United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

New Ratifications and Signatories:

• United Arab Emirates ratified the Convention on 19-3-2010
• Bosnia and Herzegovina ratified the Convention on 12-3-2010
• Bosnia and Herzegovina ratified the Optional Protocol on 12-3-2010
• Canada ratified the Convention on 11-3-2010

Currently:

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)

84 ratifications of the Convention
144 signatories to the Convention

Optional Protocol to the Convention

52 ratifications of the Optional Protocol
88 signatories to the Optional Protocol

What is the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities?

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is an international treaty that identifies the rights of persons with disabilities as well as the obligations on States parties to the Convention to promote, protect and ensure those rights.  The Convention also establishes two implementation mechanisms: the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, established to monitor implementation, and the Conference of States Parties, established to consider matters regarding implementation.

States negotiated the Convention with the participation of civil society organizations, national human rights institutions and inter-governmental organizations.  The United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention on 13 December 2006 and it was opened for signature on 30 March 2007.  States that ratify the Convention are legally bound to respect the standards in the Convention.  For other States, the Convention represents an international standard that they should endeavour to respect.

What is the Optional Protocol to the Convention?

The Optional Protocol is also an international treaty.  The Optional Protocol establishes two procedures aimed at strengthening the implementation and monitoring of the Convention.  The first is an individual communications procedure allowing individuals to bring petitions to the Committee claiming breaches of their rights; the second is an inquiry procedure giving the Committee authority to undertake inquiries of grave or systematic violations of the Convention.

(Source:  United Nations Secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities)