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Background Documents | Article 9 Background
Seventh Session | Sixth
Session | Fourth Session | Third
Session
Working Group | References
Sixth Session
Draft article 19
65. There was considerable discussion in the Committee of the relationship
and overlap between draft articles 19 and 20, as well as, to a lesser extent,
draft articles 13 and 15. The Committee noted that draft articles 19 and
20 are essentially two sides of the same coin. There was general support
to merge the two draft articles.
66. A number of delegations pointed out that “accessibility” was not just
about access to buildings. Accessibility also related to, for example, accessible
information. It was important to ensure that this draft article did not
slant towards one type of accessibility. There was also support to include
accessibility as a principle in draft article 2.
Paragraph 1
67. There was general support to re-draft the beginning of paragraph 1 to
delete superfluous text, in order to make the goal of this draft article
clear.
68. The Committee noted that the words “the focus of these measures” in
the last line of the chapeau might have a limiting effect. Delegations agreed
to give this issue more thought.
Paragraphs 1(a) and (b), 2(a), (b), (c) and (d)
69. There was considerable discussion on the question of whether subparagraphs
1(a) and (b), and 2(a), (b), (c) and (d), which generally refer to public
buildings, facilities and services, should also extend to privately owned
or developed buildings, facilities and services intended for public use.
There was general agreement that access to buildings should be viewed from
a “who uses the building” perspective, rather than from a “who owns the
building” perspective.
Paragraphs 2(e) and 2(g)
70. The Committee noted the general agreement at the fourth session to incorporate
these two paragraphs in paragraph 1 and paragraph 2 of draft article 4,
respectively. d
71. Draft article 19 currently reads:
1. States Parties to this Convention shall take appropriate measures to
ensure accessibility for persons with disabilities by identifying and eliminating
obstacles to the built environment to transportation, to information and
communications, including information and communications technologies, and
to other services, in order to ensure the capacity of persons with disabilities
to live independently and to participate fully in all aspects of life. [The
focus of] these measures shall include, inter alia:
(b) the construction and renovation of public buildings, roads and other
facilities for public use, including schools, housing, medical facilities,
in-door and out-door facilities and publicly owned workplaces;
(c) the development and remodelling of public transportation facilities,
communications and other services, including electronic services.
2. States Parties shall also take appropriate measures to:
(a) provide in public buildings and facilities signage in Braille and easy
to read and understand forms;
(b) provide forms of live assistance and intermediaries, including guides,
readers and sign language interpreters, to facilitate accessibility to public
buildings and facilities;
(c) develop, promulgate and monitor implementation of minimum national standards
and guidelines for the accessibility of public facilities and services;
(d) [encourage/ensure] private entities that provide public facilities and
services to take into account all aspects of accessibility for persons with
disabilities;
(f) promote universal design and international cooperation in the development
of standards, guidelines and assistive technologies;
provide training for all stakeholders on accessibility issues facing persons
with disabilities.
72. The draft article was referred to the facilitator (Damjan Tatic, Serbia
and Montenegro) for further discussion.