aires to push for this.

Maria Verónica Reina passed away in her hometown of Rosario on October 27, 2017. She was 54 years old.

See also

In Spanish: Maria Verónica Reina para niños