Chapter Seven: Creating national institutions to implement and monitor the Convention - Coordination mechanisms | Division for Inclusive Social Development (DISD)

COORDINATION MECHANISMS

The Convention encourages States to designate, within government, a coordination mechanism to facilitate related action in different sectors and at different levels. States may wish to consider establishing a coordination mechanism, or revising an existing coordination mechanism, that:

Consists of a permanent structure with appropriate institutional arrangements to allow coordination among intragovernmental actors;
Ensures coordination at the local, regional and national/federal levels; and
Ensures the participation of persons with disabilities, organizations of disabled persons and NGOs by establishing a permanent forum for discussions with civil society.

Various jurisdictions have introduced focal points and coordination mechanisms to act as intermediaries either between the Government and national human rights organizations or, more commonly, between the Government and individuals and their representative organizations. Often, existing coordination mechanisms on disability include representatives of various ministries (ministry of labour and social affairs, or ministries of finance, health, housing, education, employment), occasionally include representatives of local and regional authorities, and very often include organizations of persons with disabilities. Australia’s National Disability Council, for example, provides advice to the Government on disability-related issues and organizes consultations with the community to promote dialogue and elicit first-hand information from rights-holders.

Achieving rights for people with disabilities is an ongoing challenge. This Convention will serve as a road map and a reference point in the pursuit of opportunity and the creation of a society where access, fairness and equality are available to all people with disabilities in Australia.

Graham Edwards, MP (Australia)