The End of Charity – UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities Adopted
650 million people can no longer be ignored
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- Karthik (11 years old, center) is blind and attends the same class with his classmates, who are able to see. The picture was taken in Coimbatore, India. © CBM / Argum / Einberger
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The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has been adopted in New York on Saturday, 26 August 2006 by the United Nations Ad Hoc Committee working on the treaty.
"CBM appreciates the convention as a historic breakthrough for persons with disabilities, who must be given the same rights and opportunities in life as the rest of society", says Professor Allen Foster, President of CBM.
Ratifying states will be bound by the convention to enact laws and policies in favour of people with disabilities, with the aim to include them into everyday life, and provide them with equal access to services meant for everyone. To date, only 45 countries have specific legislation protecting persons with disabilities.
"CBM appreciates the convention as a historic breakthrough for persons with disabilities, who must be given the same rights and opportunities in life as the rest of society", says Professor Allen Foster, President of CBM.
Ratifying states will be bound by the convention to enact laws and policies in favour of people with disabilities, with the aim to include them into everyday life, and provide them with equal access to services meant for everyone. To date, only 45 countries have specific legislation protecting persons with disabilities.
Ninety per cent of children with disabilities do not attend school
The treaty will have concrete effects on the lives of persons with disabilities, when the enacted laws are being put into practice. From the statement that persons with disabilities have equal rights, the convention derives all other requirements mentioned – such as access to public spaces, health services, education, employment and development. The fact that 90 per cent of children with disabilities worldwide do not attend school shows that discrimination of persons with disabilities leads to a loss of opportunities and chances for whole societies.
Two thirds of the 650 million people with disabilities worldwide live in developing countries. These poor countries in particular suffer from the waste of potential which goes together with exclusion of persons due to their disability. In that respect article 32 of the convention is important. It addresses international cooperation and codifies that all phases of development programmes have to include a disability dimension – ensuring that the programmes are meant for all. Developing countries will receive support in putting this first human rights convention of the 21st century into practice.
Two thirds of the 650 million people with disabilities worldwide live in developing countries. These poor countries in particular suffer from the waste of potential which goes together with exclusion of persons due to their disability. In that respect article 32 of the convention is important. It addresses international cooperation and codifies that all phases of development programmes have to include a disability dimension – ensuring that the programmes are meant for all. Developing countries will receive support in putting this first human rights convention of the 21st century into practice.
CBM's Contribution as a member of the IDDC Task Group on the UN convention
"CBM has worked hard at national and international levels to achieve this agreement", says Professor Allen Foster. "We are particularly supportive on the emphasis put on the inclusion of disability into development issues, as international cooperation will play an important role in supporting low income countries to achieve the inclusion of persons with disabilities in order to improve their lives and those of their families and communities." CBM is an active member of the IDDC Task Group on the UN convention, which has contributed substantially to the success of the adoption of the Convention.
The Convention will have to be finally approved by the full 192 nation UN General Assembly in September, paving the way for signature, ratification and implementation by the national governments.
Further Information:
UN ENABLE Website - Convention draft
UN Press Release
The Convention will have to be finally approved by the full 192 nation UN General Assembly in September, paving the way for signature, ratification and implementation by the national governments.
Further Information:
UN ENABLE Website - Convention draft
UN Press Release
