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2000/10
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,[1] 48/96 of 20 December 1993, by which it adopted the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, 52/82 of 12 December 1997 and 54/121 of 17 December 1999,
Recalling also Economic and Social Council resolutions 1997/19, on equalization of opportunities for persons with disabilities, and 1997/20, on children with disabilities, of 21 July 1997, Commission on Human Rights resolution 1998/31, on the human rights of persons with disabilities, of 17 April 1998 [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 Women [3] and the Convention on the Rights of the Child,[4]
Recalling the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and Programme of Action of 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 for monitoring the implementation of the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities of the Commission for Social Development, and welcomes his report on his second mission, 1997-2000;[6]
2. Also takes 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 implement further 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 implement further 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 against women and girls with disabilities, and the situation of persons with developmental and psychiatric disabilities, with a focus on integrating such persons into society;
5. 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 programme on disability of the Division for Social Policy and Development of the Secretariat 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. 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,[1] in accordance with General Assembly resolution 52/82, and to request the Special Rapporteur, assisted by the 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 mission [6] 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. Also 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 implement further 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,31 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.
43rd plenary meeting
27 July 2000
1 A/37/351/Add.1 and Corr.1, annex, sect. VIII, Recommendation I (iv).
2 See 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, annexes I and II.
6 E/CN.5/2000/3 and Corr.1, annex.
7 See E/CN.5/2000/3 and Corr.1.
8 E/CN.5/2000/3 and Corr.1, annex, paras. 92-116.
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