Apr 14, 2011
Limited Resources must not become an obstacle for ratifying the Disability Convention
This week, the Committee on the Rights of People with Disabilities meets for its fifth session in Geneva, see here for further details. The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities plays a key role in developing commentary on the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (CRPD). See here for the members of the Committee. The State reports and the subsequent comments and conclusions by the Committee creates a space where dialogue can take place to highlight models of good practice and also gaps in the implementation of the CRPD. The Committee now comprising of its full complement of 18 independent experts on disability has to-date received 11 reports from States on their implementation of the Convention. See here for list of States reports submitted to-date. Along with its core work of considering State reports, the Committee has also made a number of statements on pertinent issues to the international disability community including poverty reduction, natural disasters and humanitarian responses (in light of Haiti, Japan and Chinese earthquake), see here for further details.
This week will see the Committee focus its work on concluding observations for Tunisia’s State report and a meeting in private to consider Spain’s report. Speaking at the beginning of the Committees 5th session, Marcia Kran, of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, acknowledged that the Convention had reached an impressive level of ratification in a short period of time and that the Committee’s work would increase significantly. To-date, 147 States have signed the Convention and 99 have ratified (see here for updated list). However, while this remains impressive, it was also noted that States were using lack of resources as a reason not to ratify the Convention. In light of this, Kran described the important role of the Committee as making sure the lack or resources did not become an obstacle to the implementation of the Convention and the progressive realization of the economic, social and cultural rights of persons with disabilities.
Ireland has yet to ratify the CRPD, the reason most cited for its non-ratification to-date is the need for reformed capacity legislation. Disability campaigners such as Inclusion Ireland have been actively working on this issue for a number of years. The recent legislative programme announced by government (see here) references the capacity bill stating its publication date is expected in late 2011, therefore one can assume it is unlikely that ratification of the Convention will happen before 2012 at the earliest.
