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Article 21 - Freedom of expression and opinion, and access to information
Background Documents | Article 21 Background
Seventh Session | Fifth Session | Fourth Session | Third Session
Working Group | References
Compilation of proposed revisions and amendments made by the members of the Ad Hoc Committee to the draft text presented by the Working Group as a basis for negotiations by Member States and Observers in the Ad Hoc Committee
(updated after the completion of the first reading at the Fourth Session, 26 August 2004)
Article 13
Freedom of expression and opinion, and access to information
(Right to information and communication — Costa Rica)
(The right of access to information — Israel) (and to promote facility of expression
— India)
(States Parties undertake to ensure the enjoyment of the right to information
and communication to persons with disabilities. In this regard — Costa Rica)
States Parties shall take appropriate measures to ensure that persons with disabilities
can exercise their right to freedom of expression and opinion through ([alternative]
(appropriate — Liechtenstein) modes of communication of their choice, where
appropriate, including — Costa Rica) Braille, sign language [and other modes
of communication of their choice, — Costa Rica] and to seek, receive and impart
information, [on an equal footing — Costa Rica] (on conditions of equality —
Costa Rica) (on the basis of equality — Canada) with others, including by:
(a) [Providing [public — EU] (official — EU) information — Japan] (Taking appropriate
steps to provide public information — Japan) to persons with disabilities, [[on
request — Thailand, Kuwait], in a timely manner — Namibia] and without additional
cost, (and without tax — Morocco) in accessible formats [and technologies [of
their choice — EU, New Zealand], — Argentina] (and technologies appropriate
to different disabilities — Argentina) taking into account different kinds of
disability;
(b) Accepting (and promoting — Mexico) the use of [alternative — New Zealand]
(a variety of — New Zealand) modes of communication by persons with disabilities
in official interactions;
(c) [Educating persons with disabilities] (Providing education programmes aimed
at teaching persons with disabilities and their families [alternative — New
Zealand] (a variety of communication modes — New Zealand) [and augmentative
— New Zealand] — Costa Rica) (Providing education and learning — Jordan) (and
non-disabled persons wishing to communicate with persons with disabilities —
Lebanon) (their families and the general public — Trinidad and Tobago) to use
[alternative — New Zealand] (a variety of communication modes — New Zealand)
[and augmentative — New Zealand] modes (and providing opportunities for those
concerned with persons with disabilities to be educated in augmentative and
alternative communication modes — Yemen);
[(d) (Promoting and where appropriate — EU, New Zealand) Undertaking [and promoting
— EU, New Zealand] the research, development and production of new technologies,
including information and communication technologies, and assistive technologies,
[[suitable — Thailand] (accessible — Thailand) (and affordable — Philippines)
for — Canada] (in consultation with — Canada) persons with disabilities; (and
ensuring access to these technologies by all countries — Trinidad and Tobago)
(, guided by the principle of universal design — Thailand) — New Zealand]
(e) Promoting other appropriate forms of assistance and support to persons with
disabilities (including expanding the necessary level of expertise to assist
persons with disabilities — Republic of Korea), (and where necessary their parents
and caregivers — Uganda) to ensure their access to information (, including
training of interpreters, and access to new information and communication technologies
— Costa Rica);
(Providing training of life assistance and intermediaries such as sign language
and tactile interpreters, note takers, readers and others — Lebanon)
(f) [Encouraging — Yemen] (Obliging — Yemen) (Ensuring — Uganda) (Requiring/ensuring
— Jordan) private (and public — Trinidad and Tobago) entities (, including the
mass media — Liechtenstein) that provide services to the general public to provide
information and services in accessible and usable formats for persons with disabilities;
[(g) [Encouraging — Yemen] (Obliging — Yemen) (Requiring/ensuring — Jordan)
the mass media to make their services accessible to (children and — Jordan)
persons with disabilities. — Liechtenstein]
((h) Developing a national sign language — Uganda)
(Promoting that persons with disabilities enjoy the new information and telecommunication
technologies — Mexico)
((h) Providing information to persons with disabilities about mobility aids,
devices and other forms of assistive devices and technologies — South Africa)
(2. States Parties will take all appropriate measures to ensure that accessible
information and communication technologies be designed, developed and produced
at an early stage so that the information society becomes inclusive at minimum
cost — Lebanon)