call for input | Treaty bodies

Day of General Discussion and call for written submissions on article 11 of the Convention

Issued by

CRPD

Deadline

15 February 2023

On the occasion of its 28th session, scheduled to be held in Geneva from 6 to 24 March 2023, the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will hold a day of general discussion on 7 and 8 March 2023 with a regional focus on persons with disabilities in situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies. The day of general discussion will be organized by OHCHR.

The purpose of the day of general discussion is to prepare the elaboration by the Committee of a general comment on persons with disabilities in situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies. The aim of the general comment will be to clarify the State party’s obligations pursuant to article 11 of the Convention and provide recommendations to the State parties to the Convention on measures they should adopt to ensure full compliance with their obligations to respect, protect and fulfil the human rights of persons with disabilities.

Date and Venue

The general discussion will take place on 7 and 8 March 2023 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Conference Room XVII and online..

The day of general discussion will include segments for specific geographical regions to engage with various stakeholders, considering time zones and facilitating both in-person and online participation:

7 March from 10h00 to 12h00 (CET) - Asia Pacific, Eastern Europe and Central Asia

7 March from 15h00 to 17h00 (CET) - Western Europe and the Americas

8 March from 10h00 to 12h00 (CET) - Africa and the Middle East

Participation

The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities invites State parties to the CRPD Convention, United Nations entities and specialized agencies, other United Nations human rights mechanisms, National Human Rights Institutions, non-governmental organizations, organizations of persons with disabilities, and other interested stakeholders to participate in the day of general discussion and to provide written submissions.

Written submissions

Written submissions on the theme of the general discussion should be sent electronically in Word format to Ms. Janna Iskakova (email: janna.iskakova@un.org) and to Ms. Laia Evia (email: laia.evia@un.org) indicating "CRPD DGD on art 11" in the subject and, in the body of the message, whether the submission may be published on the OHCHR website for the day of general discussion. Submissions in Word format must not exceed 10 pages and must be received by 15 February 2023 at the latest. Written contributions will not be translated and should, therefore, be submitted in English, French or Spanish, which are the working languages of the Committee. Due to high number of submissions the Committee will not acknowledge receipt but will proceed with publishing them on the webpage.

Oral Interventions

During the day of general discussion, time will be allocated for oral statements by the representatives of State parties to the CRPD Convention, United Nations entities and specialized agencies, other United Nations human rights mechanisms, National Human Rights Institutions, non-governmental organizations, organizations of persons with disabilities, and other interested stakeholders.

The Committee will try to accommodate all requests for oral interventions. However, it cannot guarantee that all stakeholders who wish to take the floor will be able to do so due to time constraints and depending upon the number of requests received. The Committee reserves the right to organize the list of speakers at its discretion.

How to register

The registration links:

For oral interventions please register for the Day of General Discussion by registering for the regional segment in which you wish to participate:

7 March from 10h00 to 12h00 (CET) - Asia Pacific, Eastern Europe and Central Asia register here

7 March from 15h00 to 17h00 (CET) - Western Europe and the Americas register here

8 March from 10h00 to 12h00 (CET) - Africa and the Middle East register here

Please note that OHCHR will not provide letters of invitation to civil society organizations to attend CRPD sessions for purposes of obtaining visas. Please also note that OHCHR is unable to assist with travel and/or accommodation costs.

All participants are responsible for making their own arrangements relating to travel and accommodation as well as for obtaining visas to enter Switzerland. The Secretariat of CRPD does not provide assistance in this regard. Representatives requiring a visa to enter Switzerland are advised to apply as early as possible, in case there are long delays for clearance by the Swiss authorities, and ensure that the visa is received in time for travel. Past practice shows that when applying for a Swiss visa, it is recommendable to bring copies of the confirmation of registration, as well as a letter prepared by the respective NGO, to the appointment with the relevant Swiss Consulate or Embassy.

Ground Pass

In order to receive a ground pass, all applicants must bring the confirmation of registration which will be sent to you by email upon successful registration online, a valid national passport or government issued ID bearing a photograph, and appear in person at Portal de Pregny, Prégny Gate, United Nations Office at Geneva, Avenue de la Paix 8-14, Geneva, Switzerland. The office hours are 8:00 to 16:45, Monday through Friday. Please note that NGOs and NHRI representatives must bring their passport (or government issued photo ID) as well as their ground pass every time they wish to enter the UN premises.

Further information

For further information on the day of general discussion and the call for submission, kindly contact the Secretariat of the Committee by e-mail at: janna.iskakova@un.org and laia.evia@un.org.

Documentation
Inputs received

 

Oral Interventions

Speakers Asia-Pacific, Central Asia and Eastern Europe (7 March 2023)

Impacts and challenges faced by persons with disabilities in situations of risk and role of state and non-state actors in addressing them

Best practices to protect persons with disabilities and ensure their safety in situations of risks

Speakers Western Europe and Americas (7 March 2023)

Impacts and challenges faced by persons with disabilities in situations of risk and role of state and non-state actors in addressing them

Best practices to protect persons with disabilities and ensure their safety in situations of risks

Speakers Africa and Middle East (8 March 2023)

Impacts and challenges faced by persons with disabilities in situations of risk and role of state and non-state actors in addressing them

Best practices to protect persons with disabilities and ensure their safety in situations of risks