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 Convention has served as the major catalyst in the global movement from viewing persons with disabilities as objects of charity, medical treatment and social protection towards viewing them as full and equal members of society, with human rights. It is also the only UN human rights instrument with an explicit development dimension. The Convention was the first human rights treaty of the new Millennium.
Mexico initiated negotiations, with active support from the GRULAC. When support for a Convention was foundering in 2002 due to WEOG opposition, New Zealand played a pivotal role in achieving cross-regional momentum. Acting as facilitator from 2002-3, New Zealand eventually assumed the formal role of Chair of Ad Hoc Committee and led negotiations to a consensus agreement in August 2006, working closely with other Bureau members Jordan, Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, and South Africa, as well as Korea and Mexico. The Convention become the most quickly supported human rights instrument in history, with strong support from all regional groups. A record 82 States signed the Convention upon its opening in 2007. 126 States have ratified Convention within five years. In recognition of its role in creating the Convention, as well as the quality of New Zealand’s landmark national Disability Strategy, the New Zealand Head of State was honoured with the World Disability Award in 2008.
The text was adopted by the United Nations 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. As of March 2013, it has 155 signatories and 130 parties, including the European Union (which ratified it on 23 December 2010 to the extent responsibilities of the member states were transferred to the European Union). The Convention is monitored by the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Read more about Convention On The Rights Of Persons With Disabilities: Genesis, Summary, Reservations, Optional Protocol, Committee On The Rights of Persons With Disabilities
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“Mankind owes to the child the best it has to give.”
—United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989.
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—Barbara Ehrenreich (b. 1941)