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JOINT STATEMENT ON AN UN CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH
DISABILITIES
(Adopted on 27July 2005)
We the participants, representing governments, disabled people’s
organizations, non-governmental organizations, UN specialized agencies,
civil society from the Asia-pacific region, meeting in Bangkok, Thailand,
from 26 to 27 July 2005 at the UNESCAP Workshop on Regional Follow-up to the
Fifth Session and Preparation for the Sixth Session of the Ad Hoc Committee
on an UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities:
Having reviewed:
- the latest progress of elaborating and negotiating the draft
convention by the Ad-hoc Committee (AHC) and while expressing appreciation
at the progress made so far;
- the recent progress in strengthening existing national legal
frameworks and national policies to protect the rights and dignity of
persons with disabilities, note with appreciation the ongoing efforts in
the region towards adoption of new anti-discrimination and rights-based
laws and policies with enforcement mechanisms.
Having considered the following priority themes:
- Participation of governmental organizations, disabled people’s
organizations, non-governmental organizations and civil society in the
process towards the Convention and at AHC sessions (e.g. representation of
persons with disabilities and disabled people’s organizations/
non-governmental organizations in a national delegation team, national
negotiations and dialogue prior to each AHC session, etc.);
- Effective monitoring mechanisms at the national level;
- development of anti-discrimination and rights-based legislation and
policies, and effective implementation in countries of the ESCAP region;
- International cooperation in the context of the Convention;
- Towards ratification of the Convention;
- Gender perspective in the context of the Convention.
Hereby:
Reaffirm the critical roles of partnership between governments, persons
with disabilities and disabled people’s organizations, non-governmental
organizations and civil society in realization of the goal of full
participation and equality in a society that is inclusive of people with
disabilities;
Encourage the continued active participation and inclusion of persons
with disabilities and disabled people’s organizations, non-governmental
organizations and civil society in the on-going negotiation process and work
leading to the adoption and implementation of the Convention, including
being a part of the national delegations to the AHC;
And in anticipation of the early adoption and ratification of the
Convention:
Encourage each state to direct a national action for timely and efficient
implementation and monitoring of the Convention;
Encourage each state to develop, strengthen and implement policies and
practices of reasonable accommodation in order to achieve the equality of
persons with disabilities in all activities of society;
Recommend the establishment or strengthening of, where appropriate,
national mechanisms such as national human rights institutions, national
coordinating committees, equal opportunity commissions or other equivalent
independent and autonomous bodies to ensure effective monitoring of the
implementation of the Convention and to create awareness about it in all
sectors of society;
In the spirit of solidarity and partnerships among states, recommend that
international cooperation[1] in
the context of the Convention should
- adopt a broad-based approach, including disability-specific and
mainstream cooperation contributing to the elimination of discrimination
against people with disabilities and promoting inclusive development; and
- be carried out in bilateral, regional and other multilateral forums,
including specialized agencies and financial institutions.
Recommend that due considerations be given to marginalized and
disadvantaged groups in rural and urban areas, in particular children and
women with disabilities for enjoyment of the rights elaborated in the
Convention.
Finally, the workshop urges adoption of the Convention in a timely and
effective manner.
[1] International cooperation
may include capacity building, sharing of information, good practices and
technical, financial and human resources and effective evaluation of
outcomes of the cooperation (including disability impact assessment).
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