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In a historic move, ten years ago, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) was adopted. It was a critical and outstanding achievement, bringing hope to a billion persons with disabilities worldwide. Ten years later, we are celebrating the anniversary of the CRPD, at the Conference of the State Parties this week in New York. To date, 163 States and one regional organisation (the European Union) have ratified or acceded to the Convention. The CRPD Committee has received about 85 initial reports from States parties, working actively to monitor national progress, and provide guidance and advice on stronger ways of implementing the Convention.
Why is the CRPD so critical?
The CRPD is the first human rights treaty ratified in the 21st century, with the highest number of signatories in history to a UN Convention on its opening day. Most notably, it is also the first internationally legally binding instrument to specifically address the situation of persons with disabilities at a global level in an effort to promote, respect and fulfil their rights. Since its adoption at the General Assembly in December 2006, the Convention, through its articles, has raised awareness about disability as both a human and a development issue. It marks a paradigm shift, where persons with disabilities are no longer viewed as objects of charity but as active members of society, in charge of their own lives, with free and informed consent. The CRPD is the chief instrument that consolidates the efforts made by the United Nations to promote the equal rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society.
What still needs to be done?
This week, the international community is celebrating the progress that has been achieved over the past ten years. So much has been accomplished; the journey has been intense, but there is still so much more that needs to be done. First and foremost, the CRPD must be taken on board by all countries. It means we must achieve universal ratification to further promote the adoption of laws and policies to realise the rights of all persons with disabilities. Second, the fifty articles of the CRPD must be implemented and monitored nationally, with a clear country plan of action. Third, we must mainstream the provisions of the Convention and link them to the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To truly leave no one behind and keep the level of ambitiousness of the 2030 Agenda, Member States have to actively involve persons with disabilities and Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs) in their development work.
Put Us in the Picture campaign
The CRPD is the cornerstone of Sightsavers’ Put Us in the Picture campaign to make global development inclusive of person with disabilities. Our vision is the full inclusion and active participation of the one billion people worldwide living with disabilities, most notably the 800 million persons with disabilities in developing countries.
Put Us in the Picture calls for the UK and its development partners, including the World Bank and the UN, to not only make inclusive development a priority but also to understand ‘disability’ as a human rights issue and take a rights-based approach to development. There is often an assumption that persons with disabilities will automatically participate in development programmes. This has resulted in persons with disabilities being left behind while non-disabled peers access available programmes. It is increasingly recognised that persons with disabilities do not benefit from global development unless their participation is proactively planned for and resourced from the start. Removing the barriers to participation and unlocking the vast potential of persons with disabilities is critical to addressing global poverty reduction, and empowering people to access their rights and actively participate in all aspects of society.
The global change we seek needs global action
Since Put Us in the Picture launched in 2013, there have been significant steps forward. The UK Department for International Development’s (DFID) Disability Framework, published in December 2014, demonstrates the UK’s commitment to make persons with disabilities a priority. DFID is now on its ambitious journey towards implementing that commitment throughout its work. But the UK cannot achieve change alone. Its development partners, as well as all governments, need to also accept this task. The inclusion of persons with disabilities in the SDGs provided a critical mandate for change from the international community. Never before has there been such momentum, but if we want global change, the international community must act now if we are to make disability-inclusive development a reality.
What we are calling for
Our Put Us in the Picture campaign calls on DFID and its partners to demonstrate global and national leadership and to have a coherent measurable approach for disability inclusion that will hold them accountable. Secondly, an inclusive approach to consultations is required to address the underlying cause of exclusion. Disability inclusion will never really be achieved without the engagement and participation of persons with disabilities. Thirdly, a rights-based approach to inclusion needs to be promoted by the UN and States Parties to the CRPD. Disability needs to be recognised as human rights issue with many persons with disabilities experiencing inequality and discrimination on a daily basis. And finally, data collection on the situation of persons with disabilities needs to improve. Millions of persons with disabilities are invisible to official statistics. Where data is available, it is often unreliable and inaccurate. In line with CRDP Article 31, if we are to successfully implement the SDGs and promote inclusion, we need more and better data.
For more information about Sightsavers’ campaign, Put Us in the Picture”, please visit: http://www.sightsavers.org.uk/our_campaign/
Happy anniversary CRPD!
By Dr. Marion Steff, Policy Advisor and Ross McMullan, Policy Campaign Officer, Sightsavers.
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