1. Best Western Congress Hotel- Yerevan
“The HELP Programme and the New Online Course on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities” Dr. Delia Ferri
Conference “Aware of our rights, able to protect them!” September 2017
Best Western Congress Hotel- Yerevan

2. The course has been developed in cooperation with the Advocacy Centre on Council of Europe Standards (ACCESS) and in cooperation with the Department of the European Social Charter and the Secretariat on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities of the Council of Europe, under the auspices of the HELP programme

3. The HELP Programme in a Nutshell

4. The HELP Programme in a Nutshell
The European Programme for Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals (HELP) has been created by the Council of Europe (CoE) to support professionals in its own member states in implementing the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) at the national level, in conjunction with relevant international standards

5. The HELP Programme in a Nutshell
Training materials are designed with the purpose of enhancing knowledge and skills that you can apply directly in your daily work
The HELP Programme in a Nutshell

6. The HELP Programme in a Nutshell
Key Concepts
Relevant Provisions
Relevant Case law
Interactive Interface
The HELP Programme in a Nutshell

7. The course «The Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Relevant Council of Europe Standards»

8. The Rationale of the Course
The last 10 years have witnessed a rapid emergence and global diffusion of disability rights. These have been prompted by the entry into force of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
The Council of Europe (CoE) has developed a comprehensive disability policy, which is currently informed by the UNCRPD principles.
The European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the European Social Charter (ESC)standards are currently interpreted in light of the UNCRPD.

9. The Rationale of the Course
The CoE has actively participated in the negotiation of the UNCRPD since 2003, thanks to the initiative of the Parliamentary Assembly.

10. The Rationale of the Course
The EU acceded to the UNCRPD in 2010.
The UNCRPD itself has become an integral part of EU law and represents the benchmark against which EU disability initiatives must be assessed.

11. The Rationale of the Course
Cross-fertilization
Synergies

12. The Rationale of the Course
The UNCRPD provides several references to training and awareness raising
Art. 4(1)(i) UNCRPD requires States Parties to ‘’promote the training of professionals and staff working with persons with disabilities in the rights recognized in the present Convention so as to better provide the assistance and services guaranteed by those rights”

13. The Rationale of the Course
Training as part of international cooperation efforts
Art. 32(1)(i) UNCRPD requires States Parties to facilitate and support “capacity-building, including through the exchange and sharing of information, experiences, training programmes and best practices”

14. Why is this Relevant to Armenia…?
ratified the UNCRPD on 22 September 2010 (having signed the Convention in 2007), but it has not signed yet the Optional Protocol.
is a member of the Council of Europe since 25 January 2001.
has a strong relation with the EU. The EU-Armenia Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (1999), which includes the promotion of democracy and human rights, will be soon replaced by a new and very comprehensive agreement concluded in February 2017

15. What is it relevant to you?

16. The Content of the Course
UNCRPD provisions and relevant decisions of the UNCRPD Committee
CoE soft law and policies
ECHR and ESC provisions
Relevant case law of the ECtHR
Decisions of the ECSR
Relevant EU law and CJEU

17. The Content of the Course
The course is underpinned by the understanding of human rights as indivisible, be they civil, political, economic, social or cultural.
The course is informed by a social model oriented understanding of disability

18. Overall Learning Objectives
Identify and compare international standards on rights of persons with disabilities under the UNCRPD and the CoE instruments (European Convention on Human Rights –ECHR, European Social Charter- ESC and soft law documents), and under EU law
Understand and distinguish the role of European actors in protecting and promoting the rights of persons with disabilities, with a focus on the role of the European Court on Human Rights (ECtHR), and the European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR)
Apply in practice the relevant provisions of the UNCRPD, ECHR, ESC and other European standards

19. The Structure of the Course
General Introduction
1 - Non-discrimination and intersectionality
2- Legal Capacity
3- Accessibility
4- Social rights of persons with disabilities, with a focus on employment and education

20. Module 1
What can constitute discrimination on the grounds of disability?
What is reasonable accommodation?
What are positive actions?
What is intersectional discrimination? When does it occur?
UNCRPD
ECHR
ESC
EU charter of Fundamental rights
Employment Equality Directive

21. Module 3 Arts. 9 and 21 UNCRPD and General Comment No. 2
Accessibility
Universal Design
Assistive Technology
Arts. 9 and 21 UNCRPD and General Comment No. 2
CoE Disability Strategy
EU law

22. Principle of Universal Legal Capacity
Module 2
Principle of Universal Legal Capacity
Dignity
Autonomy
Independent Living
UNCRPD, and General Comment No. 1 of the UNCRPD Committee
ECHR and ECtHR Case law

23. ESCand decisions of the ECSR
Module 4
Employment and Education
Social Rights
UNCRPD
ECHR and ECtHR case law
ESCand decisions of the ECSR

24. Questions?

25. Thank you for your attention!