A/HRC/34/69
Convention. OHCHR was developing tools to enable the design and monitoring of policies,
endorsed the Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action and
supported the development of guidelines on persons with disabilities in humanitarian
contexts.
7.
The Chair of International Disability Alliance, Colin Allen, commended Mexico and
New Zealand and the Group of Friends of the Convention for their leading role; he
welcomed the adoption of the 2030 Agenda, which had brought a human rights dimension
to development; the strengthening of the Committee; the establishment of the mandate of
the Special Rapporteur; and United Nations bodies working to mainstream the rights of
persons with disabilities. Remaining concerns included repeated attacks against such
persons, limitations on establishing families, forced sterilization, segregation, medication
without consent and limitations on the exercise of legal capacity. Diversity must be
embraced, and partnerships reinforced, to achieve full inclusion and participation of persons
with disabilities.
8.
A video was screened which highlighted that 10 years after the adoption of the
Convention, persons with disabilities were entitled to the full spectrum of human rights and
fundamental freedoms without discrimination. The Convention had promoted the full
participation of persons with disabilities in all spheres of life, challenging customs,
stereotypes, prejudices, harmful practices and stigma relating to persons with disabilities.
Yet huge challenges remained in achieving the full enjoyment of rights by all persons with
disabilities.
III. Summary of proceedings2
Setting the scene: from needs to rights — advances and challenges
A.
9.
The Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Bulgaria to the United Nations,
Georgi Panayotov, President-elect of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention for
2017-2018, said that Bulgaria attached particular attention to the protection of the human
rights of persons with disabilities and was ensuring their participation and well-being, with
a focus on children and youth. Bulgaria had advocated for the inclusion of the human rights
of persons with disabilities in the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Conference of Parties was a vital platform, bringing together a range of stakeholders,
and it was important to ensure the full participation and inclusion of persons with
disabilities in the implementation of the Convention.
10.
The Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities, Catalina Devandas
Aguilar, stated that the Convention had influenced the 2030 Agenda and driven national
and international strategies. It had given persons with disabilities a framework within which
to advocate for their rights. However, many, in particular women and other marginalized
groups, continued to face barriers. Discriminatory and harmful practices, such as
involuntary sterilization, forced treatment, hospitalization and the use of restraints in school
settings, remained. It was necessary to improve engagement with all stakeholders; increase
technical assistance, cooperation and exchange of good practices; ensure the participation
of persons with disabilities in decision-making processes; and strengthen the United
Nations system to ensure the implementation of the Convention and the Goals.
2
4
Statements and presentations made available to the Secretariat are available at:
www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Poverty/SForum/Pages/SForum2016Statements.aspx.
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