Advancing the rights of the disabled

MANILA, Philippines – At the conclusion of a recent United Nations (UN)-sponsored conference, the rights of persons with disabilities were given due recognition and the participating countries agreed to sustain the momentum to ensure that the rights of the world’s estimated 650 million people with disabilities are protected and strengthened.

Hundreds of delegates and civil society representatives took part in the three-day conference at UN headquarters in New York, United States of America, to see how to better implement the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which came into force in 2008. The convention asserts the rights to education, health, work, adequate living conditions, freedom of movement, freedom from exploitation, and equal recognition before the law for persons with disabilities. The number of countries that have ratified it has jumped from 66 to 90 in the past year and the number that has signed has risen from 142 to 146.

The conference drew the enthusiastic participation of national delegations, experts, and civil society representatives in the conference, which included interactive dialogues, round-table discussions, and formal presentations. Many of the discussions focused on the right to education for persons with disabilities, the need for measures for greater inclusion of persons with disabilities in society, and care provided during disasters and emergency situations. In the end, they had an important “consciousness-raising” value for governments and policymakers to take action to ensure that the convention is implemented on the ground.

While the rising number of ratifications means more countries will have to report on what measures they are taking to meet their obligations, the reality remains that the steps that were to be undertaken have not really been followed through. In the area of education, for example, the conference noted that administrators, principals, and teachers in many schools are often unaware of the barriers that can exist to prevent a child with disabilities from attending and fully participating in classes.

Notwithstanding these realities, it is clear that the rights of people with disabilities must continue to be protected, respected, and fulfilled and the recent United Nations conference pushes this agenda forward for all its member states. –Manila Bulletin