May 14 2008
UN Convention on Rights of People with Disabilities: First of its Kind
GUEST: Kasey Corbit, attorney with Disability Rights Advocates, a non-profit law firm dedicated to protecting and advancing the civil rights of people with disabilities
It is estimated that about 10% of the world’s population lives with some form of disability – making disabled people the world’s largest minority. Yet only recently did the United Nations ratify the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The CRPD is a landmark agreement aimed at giving the world’s 650 million disabled people full equality. So far more than two dozen countries have ratified the convention. Notably absent in the list of signees is Russia and the United States. The CRPD guarantees disabled people the right to make their own decisions, to refuse being institutionalized, to refuse medical or psychological treatment, to live in the community and be able to participate in daily life without barriers. The CRPD also has an “Optional Protocol” by which groups or individuals can seek redress if their government has violated the convention. The UN Assembly President said of the CRPD that it is “a key measure of our civilization. The rights and opportunities that people with disabilities are able to enjoy reflect directly on our common humanity.”
For more information visit www.dralegal.org, and www.un.org/disabilities
One Response to “UN Convention on Rights of People with Disabilities: First of its Kind”
[…] UN Convention on Rights of People with Disabilities: First of its Kind Yet only recently did the United Nations ratify the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The CRPD is a landmark agreement aimed at giving the world’s 650 million disabled people full equality. … uprisingradio.org – http://uprisingradio.org/home HELPING THE DISABLED: Treat pact as an urgent issue However, there are two more significant steps for Malaysia to take with utmost urgency: we have to ratify, and then implement the CRPD treaty, seeing to it that the Optional Protocol section is accepted without conditions or changes. … TwoSen – http://twosen.com Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities By Andrew Borislow The CRPD is unique among international human rights treaties in that it specifically addresses the issues of physical and program accessibility in tourism for persons with disabilities:. Article 30, Participation in cultural life, … Special Kids – Celebrating The… – http://www.specialkids.com/my_weblog/ The Zambian government has signed the convention on human rights … Afrique en ligne – Angers,France The principles of the convention on the rights of persons with disabilities include non-discrimination, full and effective participation and inclusion in … […]