Disabilities: Event at the Human Rights Council

NEWS: Read about the event here (in English) (in French)

Special Event at the 4th Session of the Human Rights Council on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Date: Monday, March 26, 3:00 to 4:00 pm

Participants:

Ambassador Luis Alfonso de Alba, President of the Human Rights Council (Moderator)
Ambassador Don MacKay, Permanent Representative of New Zealand to the United Nations in Geneva, and Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee that elaborated the Convention
Mme. Louis Arbour, High Commissioner for Human Rights
Mme. Sheikha Hessa Al-Thani, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Disability
Mr. Monthian Buntan, President of the Thailand Association of the Blind

Objectives:

To raise awareness of the Convention in the Council and to identify the issues that the Council may integrate in its work in order to contribute to the promotion of the treaty and to its future implementation.

The Human Rights Commission adopted several resolutions that addressed the human rights of persons of disabilities, and the Convention in particular. However, the Council has not previously discussed this Convention, which is a landmark human rights treaty.

The Convention will be open for signature in close connection with the Council’s session and is expected to enter into force relatively soon. In this sense, it would be beneficial to discuss the practical issues that the Council, OHCHR and States, in partnership with all relevant stakeholders, will need to address in the following months to promote the Convention and prepare the ground for its follow up and implementation

In this regard, the event is intended to be practical and forward-looking, focussing on the key issues that the international community will need to take into account to promote and implement the Convention.