L. The role of States, civil society and United Nations country teams

States, civil society and United Nations country teams can all play a role in promoting the Optional Protocol and can benefit from it. In particular, States can:

Civil society and DPOs have a crucial role in strengthening the national implementation of the Convention through promoting the ratification of the Optional Protocol and advocating the implementation of the Committee's recommendations. In particular, civil society can:

United Nations country teams can support ratification of the Optional Protocol and also implementation of the Committee's suggestions and recommendations relating to individual communications and inquiries. In particular, United Nations country teams can:

Promote ratification. The United Nations country teams can use advocacy with partner ministries to encourage ratification of the Optional Protocol. One way would be for the country team to collect recommendations of other human rights bodies encouraging ratification of the Optional Protocol and use this in discussions with their government counterparts. It is likely that the Committee (similar to other treaty bodies) will recommend ratification of the Optional Protocol in its regular reviews of State party reports. Similarly, the universal periodic review of the Human Rights Council, the special procedures during country missions or the High Commissioner and even regional human rights bodies will recommend that specific States should ratify the Optional Protocol. United Nations country teams can draw on these recommendations to promote ratification.

Collect information on domestic case law and experience with optional protocols of other treaties. In countries where domestic courts or NHRIs have already dealt with complaints in relation to disabilities, States might be more willing to accept the justiciability of the Convention's rights. United Nations country teams can collect and analyse information on such experience to demonstrate how judicial and quasi-judicial procedures can improve the realization of human rights, including the rights of persons with disabilities.

Raise awareness and train relevant actors, such as judges, law students, civil servants and DPOs/civil society organizations so that they are aware of the Optional Protocol and its relevance to their work in order to support and advocate ratification. If the Committee has issued recommendations related to a communication or inquiry, training can help these actors identify ways to promote implementation. Alternatively, the United Nations country team could issue a press release on the anniversary of the entering into force of the two instruments (3 May), the international day of persons with disabilities (3 December) or the anniversary of ratification of the Convention by the State to encourage the State party to ratify the Optional Protocol. When the Committee issues suggestions and recommendations related to an inquiry or communication, the country team can encourage the Government to issue a press release or consider issuing a press release itself.

Provide reliable information to the Committee. The United Nations country team can use the inquiry mechanism as a means of highlighting a country situation which might be too sensitive for the United Nations country team to do itself. In this way, the country team can rely on the Committee to undertake an independent investigation so that the issue is dealt with adequately, without the country team being placed in a difficult position vis-à-vis the Government.

Assist with follow-up. Depending on the nature of the views and recommendations and the knowledge and experience in the United Nations country team, it could help the State party implement the Committee's views and recommendations. This could be particularly relevant for inquiries where the views and recommendations are likely to be comprehensive, covering a range of different interrelated issues concerning implementation (as opposed to views on a communication, which might simply be about providing compensation to an individual victim).

Disseminate the Committee's views and recommendations. The United Nations country team could publish the Committee's views and recommendations on its website and also issue a press release when decisions are published.

Report on follow-up. The United Nations country team can also provide information to the Committee, either publicly or confidentially, when a State party presents its periodic report. It can provide the Committee with invaluable information on follow-up to its views and recommendations under the Optional Protocol. In this way, the Committee has information from a trusted source.