Economic and Social Council Distr.: General 29 November 2010
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United Nations E/CN.5/2011/9 Economic and Social Council Distr.: General 29 November 2010 Original: English Commission for Social Development Forty-ninth session 9-18 February 2011 Item 3 (b) of the provisional agenda* Follow-up to the World Summit for Social Development and the twenty-fourth special session of the General Assembly: review of relevant United Nations plans and programmes of action pertaining to the situation of social groups Monitoring of the implementation of the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities Note by the Secretary-General 1. At its forty-eighth session, the General Assembly adopted the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, contained in the annex to its resolution 48/96. These 22 Standard Rules provide a framework to further implement the goals of “equality” and “full participation” of disabled persons in social life and development as set forth in the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons, adopted by the Assembly in its resolution 37/52. 2. Section IV, paragraph 2, of the Standard Rules stipulates that the rules should be monitored within the framework of the sessions of the Commission for Social Development. The appointment of a Special Rapporteur to monitor their implementation was also envisaged in that paragraph. 3. In March 1994, the Secretary-General appointed Bengt Lindqvist (Sweden) Special Rapporteur on Disability of the Commission. Mr. Lindqvist prepared three reports (see A/52/56, E/CN.5/2000/3 and Corr.1 and E/CN.5/2002/4) for the consideration of the Commission during his mandate, which was renewed in 1997 and in 2000 by the Economic and Social Council in its resolutions 1997/19 and 2000/10, respectively. 4. In June 2003, the Secretary-General appointed Sheikha Hessa Al-Thani (Qatar) Special Rapporteur for the period 2003-2005. The Special Rapporteur submitted an __________________ * E/CN.5/2011/1, to be issued. 10-65564 (E) 211210 *1065564* E/CN.5/2011/9 oral report to the Commission at its forty-second session. At its forty-third session in February 2005, the Commission was presented with the report of the Special Rapporteur (see E/CN.5/2005/5 and Corr.1). In its resolution 2005/9, the Economic and Social Council welcomed the work of the Special Rapporteur and decided to renew her mandate through 31 December 2008. The Commission considered the reports of the Special Rapporteur at its forty-fourth, forty-fifth and forty-sixth sessions in February 2006, February 2007 and February 2008, respectively (see E/CN.5/2006/4, E/CN.5/2007/4 and E/CN.5/2008/3). 5. In its resolution 2008/20, entitled “Further promotion of equalization of opportunities by, for and with persons with disabilities and protection of their human rights”, the Economic and Social Council decided to renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur until 31 December 2011 in accordance with the provisions set down in section IV of the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities to further their promotion and monitoring, including the human rights dimensions of disability, and the provisions of that resolution. 6. In August 2010, the Secretary-General appointed Shuaib Chalklen (South Africa) Special Rapporteur on Disability of the Commission for the period 2009- 2011. Mr. Chalklen delivered an oral report to the Commission at its forty-eighth session. The Economic and Social Council also requested the Special Rapporteur to submit to the Commission an annual report on his activities in implementing resolution 2008/20. The Secretary-General has the honour to submit to the Commission the annual report of the Special Rapporteur pursuant to that resolution. 2 10-65564 E/CN.5/2011/9 Report of the Special Rapporteur on Disability of the Commission for Social Development on monitoring of the implementation of the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities Contents Page I. Introduction ................................................................... 4 II. Background ................................................................... 4 III. Activities of the Special Rapporteur on Disability .................................... 5 A. Monitoring of the implementation of the Standard Rules and synergy among the disability-specific instruments ................................................ 5 B. Mainstreaming disability in development ....................................... 6 C. Fostering international cooperation ............................................ 9 D. Promoting the implementation of the Standard Rules, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and other international development instruments ........... 12 E. Vulnerable groups within the disability community............................... 12 IV. Observations and conclusions .................................................... 13 V. Recommendations .............................................................. 14 VI. Planned activities for 2011 ....................................................... 14 10-65564 3 E/CN.5/2011/9 I. Introduction 1. This is my first report to the Commission for Social Development on my activities pursuant to Economic and Social Council resolution 2008/20 and in accordance with the provisions set forth in section IV of the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities. 2. I wish to express my appreciation to the Secretary-General and the Commission for Social Development for entrusting me with the important role of Special Rapporteur on Disability. I would like to extend my gratitude to the Governments of Finland, Norway and Sweden for their generous support towards my work and to all Governments that have also provided generous contributions. 3. I wish to thank the Department of Economic and Social Affairs and its staff for their excellent support in helping me carry out my mandate throughout this period. II. Background 4. The foundation for disability rights and development was laid out in the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons (1982). Since then, the development of a number of important instruments has shaped the international policy discourse on disability, including most notably, the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (1993) and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006). Together, these three instruments constitute the core international normative framework for action to promote the advancement of the rights of persons with disabilities in the world. The synergy and complementarities among these three disability-specific instruments have been recognized and emphasized by the General Assembly in a series of resolutions.1 5. In this context, my work and priorities are built on the three instruments on disability, relevant human rights and development instruments, including the Millennium Development Goals, other internationally agreed development goals and relevant international commitments and standards. 6. This report covers the period from February to October 2010, nine months following my oral report to the forty-eighth session of the Commission in February 2010. I have concentrated my efforts on highlighting my work in relation to my vision and priorities, which I outlined during my address to the Commission as follows: • Monitoring, promoting and implementing the Standard Rules in light of the Convention and other disability instruments in the context of development and their usage in the development of national policies • Promoting the mainstreaming of disability in priorities of the global development agenda, such as poverty and hunger, focusing on the Millennium Development Goals __________________ 1 Most recently, in General Assembly resolutions 63/150 and 64/131. 4 10-65564 E/CN.5/2011/9 • Raising greater awareness and support for the implementation of the Standard Rules, the Convention and other internationally agreed development norms, including the Millennium Development Goals • Fostering international cooperation • Focusing special attention on measures to address the vulnerabilities of specific groups within the disability community, such as women and girls with disabilities, children and persons with mental disabilities, and persons with disabilities in situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies, including in the emergency witnessed in Haiti in 2010. 7. Over the course of the nine months, I travelled on mission to a number of countries in different regions, including Denmark, Ethiopia, Finland, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Norway, Qatar, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United States of America and Zambia. 8. I am pleased to note that in many parts of the world, progress continues with an increasing attention to disability issues, including through the swift signing and ratification of the Convention. As at 15 November 2010, 96 countries had ratified the Convention and the figure is expected to climb, as Member States commit themselves to promoting the rights of persons with disabilities in all aspects of society and development. 9. I also found, however, that more needs to be done in order to translate the commitments to the rights of persons with disabilities into concrete action and practice, so as to ensure that persons with disabilities enjoy their universal human rights. 10. I am strongly convinced that disability issues must be placed firmly within the mainstream development agenda. More action