EU signs new UN convention on the rights of people with disabilities

The European Community signed the new UN treaty on disability rights on its opening day for signature in New York. This is the first time the Community signs a core UN human rights convention. The Convention, which covers the rights of people with disabilities aims to ensure that people with disabilities enjoy human rights and fundamental freedoms on an equal basis with everyone else. It will provide protection for 650 million people with disabilities worldwide.

"This Convention recognises at an international level that disability is a human rights issue," said Vladimír Špidla, EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities. "I welcome the unprecedented involvement of people with disabilities throughout the negotiation process and am proud that the EU and its members will be among the first to sign the Convention. It also shows that Europe is at the forefront of strengthening rights for people with disabilities worldwide and is an important achievement in the European Year of Equal Opportunities for All."

81 States signed the convention on the first day possible. Among them was Austria, too.
LIGHT FOR THE WORLD is highly pleased about the high number of states signing the new convention, for this means a high level of support.
LIGHT FOR THE WORLD added its expertise in international cooperation to the negotating process to make sure that the inclusion of people with disabilities living in developing countries is guaranteed, for 80 % of persons with disabilities live in developing countries: a separate Article of the Convention guarantees the full inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities in international cooperation programs.

The UN-Convention for the Rights of Persons with disabilities will enter into force when ratified by 20 countries.