DPI Disability Convention Daily Update – October 31, 2008

 

DPI Disability Convention Daily Update – October 31, 2008

Conference of State Parties of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

 

October 31 marked an historic day for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) with the opening of the first ever Conference of States Parties at UN Headquarters in New York.  In accordance with Article 40 of the CRPD, those countries that have ratified the CRPD convened this first Conference of States Parties within six months of the CRPD’s entry into force in May of 2008. 

 

On the first day of the Conference, the States Parties met in a short session from 10am - 1pm.  During this time the Conference adopted its agenda of work and draft rules of procedure.  (These and other relevant documents are available here: http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=1434 )  In addition, a Bureau for the Conference was elected, with Ambassador Claude Heller of Mexico being elected as the first President of the Conference of States Parties.  Ambassador Heller’s election was particularly significant given the leadership role that Mexico played in initiating the CRPD’s drafting and throughout the negotiations process.  Following these initial formalities, NGOs were then invited to enter the room (Room 4 where the CRPD was negotiated) to participate as observers.  DPI was represented by Chair Wilfredo Guzman and several DPI World Council members.

 

The remainder of the morning session was devoted to a panel discussion: “The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as a human rights instrument and a tool for achieving the Millennium Development Goals.”  Speakers included Jane Connors (OHCHR), Rachel Mayanja (Assistant Secretary-General, Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women), Charlotte McClain-Nhlapo (World Bank), Gerard Quinn (National University of Ireland), and Janet Amegatcher (IDA-CRPD Forum).  Following the panel presentations, more than twenty of the States Parties in attendance took the opportunity to congratulate the President on his election and to ask questions of the panelists.  Many of these questions and comments related to the challenges facing countries, multi-lateral donors, UN DESA and the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR) as they seek to collaborate together on the effective implementation of the CRPD. 

 

Perhaps most notable was the comment of Ambassador MacKay of New Zealand (former Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee that negotiated the CRPD) regarding the importance of addressing these and other substantive issues at future Conferences of States Parties, in order to facilitate international cooperation and the sharing of information related to good practice and effective implementation.  He and many other delegates also noted the need to ensure the full and effective inclusion of NGOs in Conferences of States Parties, so that such meetings might benefit from the expertise and experience of people with disabilities just as the treaty negotiations process did.

 

The Conference will convene again on Monday, November 3 from 3pm – 6pm, in order to elect the first members of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – the body of independent experts mandated to monitor implementation of the CRPD at the international level in accordance with Article 34.  To date twenty-four individuals have been nominated by States Parties, and twelve will be selected to serve as the first members of the Committee. 

 

Copyright DPI 2008, all rights reserved.

2009-02-17 00:00:00

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