A. What is the Convention?
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is a human rights treaty, i.e., an international agreement among
States setting out human rights and the corresponding obligations on States.
- The Convention recognizes the rights of persons with disabilities—these are the same rights as everyone else—but reaffirms
that persons with disabilities must also enjoy these rights. This in itself is significant as persons with disabilities are
often denied their rights or are simply not aware that they have rights. The treaty underlines that persons with disabilities
should enjoy those rights without discrimination and on an equal basis with others.
- The treaty sets out obligations on States to promote and protect the rights of persons with disabilities. While persons with
disabilities have the same rights as persons without disabilities, sometimes States must take different or additional steps
to ensure the realization of those rights. The Convention sets out these obligations in considerable detail.
- The treaty also sets out the national and international institutions necessary for implementing and monitoring the Convention.
At the national level, these could be government focal points and coordination mechanisms as well as independent implementation
and monitoring mechanisms. At the international level, the Convention establishes the Committee on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities to assist States in implementing the Convention and a Conference of States Parties to consider any aspect of
implementation.