Announcements
Abilities Magazine
| September 29th, 2004 | |
The ForumCouncil Of Canadians With DisabilitiesWinter 2002. Issue 53: ForumIn August, 2002, Mary Ennis, CCD Vice-Chair, and Steve Estey, Chairperson of CCD�s International Committee, participated in activities at the Unnited Nations surrounding themeeting of the UN Ad Hoc Committee addressing the proposed international convention on disability rights. "Canadians with disabilities fought for and succeeded in having disability included in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Canada�s supreme law. Now we are moving on to the next chapter in our human rights work � an international convention," states Mary Ennis. The Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD) applauds Canada for including a person with a disability, Vangelis Nikias of the HRDC Office of Disability Issues, in its official delegation. The disability community believes that a convention would: 1) provide a statement of legal accountability on disability rights; 2) clarify the content and application of human rights principles to people with disabilities; 3) provide a global reference point for law and policy; 4) provide a mechanism for effective monitoring and enforcement; 5) encourage international cooperation in the area of disability and human rights; 6) provide a fair and common standard of assessment and achievement; and 7) promote public awareness as countries consider ratification. The international disability movement has work to do to achieve ratification of a UN convention on disability rights. Some future tasks include: advocating with governments to take national positions supportive of the convention; seeking to influence treaty bodies to ensure that they support the convention; advocating at the 2003 session of the Commission for Social Development; preparing input for the next Ad Hoc Committee meeting; participating in expert groups and regional meetings; making suggestions to the UN about frameworks and possible experts; maintaining contact with the Secretariat supporting the process; and informing the public about the convention. Critics may assert that people with disabilities are already protected by the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the International Covenants on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and that a separate convention would marginalize people with disabilities. This perspective ignores the ample evidence, provided by Leandro Despouy, Special Rapporteur on Disability, and Bengt Lindquist, Special Rapporteur on the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, that demonstrates the need for a convention. Also, recently the UN Commission on Human Rights passed a resolution (200/51) calling for efforts to strengthen protection of the human rights of people with disabilities. This led Mary Robinson, High Commissioner on Human Rights, to launch a significant new multi-country study of the issue, which again underscores the urgent need for a convention on the human rights of people with disabilities. (This article is based on materials prepared by disability organizations for the UN Ad Hoc Committee Meeting on the Proposed Convention.)
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