United Nations

Canada has ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on the eve of the Paralympic Games in Vancouver.

“Canada is committed to promoting and protecting the rights of persons with disabilities and enabling their full participation in society,” Foreign Affairs
Minister Lawrence Cannon said Thursday after delivering the ratified document to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in New York City as activist Traci Walters
looked on, beaming, from her wheelchair.

MANILA, Philippines – The United Nations is looking to find new ways for some 400 million disabled people in the Asia Pacific to get access to the Internet and mobile phone technologies.

In the recently concluded Regional Workshop on the Enhancement of Information and Communications Technology Accessibility for People with Disabilities, member countries from across the region came up with several new guidelines to help improve ICT access for disabled people.

A milestone for the advocacy of the rights of persons with disabilities is now steadily gaining worldwide acceptance and support. This is known as the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities refers to a document focusing on international human rights of people with disabilities. It was created by the United Nations and is being monitored by the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro urged Member States this morning to without delay sign, ratify and implement the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities — a landmark document that provided a solid norm for advancing the human rights of the 650 million people worldwide with disabilities — as well as its Optional Protocol.

As it was planned President Barack Obama declared his administration's intent to sign the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities today. The actual signing will take place in New York at the end of July.

On July 24, President Barack Obama plans to announce signing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. With this, the United States would be number 141 signing the Convention.

The newest United Nations human rights treaty body, the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, today concluded its first session, which was held from 23 to 27 February at the Palais des Nations.

At the end of the session, the Committee adopted its first declaration, in which it, inter alia, declared that it would afford equal attention and priority to all persons with disabilities considering the specific conditions of those who were vulnerable, such as women; children; older persons; persons with disabilities in rural areas or in areas of armed conflict; persons with multiple disabilities; indigenous people; migrants and asylum-seekers and others. It also recognized the importance of an immediate transition from the medical model of disability (i.e. which considers that a person with a disability has something wrong with them) to the human rights and social model (which considers that there is something wrong with a society if it does not allow disabled persons to enjoy their rights), and would endeavour to provide the required support to States parties in realizing that important transition. In its declaration, the Committee further invited States to redouble their efforts with regard to inclusive social development for the full enjoyment of persons with disabilities and for the betterment of their quality of life and to refrain from letting economic and financial instabilities affect the achievement of that objective. It was highlighted that persons with disabilities were at particular risk in the current economic crisis and that it was important that
States paid particular attention to the situation of persons with disabilities in the current situation.

NEW DELHI, INDIA: India will host the 3rd United Nation's Meet on Internet Governance.
The global mega event, with the theme 'Internet for All', is scheduled to be held in
Hyderabad from December 3 to 6, 2008, said an official press release.

Even Grounds, an accessibility consulting company based in Washington DC, was invited to attend this year’s UN-GAID (United Nations Global Alliance for ICT and Development) Annual Meeting and Global Forum. This UN conference was held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center from May 18 to 20, 2008.

Ecuador today became the twentieth country to ratify the landmark Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which is now set to enter into force on 3 May. The Convention needed 20 ratifications to take effect.