THE IMPORTANCE OF THE UNCRPD TO DISABLED PEOPLE AROUND WORLD Sue Bott, Deputy CEO Disability Rights UK

Disability World 15% World’s population are disabled people Over 1 billion people 1970 estimate 10% world’s population Reasons – better reporting, people living longer, no shortage of wars and attacks on civilians

Lead up to UN CRPD 1981 – 1992 UN decade of People with Disabilities 1982 World Programme of Action Concerning Disabled People 1993 Standard Rules on the Equalisation of Opportunities for Disabled People

Reason for UN CRPD Invisibility of disabled people in international human rights actions Disabled people have the same rights but were rarely mentioned Monitoring reports largely ignored disabled people 1993 Standard Rules were not legally binding on any country

Drafting of UN CRPD 2001 Resolution from Mexico to UN Assembly to start the process Between 2002 – 2006 8 sessions plus a working group chaired by New Zealand Extensive involvement of DPOs New way of working for the UN

UN CRPD Finalised 2006 Open for signatories 2007 – record number of signatories for a UN treaty Came into force 2008 Ratified with the Optional Protocol 2009

Principles of UN CRPD Respect for control, choice and dignity Non-discrimination Full participation Respect for difference Equality of opportunity Accessibility Men and women are equal Respect for disabled children

IMPORTANT RIGHTS Engagement – articles 4 and 33 Awareness raising – article 8 Access – articles 9 and 21 Right to life – article 10 Equality before the Law – articles 12 and 13 Liberty and security of the person – article 14 Independent living – article 19 Education – article 24 Health – article 25 Employment – article 27 Adequate standard of living – article 28

IMPORTANCE OF UNCRPD Disabled people were central to it Based on social model – it’s not our medical conditions that limit us or define us; it’s the environmental and attitudinal barriers that discriminate against us Legally binding Sets the standard Disabled Peoplle included in human rights

AND FINALLY . . . NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US