December 2016 CRPD+10: 10th anniversary of the adoption of the CRPD

Annual sessions of the Conference of States Parties to the CRPD

Sessions of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

3 December 2008: International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Theme: “Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Dignity and justice for all of us”, New York. Get more information on  the International Day of Persons with Disabilities

31 October and 3 November 2008: First meeting of the Conference of States parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

23-25 and 29-30 September 2008: Focus 2008 Treaty Event Towards Universal Participation and Implementation – Justice For All of Us at UN Headquarters in New York.

15-17 September 2008: Statement of the Millennium Development Goals and Disability Africa Regional Conference, Nairobi, Kenya.

6 -17 September 2008: United Nations, Sports and the Paralympic Games: Promoting Human Rights, Development and the Ideals of Humanity (Paralympic Games: Beijing, China).

19-22 May 2008: The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and Leonard Cheshire Disability organized a Conference on the Convention in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

12 May 2008 – Public commemorative event was held at United Nations headquarters in New York to celebrate the entry into force of the Convention and Optional Protocol.

3 May 2008 – The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Optional Protocol entered into force. This marked a major milestone in the effort to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms of persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity.

3 April 2008 – The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities received its 20th ratification on 3 April 2008, triggering the entry into force of the Convention and its Optional Protocol 30 days later.

• Press Conference on Convention following 20th ratification – 4 April 2008
• Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon hails entry into force of Convention
• UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour welcomes entry into force
• Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Sha Zukang makes remarks at press conference following 20th ratification

3 December 2007 – High Commissioner for Human Rights – Commitments towards employment of staff with disabilities

27-29 November 2007- Expert Group Meeting: “Making it work: civil society participation in the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities”, Madrid, Spain. Get more information on the Expert Group Meeting

30 March 2007 – the Convention and Optional Protocol opened for signature at UN Headquarters in New York. States or regional integration organizations may now sign the Convention and Optional Protocol at any time at UN Headquarters in New York. Signature creates an obligation, in the period between signature and ratification or consent to be bound, to refrain in good faith from acts that would defeat the object and purpose of the treaty.

• Statements made at the Opening for Signature Ceremony of the Convention
• Video from the Opening for Signature ceremony, Press Conference and Media Stakeout

13 December 2006 – the UN General Assembly adopted by consensus the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol.

• Summary of the General Assembly 76th Plenary Meeting
  • [Also: watch the video- 2 hours and 46 minutes]
• Press conference by Ambassador Don MacKay of New Zealand, chairman of the General Assembly committee that negotiated the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
  • [Also: watch the video- 37 minutes]
• Lauding disability convention as “dawn of a new era,” UN urges speedy ratification
• UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s message on the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
• Statements made at the adoption of the Convention
  
• Watch the video of the Adoption Ceremony [English]
• Watch the video of the Adoption Ceremony [Original language]
• Watch the video of the UN Press Conference following the Adoption – [English]

December 2006 – the resumed eighth session of the Ad Hoc Committee adopted the final draft of the Convention and its Optional Protocol with the technical amendments suggested by the drafting committee.

• Watch the video of the press conference on 25 August 2006
• Watch the video of the Ad Hoc Committee session on 25 August 2006

September – November 2006 – Liechtenstein convened the drafting group which undertook a technical review to ensure uniformity of terminology throughout the text and to harmonize the versions in the six official languages of the UN.

August 2006 – the eighth session of the Ad Hoc Committee finalized negotiations on the draft Convention and a separate Optional Protocol and adopted the texts ad interim subject to a technical review being undertaken by a drafting committee consisting of State representatives.

May-August 2006 – Mexico led informal consultations on international monitoring.

January 2006 – the seventh session of the Ad Hoc Committee completed a first reading of the Chairperson’s text.

August 2005 – the sixth session of the Ad Hoc Committee completed the second reading of the draft text. The Chairperson prepared a revised text, reflecting debate at the third, fourth and fifth sessions for presentation at the seventh session of the Committee.

January/February 2005 – the fifth session of the Ad Hoc Committee held informal consultations on specific draft articles. Civil society organizations, national human rights institutions and inter-governmental organizations were allowed to attend the informal consultations although only States had a right to intervene.

August/September 2004 – fourth session of the Ad Hoc Committee. The Committee completed the first reading of the draft text and started the second reading. The participation of civil society organizations and national human rights institutions in the sessions of the Committee was confirmed although the right to intervene was limited.

May/June 2004 – third session of the Ad Hoc Committee. The Committee conducted a first reading of the working group draft. The Ad Hoc Committee discussed whether it should meet in closed session in the future or in the presence of civil society organizations and national human rights institutions.

January 2004 – the working group met and produced a working draft of the convention text, taking into account the numerous draft texts submitted by States and others.

August 2003 – second session of the Ad Hoc Committee which established a working group to prepare a draft text. Twenty-seven governmental representatives designated by regional groups, twelve representatives from NGOs and one representative of National Human Rights Institutions comprised the working group.

August 2002 – first session of the Ad Hoc Committee meets and sets out procedures for participation of civil society.

December 2001 – Mexican proposal in the General Assembly to establish an Ad Hoc Committee to consider proposals for a comprehensive and integral international convention to promote and protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities