A/HRC/43/27 V. Conclusions and recommendations 72. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is innovative in that it includes, in article 8, a cross-cutting provision on awareness-raising regarding persons with disabilities, their capabilities and contributions to society, and their rights. Awareness-raising is key in overcoming the outdated understanding of disability that is still present in law and practice, such as the charity and medical models and ableism, which lead to negative societal attitudes towards persons with disabilities. Awareness-raising is required to empower persons with disabilities, by disseminating information and enhancing their understanding of their rights, and to tackle and remove the attitudinal barriers within society. 73. Persons with disabilities are subject to low expectations, stigmatization, stereotyping and prejudices. These lead to discrimination, the use of derogative language, violence and harmful practices, which should all be explicitly tackled by awareness-raising programmes. As these presumptions are deeply rooted in society, any positive legal and policy reform concerning disability should be accompanied by awareness-raising strategies. 74. States should promote a positive portrayal of persons with disabilities and develop awareness-raising programmes to provide information about rights, mobilize action and eliminate attitudinal barriers that prevent or restrict their effective participation in society. Furthermore, States should refrain from supporting, through funding or as part of public-private partnerships, campaigns that perpetuate stigmatization or stereotyping. 75. In line with international standards on freedom of expression, States, including through their media regulatory bodies, should encourage the media to portray persons with disabilities in a manner consistent with the purpose of the treaty. Incentives and guiding principles in regulations and codes of practices should promote an increase in the production of content concerning disability and the representation of persons with disabilities within media companies, both on and off camera. Media regulatory and monitoring bodies should have clear mandates to establish and enforce mandatory accessibility standards that allow persons with disabilities to access media content and digital environments on an equal basis with others. 76. The participation of persons with disabilities in the design and implementation of awareness-raising programmes and media-related legislation and regulations, including the institutional framework, is essential in enhancing their relevance and effectiveness and preventing the reproduction or perpetuation of negative stereotypes. 77. States should undertake, promote and fund research and data collection, and monitor the evolution of attitudes towards persons with disabilities. Quantitative and qualitative research on equality, discrimination and attitudes, and on content and the representation of persons with disabilities in the media, including through privatepublic partnerships, is key in tracking progress and informing decision-making in the context-specific awareness-raising efforts. 15