Highlights on Disability Issues

On 30 March 2007, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol were opened for signature. A list of signatories is set in in the table at

http://www.ohchr.org/english/issues/disability/index.htm

The High Commissioner participated in the opening, congratulating civil society for the impressive role it played in the negotiation of the treaty and highlighting some of the issues that will be important for the future implementation of the Convention and its Optional Protocol".

Read the High Commissioner's opening speech and the High Commissioner's speech to the High-Level Dialogue "From Vision to Action: The Road to Implementation of the Convention".
The Convention will need 20 ratifications to come into force and the Optional Protocol will need 10 ratifications to come into force.

General Assembly adopts the International Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol.A C E F R S

5 December 2006 - the High Commissioner addresses the Ad Hoc Committee of the General Assembly as it adopts the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Special Rapporteur on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Mr. Vitit Muntarborn, considers the rights of persons with disabilities in his latest report - read more. E/F/S/A/C/R
On 25 August 2006, the Ad Hoc Committee on a Comprehensive and Integral International Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities adopted a draft International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as well as a draft International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as well as a optional protocol to the convention.

Statement of the High Commissioner to the seventh session of the Ad Hoc Committee on 27 January 2006

OHCHR expert paper on monitoring mechanisms (A/AC.265/2006/CRP.4)
Over 600 million people, or approximately 10 per cent of the world’s population, have a disability of one form or another. While their living conditions vary, they are united in one common experience – being exposed to various forms of discrimination and social exclusion.
A dramatic shift in perspective has been taking place over the past two decades, and persons with disabilities are increasingly viewed as holders of rights. This shift to the human rights perspective, which is taking place in all economic and social systems, has been authoritatively endorsed by the United Nations.

In 2000, the Commission on Human Rights asked the High Commissioner, in cooperation with the Special Rapporteur on Disability of the Commission for Social Development, “to examine measures to strengthen the protection and monitoring of the human rights of persons with disabilities”. Following to that request, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights designed a long-term plan to enhance the recognition of the human rights dimension of disability.

The human rights dimension of disability
The United Nations action in the field of disability
OHCHR's mandate