Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to hold fifth session from 11 to 15 April 2011

BACKGROUND RELEASE

7 April 2011

Committee to Consider its First Report under the Convention with the Initial Report of Tunisia

The fifth session of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will be held at the Palais Wilson in Geneva from 11 to 15 April 2011, during which the Committee will consider the initial report of Tunisia on how that State party implements the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Tunisia’s report is the first ever to be reviewed by the Committee since the Convention entered into force in May 2008.

On Monday morning, the Committee will address a number of organizational matters, including the taking of the solemn declaration by newly elected Committee Members and the election of a Chairperson and other officers of the Committee. It will also discuss and approve the report of the Chairperson on activities undertaken between the third and fifth sessions of the Committee, after which it will adopt its agenda and programme of work and discuss and approve the report of its fourth session.

On Tuesday, 12 April, the Committee will begin consideration of the initial report of Tunisia (CRPD/C/TUN/1) on how that country implements the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The review will last for three meetings, concluding on Wednesday afternoon at 1 p.m.

During the session, the Committee will engage on a number of topics including cooperation with other United Nations bodies, specialized agencies and other competent bodies in which it will discuss how existing cooperation with various relevant bodies could be further strengthened to enhance the promotion and protection of the rights of persons with disabilities. The Committee will also hold closed meetings in which it will adopt lists of issues on State party reports. According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, States parties are required to submit their initial reports to the Committee two years after the entry into force of the Convention for them. May 2010 marked two years since the Convention had entered into force for the first 20 states to ratify it. The Convention has been ratified by 99 States, while 60 countries have ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention. The Committee has thus far received reports from thirteen States parties.

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Adopted on 13 December 2006 by the General Assembly, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Protocol entered into force on 3 May 2008.

The purpose of the Convention is to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity. Persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.

States parties undertake to ensure and promote the full realization of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all persons with disabilities without discrimination of any kind on the basis of disability. States Parties recognize that all persons are equal before and under the law and are entitled without any discrimination to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law. Specific measures which are necessary to accelerate or achieve de facto equality of persons with disabilities shall not be considered discrimination under the terms of the present Convention.

States parties reaffirm that every human being has the inherent right to life and shall take all necessary measures to ensure its effective enjoyment by persons with disabilities on an equal basis with others. States Parties reaffirm that persons with disabilities have the right to recognition everywhere as persons before the law. States Parties shall recognize that persons with disabilities enjoy legal capacity on an equal basis with others in all aspects of life.

Each State party shall submit to the Committee, through the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, a comprehensive report on measures taken to give effect to its obligations under the present Convention and on the progress made in that regard, within two years after the entry into force of the present Convention for the State Party concerned. Thereafter, States parties shall submit subsequent reports at least every four years and further whenever the Committee so requests.

States Parties to the Convention

At present the Convention has 99 States parties. They are: Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Canada, Chile, China, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, the European Union, France, Gabon, Germany, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Iran, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lesotho, Lithuania, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Rwanda, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sudan, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Yemen and Zambia.

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is the first Convention to allow regional integration organizations, such as the European Union, to ratify it. The European Union ratified the Convention in December 2010.

Committee Membership

The members of the Committee are elected for a term of four years and shall be eligible for re-election once. However, the term of six members elected at the first election expire at the end of two years, as decided by a drawing of lots. Those Committee members whose terms expire two years after the first election can be eligible for re-election for a full four-year term if re-nominated.

The current membership of the Committee is as follows: Ms. Amna Ali Al-Suwaidi (Qatar); Mr. Mohammed Al-Tarawneh (Jordan); Mr. Monsur Ahmed Chowdhury (Bangladesh); Ms. María Soledad Cisteras Reyes (Chile); Ms. Theresia Degener (Germany); Mr. Gábor Gombos (Hungary); Ms. Fatiha Hadj-Salah (Algeria); Mr. Hyung Shik Kim (Republic of Korea); Mr. Lotfi Ben Lallahom (Tunisia); Mr. Stig Langvad (Denmark); Ms. Edah Wangechi Maina (Kenya); Mr. Ronald McCallum(Australia); Ms. Ana Peláez Narváez (Spain); Ms. Silvia Judith Quan-Chang (Guatemala); Mr. Carlos Rios Espinosa (Mexico); Mr. Damjan Tatic (Serbia); Mr. Germán Xavier Torres Correa (Ecuador); Ms. Jia Yang (China).

During the fifth session the Committee will swear in newly elected members and elect a Chairperson and other Committee officers, including three Vice-Chairs and a Rapporteur who will serve for the next two years.

Timetable for Consideration of State Party Reports

Monday, 11 April

10 a.m. Opening of session, adoption of agenda, election of bureau, cooperation with other United Nations bodies, specialized agencies and other competent bodies, and other matters

3 p.m. Private meeting

Tuesday, 12 April

10 a.m. Tunisia: consideration of initial report (CRPD/C/TUN/1)

3 p.m. Tunisia: (continued)

Wednesday, 13 April

10 a.m. Tunisia: (continued)

3 p.m. Private meeting

Thursday, 14 April

10 a.m. Private meeting

3 p.m. Private meeting

Friday, 15 April

10 a.m. Private meeting

3 p.m. Private meeting

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For use of the information media; not an official record