Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
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The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is an international human rights instrument of the United Nations intended to protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities. Parties to the Convention are required to promote, protect,and ensure the full enjoyment of human rights by persons with disabilities and ensure that they enjoy full equality under the law.
The text was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 13 December 2006 and opened for signature on 30 March 2007. Following ratification by the 20th party, it came into force on 3 May 2008[1]. To date, 27 countries are parties to the convention, while a further 102 have signed but have not yet ratified[2].
The Convention is monitored by the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Contents |
[edit] Genesis
[edit] Summary
The Convention follows the civil law tradition, with a preamble followed by 50 articles. Unlike many UN covenants and conventions, it is not formally divided into parts.
Article 1 defines the purpose of the convention:
- to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity
Articles 2 and 3 provide definitions and general principles.
Articles 4 - 32 define the rights of persons with disabilities and the obligations of states parties towards them. Many of these mirror rights affirmed in other UN conventions such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights or the Convention Against Torture, but with specific obligations ensuring that they can be fully realised by persons with disabilities.
Rights specific to this convention include the rights to live independently and be included in the community (Article 19), to personal mobility (article 20), habilitation and rehabilitation (Article 27), and to participation in political and public life, and cultural life, recreation and sport (Articles 29 and 30).
In addition, parties to the convention must raise awareness of the human rights of persons with disabilities (Article 8), and ensure access to roads, buildings, and information (Article 9).
Articles 33 - 39 govern reporting and monitoring of the convention.
Articles 40 - 50 govern ratification, entry into force, and amendment of the Convention. Article 49 also requires that the Convention be available in accessible formats.
[edit] Core Provisions
[edit] Definition of disability
The convention adopts a social model of disability, and defines disability as including
- those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.
