A/HRC/19/2 right to take part in the Government of his or her country directly, or through freely chosen representatives, and the right of equal access to public service, as well as, inter alia, article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and, most recently and with regard to persons with disabilities, in article 29 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Recalling that the above-mentioned article 29 of the Convention reaffirms the right of persons with disabilities to participate in political and public life, and that parties to the Convention are required to guarantee political rights to persons with disabilities and adopt all appropriate measures to ensure that they enjoy these rights on an equal basis with others, Recognizing that progress has been made, yet deeply concerned that many persons with disabilities in all regions continue to be denied their right to participate in political and public life on an equal basis with others, and noting that the exclusion or restriction of political rights of persons with disabilities on the basis of disability constitutes discrimination contrary to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Emphasizing that full and effective participation and inclusion in society is a general principle of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and thus that participation in political and public life on an equal basis with others is closely interrelated with and interdependent on other Convention provisions, including those that require States parties to ensure non-discrimination and accessibility and to recognize legal capacity and the right to participate in the community on an equal basis with others, Recognizing that women and girls with disabilities are subject to multiple forms of discrimination, including in their participation in political and public life, 1. Welcomes the fact that, to date, one hundred and fifty three States have signed and one hundred and nine States and one regional integration organization have ratified or acceded to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and that ninety States have signed and sixty six States have ratified or acceded to the Optional Protocol to the Convention, and calls upon those States and regional integration organizations that have not yet ratified or acceded to the Convention and the Optional Protocol to consider doing so as a matter of priority; 2. Encourages States that have ratified the Convention and have submitted one or more reservations to it to initiate a process to review regularly the effect and continued relevance of such reservations, and to consider the possibility of withdrawing them; 3. Welcomes the thematic study on participation in political and public life by persons with disabilities prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights,20 and calls upon all stakeholders to consider the findings and recommendations of the study; 4. Calls upon States parties to ensure that persons with disabilities can effectively and fully participate in political and public life on an equal basis with others, including the right and opportunity for persons with disabilities to vote and be elected, and to participate in the conduct of public affairs; 5. Also calls upon States parties to adopt and implement appropriate measures to ensure that persons with disabilities can participate effectively and fully in political and public life on an equal basis with others, including by, inter alia: 20 GE.13-14768 A/HRC/19/36. 37