The UN Disability Convention Equality and Human Rights Commission Engagement with disabled people and disabled people’s organisations

UNCRPD Engagement This engagement is about the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (the UNCRPD, or the Disability Convention) You can find out all about the Disability Convention on our website:

UN Disability Convention International human rights agreement ratified by UK Government in 2009 Goes beyond non-discrimination to civil, political, social and economic rights across all areas of life Requires full participation of disabled people

Why is the Convention important for disabled people in Britain Legally binding on the UK since 8 June 2009 (Optional Protocol since 7 Aug 2009) Sets new standards on how Government and public bodies should ensure disabled people’s human rights are protected and promoted UK will be examined by UN Disability Committee on its record

Roles and responsibilities (article 33) Implementation: UK Government and the devolved administrations Monitoring: UK Independent Mechanism (UKIM) Monitoring: Disabled people and their organisations must be involved and participate fully in monitoring process

UN monitoring and reporting process Within two years of ratification, each state party to the Convention must submit a report on measures taken to give effect to its obligations under the Convention and on progress made (article 35) Each report considered by the UN Disability Cttee, which may make suggestions and general recommendations (article 36) UK Initial Report submitted in November 2011

UN Disability Committee Committee on Rights of Persons with Disabilities or UN Disability Committee Body of 18 independent experts Meets in Geneva for two sessions per year (April and September) Diane Mulligan Elected Member for UK

Upcoming sessions of the Committee Expect UK report to be considered during 13 th session – April 2015 Cttee to agree the ‘list of issues’ (LOI) for UK during 12 th session – Sept 2014 NHRI and civil society, especially disabled people’s organisations, encouraged to submit information on issues relevant to implementation

Timing and format of submissions Make submission 4 to 6 weeks before start of session - for LOI, July 2014 Selective and targeted information Written information should be concise, specific, reliable and objective Highlight priority concerns and suggest possible recommendations Cttee encourages joint submissions

Next steps NHRI submission on the ‘list of issues’ we want the UN Disability Committee to consider Helps to set the agenda for the examination of the UK report Engaging with disabled people on the issues to include in our submission to the Committee

The questionnaire Asks about priority areas for the list of issues Issues listed in the questionnaire are based on what we were told at our previous events Questionnaire for disabled people and disabled people’s user-led organisations in England and Wales (Scotland has its own questionnaire) Asks for personal information so we know who has replied and to keep for the next stage of engagement

The questionnaire Available until February 2014 Would like as many responses as possible by 10 November 2013 to inform the next stage of the process. Stories about disabled people’s rights in the UK can be submitted to the UK Disabled People’s Council via mdisabledpeoplesco/questionnaire/ mdisabledpeoplesco/questionnaire/

Please help! Forward to members, networks, contacts Share on social media Help us to reach as many disabled people and disabled people’s organisations as possible For hard copies/accessibility please or ring

Choosing priorities The Equality and Human Rights Commission is proposing to focus strategically on a few priority issues, rather than covering every article of the Disability Convention Do you agree with this approach?

Top 3 priority issues from this list or ones of your own? Involvement Participation in public life Transport Welfare reform Work and training Access to justice Accessible information and communication Education Health and social care Independent living

Issues facing particular groups of disabled people Disabled women or men Ethnic minority disabled people Older or younger disabled people LGB/T disabled people Disabled people with a particular religion or belief Any other specific group of disabled people

First UK report on the Convention Are there any issues in relation to the UK Government report? Are there any areas where there is a need for clarification? Are there any areas where the Government should be asked to provide more information?

Finally Please tell us about any other issues or information relating to monitoring implementation of the Convention in addition to those above Thank you!