Summary: Conclusions and recommendations
adopted by the committee on the
Rights of the Child and overview of
its other activities including the
follow-up to the day of general
discussion on the rights of children
with disabilities (Chapter III, D
paragraph 219- 222) pp.49-50. held
on 6 October 1997.
Report on the twentieth session of the Committee on the Rights
of the Child
Extract of the report on the twentieth session of the Committee
of the Rights of the child
CRC/C/84
5 March 1999
COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD
Report on the twentieth session
(Geneva, 1129 January 1999)
III. OVERVIEW OF THE OTHER ACTIVITIES OF THE COMMITTEE .
186 222 40
D. Follow-up to the day of general discussion
on children with disabilities
219. The working group on the rights of children with disabilities,
established as an outcome of the day of general discussion on
children with disabilities (1997) (see CRC/C/69, paras. 310-339
and CRC/C/80, paras. 244247), held its first meeting in London
on 23 and 24 January 1999.
It was chaired by Mr. Bengt Lindquist, the Special Rapporteur of
the Commission on Social Development on disabilities, and
attended by Mrs. Esther Queenie Mokhuane from the Committee
on the Rights of the Child, Mrs. Rachel Hurst from Disabled
Peoples' International, Mrs. Sue Stubbs and Mrs. Ulrike Persson
from the International Save the Children Alliance,
Mrs. Kicki Nordstrom from the World Blind Union, Mrs. Gerison
Lansdown from the Children's Rights Office, United Kingdom, and
Mr. Darryl Cowley, coordinator of the working group.
Representatives from the World Federation of the Deaf and
Inclusion International were invited but unable to attend.
220. On behalf of the Committee, Mrs. Mokhuane made a
statement in which she highlighted the Committee's efforts to
promote the rights of children with disabilities. Through its
dialogue with and recommendations to States parties, the
Committee recommended the enactment of domestic legislation,
implementation of appropriate policies and programmes, and
allocation of adequate resources to guarantee and protect the
rights of children with disabilities. The Committee had also urged
States parties to take all necessary measures to improve the
situation and protect the rights of children in armed conflicts and
those affected by landmines.
221. The primary purpose of the first meeting was to develop a
plan of action for the 18month working life of the Group. It was
agreed that the primary purpose of the Group would be to
strengthen and support the work of the Committee on the Rights
of the Child in monitoring and promoting the rights of children
with disabilities. Accordingly the following programme was agreed:
(a) To organize a series of regional meetings to which disabled
children and young people, and local disability organizations
would be invited to present their experiences of respect or lack of
respect for their rights, what they would like to see changed and
their suggestions for future action.
Initially, the Group will seek to organize meetings in Latin America
and Africa. Further meetings will be held in Western Europe,
Eastern Europe and, eventually, in Asia;
(b) To collect examples of good practice in promoting the rights of
children with disabilities - for example, participation, inclusion,
deinstitutionalization - for widespread dissemination. To collate
data on social outcomes for children - for example, the proportion
of children with access to education, in mainstream education,
and supported in the community. The International Save the
Children Alliance agreed to undertake this work;
(c) To explore the possibility for the Committee on the Rights of
theChild to adopt a general comment on article 23 of the
Convention;
(d) To hold a hearing in Geneva, and possibly also in New York, at
which United Nations agencies and bodies would be invited to
present to the Group current and planned work designed to
promote the rights of children with disabilities;
(e) To provide evidence to the pre-sessional working group of the
Committee on the Rights of the Child on the situation of children
with disabilities in the States parties under discussion;
(f) To contribute, through the evidence gathered in the regional
meetings, to the Children's Summit planned for 2001;
(g) To contribute to the debate on bioethics from the perspective
of the rights of children with disabilities;
(h) To design a logo and leaflet to promote and explain the role
and aims of the working group. It was agreed that the title of the
Group would be “Rights of children with disabilities: a working
group in consultation with the Committee on the Rights of the
Child”.
222. The next meeting of the working group will take place in
London on 15 and 16 May 1999.