D. Awareness-raising and training

Awareness-raising, including training, is another important implementation measure. As disability is the result of the interaction between impairment and an unwelcoming environment—environment refers not only to the physical environment but also to unwelcoming attitudes and negative or inaccessible information in society—awareness-raising and training about the Convention are essential if the environment is to be changed.

Awareness-raising

Article 8 is specifically devoted to awareness-raising, setting out a whole range of measures that State parties should take, in particular to:

This can be done through public awareness campaigns, the education system, the media and awareness-training programmes.

Other articles require State parties to provide information to persons with disabilities, which is also a form of awareness-raising. For example, States undertake to:

Training

Article 4 underlines the importance of training. The State is required to promote the training of professionals and staff working with persons with disabilities in relation to the rights in the Convention so as to provide better assistance and services.

The Convention promotes training in the broader community, for instance of professionals as well as of persons with disabilities. For the former, it promotes:

Training for the latter—beyond the right to education itself—is referred to as follows: