U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities

The United Nations (UN) General Assembly adopted the convention to protect the rights of persons with disabilities. Translators guided the adoption of language in the Convention so that the intent to protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities was clear. The Convention specifically offers protections for women and children with disabilities. The key focus is the right of persons to be included in all rights of their society. Beginning in  March 2007, the Convention is open for signing; it must be signed by 20 UN member nations to become international law. Countries that sign are urged to ratify it, and then adopt laws that match the provisions of the Convention. The provisions prohibit the following types of discrimination: education, employment, health, access to information, justice, and physical access to public facilities.

The Convention treaty includes an optional protocol that will enable groups and individuals in the signatory countries to petition the UN Committee on Rights of Persons with Disabilities, if a dispute or grievance cannot be resolved at the national level. If a grievance is filed the nation will have six-months to clarify the matter and the remedy steps it has taken in the matter. However, this will only apply to nations that signed the treaty. No grievance can be brought against a country that did not sign.