A/HRC/34/69 11. The Chair of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, María Soledad Cisternas, said that the Committee was committed to strengthening the treaty body system and the independence and impartiality of experts, and had an open relationship with the Conference of Parties. It had developed guidelines on issues such as simplified reporting for periodic reports; participation of civil society, national human rights institutions and monitoring mechanisms; and freedom and safety of persons with disabilities. The Committee had addressed such topics as the right to life, accessibility, women with disabilities, access to justice, equality before the law, legal capacity, freedom and security, inclusive education, prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, access to communication, freedom of opinion and the right to an independent life and to be included in the community. 12. The Chair of the China Disabled Persons’ Federation, Zhang Haidi, said that safeguarding the human rights of persons with disabilities should start with an assessment of their needs and living conditions. A household survey of persons with disabilities in China had collected disaggregated data and helped understand those needs, informing policies and research, including the creation of two subsidy systems. China strove to promote barrier-free construction and support the rights to education and employment. Over the years, China had established rehabilitation centres for persons with disabilities, particularly children, and was establishing a university to train specialists in disability related rehabilitation. The international community should implement inclusive development strategies and integrate disability into international cooperation frameworks. 13. Following the presentations, representatives of Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Cuba, Iceland, Poland, Qatar, Russian Federation, South Africa, United States of America, Uruguay, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights, European Union, Arab Organization of Persons with Disabilities, Association of Persons with Rheumatic Diseases Sri Lanka, Associazione Comunità Papa Giovanni XXIII, Dementia Alliance International, European Network on Independent Living, European Union of the Deaf, Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions, Inclusion International, International Federation of Hard of Hearing Persons, World Blind Union, World Federation of the Deaf, World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry and World of Inclusion took the floor. Issues raised included social inclusion, targeted benefits and social services; international cooperation to strengthen organizations of persons with disabilities; inclusive education; ratification of the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled; risk and humanitarian emergencies; inclusion in labour markets; effects of poverty; women, children and refugees with disabilities; affordability of hearing aids and availability of captioning and sign language; visibility of psychosocial disabilities; reform of guardianship laws; and nondiscrimination in abortion policies. The need for disability-disaggregated data, financial support, technological resources and binding obligations for effective implementation of the Convention was stressed. 14. In response, Ms. Zhang stressed that China had supported athletes with disabilities, prioritizing rehabilitation. Although China still had special schools for some children with disabilities, it tried to provide all children with the opportunity to enjoy inclusive education in regular schools. Ms. Devandas Aguilar said that the Convention would be implemented only when human diversity was accepted and embraced. Greater efforts were required to overcome challenges to the full participation of persons with disabilities in their communities, particularly in decision-making processes. Ms. Cisternas highlighted the Committee’s contribution on issues such as legal capacity, education, the situation of women and refugees, and access to sign language within the United Nations system. 5