A/HRC/43/41 participation in all aspects of life (see A/HRC/40/32). Article 26 reinforces a cross-sectoral approach to rehabilitation, recognizing that rehabilitation has social, educational, vocational and other non-health components. 56. The principles, rights and obligations enshrined in the Convention challenge previous international bioethics standards. While international bioethics declarations and instruments have made little reference to persons with disabilities, they have allowed some exceptions to their right to be free from non-consensual medical treatment, research and/or experimentation. For example, the Oviedo Convention, the Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights and the Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Reproduction permit third persons to decide on interventions carried out on adults who do not have the capacity to consent under the principle of best interests. As evidenced, those standards have been superseded by the Convention. VII. Fighting ableism 57. The human rights model of disability provides a useful framework for challenging ableism and addressing ethical and policy dilemmas related to advances in medical practice, research and technology in the field of disability. States can implement a number of measures to guarantee the rights of persons with disabilities while considering these issues, including awareness-raising; adopting rights-based prevention policies; respecting the personal autonomy and integrity of persons with disabilities; and taking concrete measures to protect their right to life. 58. When advocating for change on such issues, disability rights advocates often find themselves in an uneasy alignment with various anti-choice groups. The Special Rapporteur wishes to depart from those positions and emphasize that the universality, indivisibility, interdependence and interrelatedness of human rights should inform all such discussions, which in no way aim to roll back rights to protect autonomy and self-determination that have been won. What the present report aims to address is how to uphold those rights without bringing into question the rights of persons with disabilities. A. Awareness-raising 59. To combat ableism, States must raise awareness throughout society regarding the inherent dignity and rights of persons with disabilities. That involves both actively challenging negative stereotypes and prejudices and raising awareness of their value, capabilities and contributions. The multifaceted and multilevel nature of stigma renders the need for multilevel interventions, including for different target audience groups. 49 Awareness-raising strategies must be complemented by legislative and policy changes, since laws and policies that use derogatory language or discriminate against persons with disabilities reflect and reinforce stigma. 60. There are a number of awareness-raising strategies that have proved effective in combating stigma and prejudices against persons with disabilities. Information-based strategies, such as educational and media campaigns, are a useful tool for addressing the lack of or incorrect knowledge of living with a disability and thus to dispel myths, beliefs and/or stereotypes.50 Promoting direct contact with persons with disabilities has also proved successful in reducing stigma, overcoming discomfort, distrust and fear, and facilitating connection and empathy between people with and without disabilities. 51 Awareness-raising interventions should be accompanied by peer counselling and empowerment strategies to 49 50 51 14 See Catherine Campbell and Harriet Deacon, “Unravelling the contexts of stigma: from internalisation to resistance to change”, Journal of Community and Applied Psychology, vol. 16, No. 6 (November–December 2006). See Wim H. van Brake and others, “Out of the silos: identifying cross-cutting features of healthrelated stigma to advance measurement and intervention”, BMC Medicine, vol. 17 (February 2019). See Monica E. Kolodziej and Blair T. Johnson, “Interpersonal contact and acceptance of persons with psychiatric disorders: a research synthesis”, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, vol. 64, No. 6 (December 1996); and Heather Stuart, “Reducing the stigma of mental illness”, Global Mental Health, vol. 3 (2016).