DPI Disability Convention Daily Update: August 2, 2005 (Day Two)
6th Session of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities
New Zealand hosted a Monday evening reception for all participants in the Ad Hoc Committee, providing an opportunity for government and non-governmental delegates to discuss the day’s progress and address forthcoming agenda items. As usual, the hospitality offered by New Zealand was outstanding and much appreciated by all.
During the International Disability Caucus meeting, prior to the opening of the Tuesday morning session, Ambassador MacKay spent considerable time in discussions with NGOs, and took a number of questions about the process.
The morning session opened with informal consultations on Article 15bis (Women with Disabilities). Korea initiated government discussions, issuing a detailed statement on the importance of ensuring that the convention both mainstreams gender into existing articles, and also includes a separate article on the rights of women with disabilities. The UK, speaking for the EU, expressed its objection to the inclusion of a separate article on the rights of women with disabilities, preferring instead to relegate the topic to the non-binding preamble and a short provision in the general obligations section of the convention. Other delegations, however, expressed their support for the article, or, as an alternative, suggested that key provisions on women with disabilities could be integrated into the existing substantive articles. Non-governmental organizations spoke at length on Article 15bis, overwhelmingly in favor of the inclusion of a separate article on women with disabilities, in addition to appropriate mainstreaming.
Lunchtime side events were held, including one hosted by DPI, in which a distinguished panel of experts considered how best to ensure that the convention adequately protects the rights of women with disabilities. In addition, two other side events were held: (i) US National Council on Disability and Mental Disability Rights International, Experiences from the United States and the Inter-American Human System of Human Rights; and (ii) United Nations Global Programme on Disability, DESA, Disability Rights Resource.
The afternoon session opened with informal consultations on Article 16 (Children with Disabilities). While some delegations supported the inclusion of a separate article on the rights of children with disabilities, some expressed the view that the current draft text essentially repeats what is already set forth in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (Article 23 on Disabled Children). Some delegations questioned whether it was appropriate to have a separate article on children with disabilities and suggested that children might be mentioned in one of the general provisions or mainstreamed in specific substantive articles. During the plenary segment of the meeting in which NGOs could speak, members of the international disability community argued for the inclusion of a separate article on children with disabilities in the convention, and noted the shortcomings of other human rights documents in terms of addressing the specific rights of children with disabilities.
Near the close of the afternoon session, informal consultations commenced on draft Article 17 (Education). In a surprise development, Australia presented a re-drafted text for draft Article 17, along with a new draft provision, introduced as draft Article 17bis, on life and social development skills. These consultations will resume at 10am Wednesday morning.
2005-08-03 00:00:00
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