 |
 |
|
|
|
|
Draft resolution II
The Economic and Social Council,
Recalling General Assembly resolutions 37/52 of 3 December 1982, by which the
Assembly adopted the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons,
48/96 of 20 December 1993, by which it adopted the Standard Rules on the Equalization
of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, and 52/82 of 12 December 1997
and 54/121 of 17 December 1999,
Recalling also Economic and Social Council resolutions 1997/19 of
21 July 1997 on equalization of opportunities for persons with disabilities
and 1997/20 of 21 July 1997 on children with disabilities, Commission on Human
Rights resolution 1998/31 of 17 April 1998 on the human rights of persons with
disabilities,2 and other relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and the
Economic and Social Council and its functional commissions,
Recalling further the purposes and principles of the Charter of the
United Nations, and reaffirming the obligations contained in relevant human rights
instruments, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
against Women3 and the Convention on the Rights of the Child,4
Recalling the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action adopted
by the World Summit for Social Development,5 in which Governments are requested
to promote the Standard Rules and to develop strategies for their implementation,
Reaffirming the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and summits
and their respective follow-up reviews, in particular as they pertain to the
promotion of the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities on the basis
of their full participation and equality,
Mindful of the need to adopt and implement effective strategies and policies
to promote the rights and the full and effective participation of persons with
disabilities in economic, social, cultural and political life, on the basis of
equality, to achieve a society for all,
Noting with great concern that persons with disabilities in some circumstances
are among the poorest of the poor and continue to be excluded from the benefits
of development, such as education and access to gainful employment,
Noting with satisfaction that the Standard Rules play an important role in influencing
the promotion, formulation and evaluation of policies, plans, programmes and
actions at the national, regional and international levels to further the equalization
of opportunities by, for and with persons with disabilities,
Acknowledging the active role played by non-governmental organizations, including
organizations of persons with disabilities, in cooperation with Governments and
relevant intergovernmental bodies and organizations to promote awareness and
support implementation and evaluation of the Standard Rules at the national,
regional and international levels,
Recognizing that the United Nations Voluntary Fund on Disability has relied on
a narrow donor base, and that a sustained and predictable financial basis for
the execution of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons and
the implementation of the Standard Rules needs a broadening of its donor base,
1. Takes note with appreciation of the valuable work done by the Special
Rapporteur on disability of the Commission for Social Development, and welcomes
his report on his second mission
(1997-2000);6
2. Takes further note with appreciation of the important efforts of
Governments as well as non-governmental organizations and academic institutions
during the first and second missions of the Special Rapporteur to build capacities
to implement the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons
with Disabilities at the national, regional and interregional levels;7
3. Welcomes the many initiatives and actions of Governments, relevant United
Nations bodies and organizations, including the Bretton Woods institutions, as
well as non-governmental organizations to further implement the goal of full
participation and equality for persons with disabilities in accordance with the
Standard Rules;
4. Urges Governments, intergovernmental organizations as well as non-governmental
organizations to take practical action to create greater awareness and support
to further implement the Standard Rules, and to consider taking further initiatives,
as appropriate, with special emphasis accorded, as noted in the Special Rapporteur’s
report,8 to the human rights of persons with disabilities, children with disabilities
and their families, gender aspects, in particular the issue of discrimination
of girls and women with disabilities, and the situation of persons with developmental
and psychiatric disabilities, with a focus on integrating such persons into society;
5. Further urges the relevant bodies and organizations of the United Nations
system, including relevant human rights treaty bodies, within their respective
mandates, the regional commissions, intergovernmental organizations as well as
non-governmental organizations to work closely with the United Nations programme
on persons with disabilities to promote the rights of persons with disabilities,
including activities at the field level, by sharing knowledge, experiences, findings
and recommendations concerning persons with disabilities;
6. Also encourages the United Nations system, the Bretton Woods institutions
and Governments to enhance cooperation, through appropriate mechanisms, with
organizations of persons with disabilities or concerned with disability issues
so as to implement the Standard Rules in an effective and coordinated manner;
7. Decides to renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur for a further period
through the year 2002 so that the results of his continued promotion and monitoring
of the implementation of the Standard Rules, in accordance with section IV of
the Standard Rules, will be available to the fourth quinquennial review and appraisal
of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons, in accordance with
General Assembly resolution 52/82, and to request the Special Rapporteur, assisted
by the United Nations Secretariat and in consultation with his panel of experts,
to prepare a report for submission to the Commission for Social Development at
its fortieth session, in which he should, inter alia, present his views on further
developing the proposals contained in his report on his second mission5 and on
forms for complementing and developing the Standard Rules, and on how to enhance
the involvement of the relevant bodies and organizations of the United Nations
system and relevant intergovernmental regional organizations regarding the implementation
of the Standard Rules;
8. Encourages States Parties to include in their reports to the relevant treaty
bodies information on persons with disabilities, and reiterates its invitation
to the Special Rapporteur and the relevant human rights treaty bodies, including
the Committee on the Rights of the Child, within their respective mandates, to
enhance their cooperation, as appropriate, to ensure that the rights of persons
with disabilities are appropriately addressed;
9. Requests the Secretary-General to invite relevant organizations of the United
Nations system to provide upon request advisory services to Governments, inter
alia, on formulating and evaluating disability-sensitive policies and programmes,
on reinforcing the disability dimension in mainstream technical cooperation activities,
and for building national capacities and institutions to further equalization
of opportunities in accordance with the Standard Rules, and to provide a report
to the Commission at its fortieth session;
10. Further requests the Secretary-General to strengthen and improve mechanisms
for consultation, exchange of information and coordination, as appropriate, and
active participation of relevant United Nations bodies, specialized agencies
and related organizations to further implement the Standard Rules, inter alia,
within the framework of the Administrative Committee on Coordination;
11. Urges relevant bodies and organizations of the United Nations system to identify
ways and means and to develop within their existing programmes support services
and related initiatives to improve living conditions for persons with developmental
and psychiatric disabilities, in particular women and children;
12. Encourages Governments, non-governmental organizations and the private sector
to continue to contribute to the United Nations Voluntary Fund on Disability
so that it is able to support on a predictable and sustained basis new and expanded
initiatives at the regional, subregional and national levels to strengthen national
capacities for equalization of opportunities by, for and with persons with disabilities,
and the activities of the Special Rapporteur during his renewed mandate;
13. Urges Governments to observe the International Day of Disabled Persons
(3 December)9 as an opportunity for promoting the human rights of persons with
disabilities and for raising awareness of their special needs with a view towards
their full and effective participation in society;
14. Encourages international support for the African Decade of Disabled People
during the years 2000-2009, to promote equalization of opportunities by, for
and with persons with disabilities as well as to promote and protect their human
rights.
Footnotes:
2. Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 1998,
Supplement No. 3 (E/1998/23), chap. II, sect. A.
3. General Assembly resolution 34/180, annex.
4. General Assembly resolution 44/25, annex.
5. Report of the World Summit for Social Development, Copenhagen, 6-12 March
1995 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.96.IV.8), chap. I, resolution 1,
annex I.
6. E/CN.5/2000/3, annex.
7. E/CN.5/2000/3.
8. E/CN.5/2000/3, annex, paras. 92-116.
9. General Assembly resolution 47/3.