Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to meet in Geneva for its 11th session

The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will hold its eleventh session from 31 March to 11 April at the Palais Wilson in Geneva. During the session the Committee will consider the reports of Azerbaijan, Costa Rica and Sweden on how these States parties implement the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The Committee will meet to discuss its draft general comment on Article 12 of the Convention – Equal Recognition before the Law, and Drfat General Comment on article 9 of the Convention- accessibility.

Article 12 of the CRPD presents equality before the law as a basic general principle of human rights protection and indispensable for the exercise of other human rights. The article focuses on the areas in which people with disabilities have traditionally been denied the right and highlights that there must never be grounds for denying legal capacity or any of the rights provided in article 12.

Article 9 of the CRPD works to enable persons with disabilities to live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life, calling on States Parties to take appropriate measures to ensure to persons with disabilities access, on an equal basis with others, to all aspects of society, as well as to identify and eliminate obstacles and barriers to accessibility.

Adopted on 13 December 2006 by the General Assembly, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities entered into force on 3 May 2008. The purpose of the Convention is to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity. Persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.

For more information: http://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=14440&LangID=E

Source: United Nations Social Development Network