The event brought together many of the remarkable individuals from governments, the disability community and the UN System who worked to negotiate the treaty, was a tribute to the resolute and dedicated global efforts to ensure that the rights of the world’s estimated 650 million persons with disabilities are guaranteed and protected.

Participants at the ceremony revisited the remarkable effort that propelled the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2006 and its entry into force on 3 May. They highlighted the need to make development and social progress benefit all people, as well as the link between development and the promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities.

While the rights of persons with disabilities should be protected under the existing seven core human rights treaties, in reality, their rights have largely been unaddressed and frequently violated.

Persons with disabilities face discrimination in all aspects of society such as the workplace, in education and in government social programmes. The new Convention does not actually create any new rights but ensures that the rights of persons with disabilities will be promoted, protected and ensured.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has called upon all States to ratify or accede to the Convention without delay.

“The Convention is not just the first comprehensive human rights treaty of the 21st century, it has a very strong development dimension,” says Sha Zukang, UN Under-Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs. “It was also negotiated and entered into force in record time. We must now work towards accelerating its implementation and making sure that persons with disabilities fully enjoy their rights”.

The Convention has been signed by 128 countries since 30 March 2007, and ratified by 25. 

The special ceremony was held in the UN General Assembly from 1.15 p.m. to 3.15 p.m.

Watch  the commemorative event on webcast [English]

Photos of the Event

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon remarks

Statement by Mr. Sha Zukang, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs

Press Releases

• United Nations to celebrate New Treaty on Rights of Persons with Disabilities, at New York, 9 May 2008, Note No. 6148
• Secretary-General, at Headquarters Event, says concrete steps must now transform vision of disabilities Convention into ‘real victories on the ground’, SG/SM/11563
• Press Conference on the Convention

For more information about this event, please visit UN Enable Website