Mandate

The Special Rapporteur is mandated to:

• Develop a regular dialogue with States and other stakeholders for the identification, exchange and promotion of good practices related to the realization of the rights of persons with disabilities and their participation as equal members of society;
• Receive and exchange information and communications on violations of the rights of persons with disabilities;
• Consult with and involve persons with disabilities and their organizations in a participatory manner in the conduct of her work;
• Make concrete recommendations on how to better promote and protect the rights of persons with disabilities, including on how to promote development that is inclusive of and accessible to persons with disabilities;
• Provide advisory services and technical assistance in support of national efforts for the effective realization of the rights of persons with disabilities;
• Raise awareness of the rights of persons with disabilities, combat stigma and stereotypes, and inform persons with disabilities of their rights;
• Closely contribute in the implementation of the UN Disability Inclusion Strategy and other efforts to ensure the UN system is fit for purpose;
• Closely cooperate with other UN human rights mechanisms and UN entities to advance the rights of persons with disabilities in a coherent manner;
• Closely cooperate with the Conference of State Parties to the CRPD and the Commission for Social Development and participate in their annual sessions;
• Integrate a gender perspective throughout the work of the mandate;
• Report annually to the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly in accessible formats.

In the discharge of these functions, the Special Rapporteur:

• Acts on information submitted to her regarding alleged violations of the human rights of persons with disabilities by sending urgent appeals and communications to concerned States to clarify and/or bring this information to their attention. See Submitting Complaints.
• Conducts country visits upon the invitation of the Government, to examine the state of protection of the human rights of persons with disabilities in the given country. The Special Rapporteur submits a report of the visit to the Human Rights Council, presenting her findings, conclusions and recommendations. See Country Visits.
• Participates in conferences, seminars and panels on disability-related matters and issues press releases. See Speeches and Presentations.
• Reports annually to the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly, in accessible formats, about the global state of protection of persons with disabilities, her main concerns and the good practices observed in relation to the rights of persons with disabilities. The Special Rapporteur formulates specific recommendations with a view to enhancing the protection of the human rights of persons with disabilities. See Annual Thematic Reports.