A/HRC/43/27 I. Introduction 1. In its resolution 37/22, the Human Rights Council requested the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to prepare a thematic study on article 8 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to be submitted before its forty-third session. 2. Article 8 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities addresses awareness-raising and calls on State parties to adopt measures to raise awareness about persons with disabilities throughout society; to foster respect for the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities; to combat stereotypes, prejudices and harmful practices, including those based on sex and age, in all areas of life; and to promote awareness of the capabilities and contributions of persons with disabilities. In so doing, States parties have an obligation to undertake pragmatic and action-oriented measures, which include, inter alia, initiating and maintaining effective public awareness campaigns and encouraging all organs of the media to portray persons with disabilities in a manner consistent with the purpose of the Convention. 3. The present report examines article 8 of the Convention and the vital role it plays in achieving the objectives of the Convention by combating discrimination against persons with disabilities and changing perceptions and attitudes towards such persons in all facets of life. For the preparation of the present report, a note verbale requesting input was sent to all member States, and written contributions were received from 29 States and one regional integration organization. Submissions were also received from regional organizations, national human rights institutions and civil society organizations. The contributions received will be available on the OHCHR website.1 II. Awareness-raising and persons with disabilities A. Awareness-raising and human rights 4. Although awareness-raising has not been defined in international law, it is generally considered a broad term that encompasses fostering communication and information in order to improve mutual understanding and mobilize communities to bring about changes in attitudes and behaviour. 2 Awareness-raising programmes include an array of interventions, such as public campaigns, training sessions, seminars, workshops, formal education, audiovisual and printed materials, and actions on social media. Raising the awareness of human rights contributes to empowering individuals to participate actively in the decisions that affect them, including actions to defend and promote human rights. 5. Awareness-raising plays a key role in promoting respect for human rights as it targets the underlying attitudes, values and beliefs that are at the root of human rights violations, including discriminatory laws, policies, discourse and conduct. Negative attitudes often translate into negative behaviours, which – when directed towards individuals or groups in society – lead to discrimination and harmful practices, including hate crime. As such, awareness-raising has become a regular component of recommendations to States parties across all human rights mechanisms. In particular, human rights education and education for sustainable development have become more prominent on the global agenda, as a central tool in contributing to sustainable development.3 6. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is innovative in the sense that it dedicates an entire article to awareness-raising. The article emerged as a stand-alone provision in the original draft of the treaty text based on the experience that legislation 1 2 3 2 See www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Disability/Pages/StudiesReportsPapers.aspx. Richard Sayers, Principles of Awareness-Raising for Information Literacy: A Case Study (Bangkok, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 2006), foreword. Targets 4.7, 12.8 and 13.3 of the Sustainable Development Goals.