People with disability
It is estimated that there are at least 650 million people with disabilities worldwide, with around 80 per cent living in developing countries.
Millions of people in the Asia Pacific region have a disability. Many live in poverty and suffer discrimination, exclusion, prejudice and superstition.
They are often subject to widespread human rights violations including malnutrition, forced sterilisation, sexual exploitation, denial of educational and vocational training opportunities, limited access to public services, institutionalisation and the denial of voting rights.
To help combat discrimination and promote greater equality, the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities came into force on 3 May 2008.
The 50-article Convention aims to fight discrimination in relation to a wide range of rights, including the right to education, health, work, adequate living conditions, freedom of movement and freedom from exploitation. It also recognises the capacity of people with disabilities to make decisions for themselves.
National human rights institutions have an important role – set out in article 33 – to promote, protect and monitor the rights of people with disabilities.
This means working in partnership with government, disability groups and the broader community to build understanding of disability issues and to address the structural barriers that lie at the heart of discrimination.
Role of the APF
The APF played an important role in drafting the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
The APF’s Working Group on Disability was represented by Ms Anuradha Mohit (National Human Rights Commission of India) at the meetings of the UN Ad Hoc Committee on a Comprehensive and Integrated International Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities.
In August 2006 the Ad Hoc Committee adopted the draft Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol, which was approved by the UN General Assembly on 13 December 2006.
At the 12th Annual Meeting in 2007, APF member institutions agreed to share information, ideas and experiences to assist with domestic implementation of the Convention.
They each agreed to establish a disability ‘focal point’ and to communicate regularly to discuss progress in protecting, promoting and monitoring the rights of people with disabilities.
In May 2009, the APF presented a statement to the UN Interactive Panel Dialogue on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities recognising the important role of independent national institutions to monitor and implement the Convention at the country level.
More information
- UN Enable provides information about developments at the regional level
- UNESCAP (United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific) Disability Programme, provides information about developments at the regional level
