The road to the UNCRPD and the challenge of implementation

Zara Todd Disability rights activist

Journey to the UNCRPD• Long process to get UN Parties to see

need for a convention• 1981 - International Year of Disabled

Persons• 1983-1992United Nations Decade of

Disabled Persons.• 1993 The Standard Rules on the

Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities

Journey to the UNCRPD• With the adoption standard rules the

role a Special Rapporteur was appointed.

• However it was another 8 years of consistent lobbying before in 2001 Mexico put forward the resolution which kick-start the development of the convention

Negotiating the convention

• Over 6 years the convention content and wording was negotiated – this also included evidence from disabled people from across the world.

Negotiating the convention

• Key features– 1st convention where the protected group were

actively involved in it development– Civil society actively involved and represented– majority of State parties included a disabled

person in the negotiating team– Language – Longevity

Key aspects of the convention

• 32 key articles outlining rights cover areas like access, education, health, family and culture

• Progressive realisation and optional protocol • No new rights • As of July 22nd 133 countries had ratified the

convention and 77 countries had ratified the Optional Protocol

• Convention avalable at http://www.un.org/disabilities/

Signatures and ratifications

Uk and the convention

• In the uk we signed the convention 30-3-2007 and ratified it on 8-6-2009 and we signed the optional protocol on 26-2-2009 ratifying it on 7-8-2009

• We have 3 reservations one on article 27 relating to employment in the military , one on article 18 on Liberty of Movement and a reservation ands interpretive declaration on article 24 on Education

Implementing the convention

―Challenge that people don’t know their rights or understand the system to get to convention level.

―Changes to legal system in the UK⁺ UNCRPD can be used as added incentive⁺ Uniting people and bigger constituency ⁺ Representative on Committee

Shadow reporting

• Not happened for UK yet on UNCRPD• Lessons from CEDAW• Challenges for UNCRPD

• Expertise• Co-ordination• Lack of disaggregated data