Back to: Fourth Session of the Ad Hoc Committee
Documents of the Fourth Session

A/AC.265/2004/L.4
31 August 2004
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Ad Hoc Committee on a Comprehensive and
Integral International Convention on the Protection
and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons
with Disabilities

Draft report of the fourth session of the Ad Hoc Committee

Part one

I. Introduction

1. In its resolution 56/168, the General Assembly decided to establish the Ad Hoc Committee on a Comprehensive and Integral International Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities, based on the holistic approach in the work done in the fields of social development, human rights and non-discrimination and taking into account the recommendations of the Commission on Human Rights and the Commission for Social Development.

2. In its resolution 58/246, the General Assembly also decided that the Ad Hoc Committee should start the negotiations on a draft convention at its third session and that, prior to its fifty-ninth session, the Ad Hoc Committee should hold two sessions for a duration of 10 working days each in 2004.

II. Organizational matters

A. Opening and duration of the third session

3. The Ad Hoc Committee held its fourth session at United Nations Headquarters from 23 August to 3 September 2004. In the course of its session, the Ad Hoc Committee held 20 meetings.

4. The Division for Social Policy and Development of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs acted as the substantive secretariat, while the Disarmament and Decolonization Affairs Branch of the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management served as secretariat of the Ad Hoc Committee.

5. The fourth session of the Ad Hoc Committee was opened by the Chairman of the Committee, Gallegos Chiriboga, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Ecuador to the United Nations.

B. Officers

6. The following officers continued to serve on the Bureau of the Committee:

Chairman:

Luis Gallegos (Ecuador)

Vice-Chairpersons:

Ivana Grollovà (Czech Republic)
Leslie Gatan (Philippines)
Jeanette Ndhlovu (South Africa)
Carina Mårtensson (Sweden)

C. Agenda

7. At its 1st meeting, on 23 August 2004, the Ad Hoc Committee adopted its provisional agenda, as contained in document A/AC.265/2004/L.3, as follows:

1. Opening of the session.
2. Adoption of the agenda.
3. Organization of work.
4. Consideration of the draft text as contained in the report of the Working Group of the Ad Hoc Committee on a Comprehensive and Integral International Convention on Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (A/AC.265/2004/WG.1, annex I) (elements deferred from the third session of the Ad Hoc Committee: title; structure of the convention; part of the preamble; definitions (article 3); and monitoring (article 25)).
5. Consideration of the compilation of proposed revisions and amendments to the draft text of the Working Group as contained in the report of the Ad Hoc Committee on its third session (A/AC.265/2004/5, annex II).
6. Conclusions of the Ad Hoc Committee at its fourth session.
7. Adoption of the report of the Ad Hoc Committee on its fourth session.

D. Documentation

8. The Ad Hoc Committee had before it the following documents:

(a) Provisional agenda and proposed organization of work (A/AC.265/2004/L.3);
(b) List of participants (A/AC.265/2004/INF/2);
(c) Report of the Working Group to the Ad Hoc Committee (A/AC.265/2004/WG.1);
(d) Report of the third session of the Ad Hoc Committee (A/AC.265/2004/5 and Corr.1);
(e) Letter dated 19 August 2004 from the Permanent Representative of New Zealand to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General (A/AC.265/2004/6).

III. Organization of work

9. During its meetings (23 August-3 September 2004), the Ad Hoc Committee concluded a first reading of the draft text of the convention as contained in the report of the Working Group (A/AC.265/2004/WG.1) by considering the title, the structure, part of the preamble, definitions (article 3) and monitoring (article 25). The Committee also adopted the organization of work proposed by the Chairman (see annex II) and conducted a review of articles 1 to 15 and 24 bis. The Committee decided to further review the draft convention at its next sessions, without prejudice to the decisions to be taken by the General Assembly in that regard at its fifty-ninth session.

IV. Recommendations

10. The Ad Hoc Committee recommends that the Committee continue its work in 2005 and that the dates and venue for its 2005 session(s) be included in the relevant resolution to be adopted by the General Assembly at its fifty-ninth session.

11. The Ad Hoc Committee invites members of its Bureau to hold an intersessional meeting regarding the preparation and organization of its fifth session, including the preparation of the provisional agenda, to be issued at least four weeks prior to the fifth session.

12. With regard to accessibility and in accordance with General Assembly resolution 58/246 and decision 56/474, the Committee invites the General Assembly, at its fifty-ninth session, to examine in greater detail the provision of reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities in order to facilitate accessibility to United Nations premises, technology and documents.

V. Adoption of the report of the Ad Hoc Committee

13. At its 20th meeting, on 3 September 2004, the Committee adopted the draft report on its fourth session (A/AC.265/2004/L.4), as orally amended.

Annex I

Additional list of non-governmental organizations
accredited to the Ad Hoc Committee

ABRAR (Sudan)

Australian Federation of Disability Organization

Cerebral Palsy Nigeria

Children’s Rights Alliance for England

Equal Opportunities Commission of Hong Kong

Humanitarian Organization for Poverty Eradication

LOTOS Disability Awareness and Learning Center (Azerbaijan)

Secretariat of the African Decade of Persons with Disabilities (South Africa)

Annex II

Organization of work proposed by the Chairman