Transcript Putting the Convention into practice

The UN Disability Convention
Equality and Human Rights
Commission
Engagement with disabled people
and disabled people’s organisations
UNCRPD Engagement
• This engagement is about the UN
Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities (the UNCRPD, or the Disability
Convention)
• You can find out all about the Disability
Convention on our website:
www.equalityhumanrights.com
UN Disability Convention
• International human rights agreement
ratified by UK Government in 2009
• Goes beyond non-discrimination to civil,
political, social and economic rights
across all areas of life
• Requires full participation of disabled
people
Why is the Convention important for
disabled people in Britain
• Legally binding on the UK since 8 June 2009
(Optional Protocol since 7 Aug 2009)
• Sets new standards on how Government
and public bodies should ensure disabled
people’s human rights are protected and
promoted
• UK will be examined by UN Disability
Committee on its record
Roles and responsibilities (article 33)
• Implementation: UK Government and the
devolved administrations
• Monitoring: UK Independent Mechanism
(UKIM)
• Monitoring: Disabled people and their
organisations must be involved and
participate fully in monitoring process
UN monitoring and reporting process
• Within two years of ratification, each state
party to the Convention must submit a report
on measures taken to give effect to its
obligations under the Convention and on
progress made (article 35)
• Each report considered by the UN Disability
Cttee, which may make suggestions and
general recommendations (article 36)
• UK Initial Report submitted in November 2011
UN Disability Committee
• Committee on Rights of Persons with
Disabilities or UN Disability Committee
• Body of 18 independent experts
• Meets in Geneva for two sessions per
year (April and September)
• Diane Mulligan Elected Member for UK
Upcoming sessions of the Committee
• Expect UK report to be considered during
13th session – April 2015
• Cttee to agree the ‘list of issues’ (LOI) for
UK during 12th session – Sept 2014
• NHRI and civil society , especially disabled
people’s organisations, encouraged to
submit information on issues relevant to
implementation
Timing and format of submissions
• Make submission 4 to 6 weeks before start
of session - for LOI, July 2014
• Selective and targeted information
• Written information should be concise,
specific, reliable and objective
• Highlight priority concerns and suggest
possible recommendations
• Cttee encourages joint submissions
Next steps
• NHRI submission on the ‘list of issues’ we
want the UN Disability Committee to
consider
• Helps to set the agenda for the
examination of the UK report
• Engaging with disabled people on the
issues to include in our submission to the
Committee
The questionnaire
• Asks about priority areas for the list of issues
• Issues listed in the questionnaire are based on
what we were told at our previous events
• Questionnaire for disabled people and disabled
people’s user-led organisations in England and
Wales (Scotland has its own questionnaire)
• Asks for personal information so we know who
has replied and to keep for the next stage of
engagement
The questionnaire
• Available until February 2014
• Would like as many responses as possible by
10 November 2013 to inform the next stage of
the process.
• Stories about disabled people’s rights in the UK
can be submitted to the UK Disabled People’s
Council via
https://response.questback.com/unitedkingdo
mdisabledpeoplesco/questionnaire/
Please help!
• Forward to members, networks, contacts
• Share on social media
• Help us to reach as many disabled people
and disabled people’s organisations as
possible
• For hard copies/accessibility please email
[email protected]
or ring 020 7832 7824
Choosing priorities
• The Equality and Human Rights Commission is
proposing to focus strategically on a few
priority issues, rather than covering every
article of the Disability Convention
• Do you agree with this approach?
Top 3 priority issues from this list or ones
of your own?
• Access to justice
• Accessible information
and communication
• Education
• Health and social care
• Independent living
• Involvement
• Participation in public
life
• Transport
• Welfare reform
• Work and training
Issues facing particular groups of
disabled people
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Disabled women or men
Ethnic minority disabled people
Older or younger disabled people
LGB/T disabled people
Disabled people with a particular religion or
belief
• Any other specific group of disabled people
First UK report on the Convention
• Are there any issues in relation to
the UK Government report?
• Are there any areas where there is a
need for clarification?
• Are there any areas where the
Government should be asked to
provide more information?
Finally.............
• Please tell us about any other issues
or information relating to
monitoring implementation of the
Convention in addition to those
above
• Thank you!