The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the MDGs

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The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities and the MDGs

• Dr. Mercy Onsando,
• CEO, United Disabled Persons of Kenya
• Marianne Schulze,
• Light for the World

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Brief History

• UN Intl Year of Disabled People 1981
• UN Decade of People with Disabilities
• UN Standard Rules 1992
• Durban Conference, 2001
• Resolution Ad Hoc Committee

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Scope of protection

• disability is an evolving concept, disability
  results from the interaction between persons with
  impairments attitudinal environmental
  barriers that hinders their full effective
  participation in society on an equal basis with
  others
• 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
  effective participation in society on an equal
  basis with others

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Principles

• Respect for the inherent dignity
• Non-discrimination
• Full effective participation
• Respect for difference
• Equality of opportunity
• Accessibility
• Equality between men women
• Respect for the evolving capacities of children

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Level of legal inclusion
Children
Migrant Workers
ICRPD
Anti Racism
Women
Anti-Torture
Intl Covenant on Economic Social Rights (1966)
Intl Covenant on Civil Political Rights (1966)
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
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Full effective human rights

• ? Spell out accessible human rights
• ? Anti-Discrimination clause
• Civil society engagement at all levels
• Discrimination is expensive!
• A tool that requires exposure
• ? Full effective inclusion of all

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• The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with
  Disabilities
• the MDGs

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MDG 1 Eradicate extreme poverty

• ? Poverty is a cause consequence of disability
  
• Persons with disabilities are overrepresented
  among the poor
• ICRPD majority of persons with disabilities
  live in conditions of poverty .. critical need to
  address the negative impact of poverty

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MDG 2 Universal primary education

• ? 98 of children with disabilities in developing
  countries are not in school
• Frequently children with disabilities are not
  able to contribute (in)directly to household
  economy
• ICRPD Article 24 inclusive education at all
  education levels

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MDG 3 Gender equality

• ? Women with disabilities are recognized as being
  multiply deprived
• Particularly vulnerable to abuse
• ICRPD Art 5 Equality non-discrimination
• Art 6 Women with Disabilities

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MDG 4 Reduce child mortality

• ? 80 mortality for children with disabilities
  (in countries where overall rate is 20)
• Vulnerability to torture, inhuman or degrading
  treatment
• ICRPD
• Art 7 Children with Disabilities
• Art 15 Freedom from Torture
• Art 16 Freedom from Exploitation, Violence ..
• Art 17 Protecting the Integrity of the Person
• Art 25 Health
• Art 26 Hanbilitation Rehabilitation

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MDG 5 Improve maternal health

• 20 Million women/year suffer disability as a
  result of pregnancy child birth
• Peri-natal disabilities can often be prevented
• ICRPD
• Art 6 Women with Disabilities
• Art 25 Health

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MDG 6 Combat HIV/Aids, Malaria Other Diseases

• ? HIV/Aids, malaria tuberculosis are causes for
  the loss in disability-adjusted life years in
  high mortality countries
• ? 1 in 10 children suffers neurological
  impairment after cerebral malaria
• ICRPD Art 25 Health
• Art 28 Adequate standard of living

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MDG 8 Develop global partnership

• Article 32 - International Cooperation
• ? Inclusive Development
• Persons with Disabilities included in all phases
  of development programs
• Participation of civil society
• No ODA money spent on further barriers

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• THANK YOU!