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04/02/2009
Government Commits To Rights For Disabled People
Disabled people will have the opportunity to take their case to the UN if they feel their rights have been breached, Jonathan Shaw, Minister for Disabled People said today.
Announcing that the UK Government has committed to signing the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on Rights of Disabled People, Mr Shaw said: "This is further demonstration of our commitment to the UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled People, and to the principle of ensuring that disabled people can enjoy their human rights on an equal basis with non-disabled people."
The Convention itself reaffirms that disabled people have - and should be able to enjoy - their human rights on an equal basis with non-disabled people. The Optional Protocol builds on this by establishing two additional procedures in respect of implementation and monitoring of the Convention. This includes an avenue that will enable individuals, who feel their rights have been breached, to bring petitions to the UN Committee, set up to monitor implementation of the Convention.
The UK signed the UN Convention itself on the first day that it was able to do so - on 30 March 2007. Since then it has been considering the Optional Protocol in the light of work towards ratification of the Convention itself.
Mr Shaw, added: "I can tell you that work towards ratification of the Convention itself continues and good progress is being made. We expect the Parliamentary processes for ratification of the Convention will start soon. Our ambition is to ratify the Convention in the Spring."
(JM/BMcC)
Announcing that the UK Government has committed to signing the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on Rights of Disabled People, Mr Shaw said: "This is further demonstration of our commitment to the UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled People, and to the principle of ensuring that disabled people can enjoy their human rights on an equal basis with non-disabled people."
The Convention itself reaffirms that disabled people have - and should be able to enjoy - their human rights on an equal basis with non-disabled people. The Optional Protocol builds on this by establishing two additional procedures in respect of implementation and monitoring of the Convention. This includes an avenue that will enable individuals, who feel their rights have been breached, to bring petitions to the UN Committee, set up to monitor implementation of the Convention.
The UK signed the UN Convention itself on the first day that it was able to do so - on 30 March 2007. Since then it has been considering the Optional Protocol in the light of work towards ratification of the Convention itself.
Mr Shaw, added: "I can tell you that work towards ratification of the Convention itself continues and good progress is being made. We expect the Parliamentary processes for ratification of the Convention will start soon. Our ambition is to ratify the Convention in the Spring."
(JM/BMcC)
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