A/HRC/16/38 50. Fourth, submissions suggested that international cooperation at times focuses on persons with disabilities as a monolithic group. For example, there is only a weak focus by international cooperation actors on gender issues and an insufficient awareness of the connection between gender and disability. As women’s and men’s experience of disability is context specific and varies greatly according to sex, ethnicity, age, class, the environment and socio-economic status, actors engaging in international cooperation need to be aware that persons with disabilities are not a homogenous group and that therefore, gender issues need to be considered. Further, the submissions suggest that international cooperation has focused less on persons with sensory and intellectual disabilities. A stronger engagement of the international community in this area would be key in order to promote the implementation of the Convention with regard to all disability constituencies in all regions of the world. 51. Fifth, State parties – particularly developing countries – often face challenges in fully implementing the Convention due to economic and technical resource constraints. These challenges can be eased by international cooperation through States having the necessary means. 52. Finally, an overwhelming focus of submissions was on development cooperation, including economic and technical assistance, and capacity-building, including through the sharing of experiences and information and through training. However, submissions revealed relatively little information on international cooperation in the fields of research or on transfer of technology, such as assistive technologies, in spite of these also being included in the terms of article 32. Moreover, almost no information was available on international cooperation in the field of humanitarian assistance, in spite of the potentially important role that international cooperation can and needs to play in this field. V. Conclusions 53. The submissions providing the basis of the present Study illustrate a significant amount of international cooperation to support national efforts to promote, protect and ensure the rights of persons with disabilities. International cooperation occurs between States as well as in partnership with international and regional organizations and with civil society organizations, including DPOs. International cooperation is not limited to North-South cooperation but includes significant amounts of South-South and interregional cooperation. The present Study has focused primarily on the submissions provided to OHCHR: undoubtedly, many other examples of international cooperation exist. 54. In spite of the significant amount of international cooperation in this field, challenges remain. International cooperation does not appear to have consistently applied a “twin-track” approach as cooperation focuses overwhelmingly on disabilityspecific projects and less on mainstreaming disability rights into broader international cooperation. Given the disproportionate representation of persons with disabilities among the poor, a failure to mainstream could diminish the likelihood of meeting international development goals such as the MDGs. Similarly, many of the submissions made to the report focused on disability projects generally and not necessarily on implementation of the Convention which, in some cases, has resulted in projects not necessarily conforming to Convention standards, for example, maintaining a charity approach, promoting segregation over inclusion or treating persons with disabilities as a monolithic group without taking into account gender differences or the diversity of disability. Moreover, international cooperation is not always coordinated among States, international and regional organizations and civil society organizations including DPOs. Finally, international cooperation has focused 17