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Article 4 - General Obligations

Background Documents | Article 4 Background

Seventh Session | Fourth Session | Third Session
Working Group | References

Third Session

 

Comments, proposals and amendments submitted electronically


 

Governments

Costa Rica
European Union
India
Kenya

 

UN System Organizations

ILO

OHCHR

WHO

 

Non-governmental organizations                                                                 

Asia Pacific Forum

National Human Rights Institutions

Ontario Human Rights Commission

 

Non-governmental organizations                                                                 

Australian NGOs
European Disability Forum
Indian NGO Consultative Meeting
International Save the Children Alliance
Japan Disability Forum

Landmines Survivors Network

World Blind Union

World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry

 


 

Comments, proposals and amendments submitted electronically

 

Governments

 

COSTA RICA

Article 4
GENERAL OBLIGATIONS 18, 19


1. States Parties undertake to ensure the defense and promotion of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all individuals within their jurisdiction20 without discrimination of any kind on the basis of disability. To this end, States Parties undertake:


a. to adopt legislative, judicial, administrative and other measures, nationally and locally, to allow the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms of persons with disabilities and, where appropriate, to amend, repeal or nullify any laws and regulations incompatible with such purpose.


b. To adopt measures oriented towards the eradication of customs or practices that impede or make more difficult the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms of persons with disabilities, as provided in this convention;


c. to embody the principles of equality of opportunity and non-discrimination on the ground of disability in their national legislation, if not yet incorporated therein, and to ensure, through law and other appropriate means, the practical realisation of these rights;


d. to make sure that the needs and concerns of persons with disabilities are incorporated into economic and social development plans and policies, and not treated separately;


e. to refrain from engaging in any act or practice that diminishes the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms of persons with disabilities, as provided in this convention and to ensure that public authorities and institutions, as well as private institutions providing public services, act in conformity with this Convention;


f. to take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination on the ground of disability by any person, organisation or enterprise;


g. to promote21 the development, availability and use of universally designed goods, services, equipment and facilities. Such goods, services, equipment and facilities should meet the specific needs of a person with disabilities.


2. In the development and implementation of policies and legislation to implement this convention, States Parties shall do so in partnership with persons with disabilities and their representative organisations.

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EUROPEAN UNION


Draft Article 4
GENERAL OBLIGATIONS


EU proposal: This Article should be incorporated into new Article 3 bis and delete title and separate article number.


1. States Parties undertake to ensure the full realisation of all rights and fundamental freedoms for all individuals within their jurisdiction without discrimination of any kind on the basis of disability. To this end, States Parties undetake:


EU Proposal: EU suggests following rewording: “In order to secure non-discrimination of persons with disabilities, States Parties undertake in particular”:


(a) to adopt legislative, administrative and other measures to give effect to this Convention, and to amend, repeal or nullify any laws and regulations and to discourage customs or practices that are inconsistent with this convention;


EU Proposal: EU suggests following rewording:


“to take effective measures to review governmental, national and local policies, and to amend, rescind or nullify any laws or regulations which have the effect or purpose of creating or perpetuating such discrimination wherever it exists; “


(b) to embody the rights of equality and non discrimination on the ground of disability in their national constitutions or other appropriate legislation, if not yet incorporated therein, and to ensure, through law and other appropriate means, the practical realisation of these rights;


EU Proposal: EU suggests replacing “rights” with “principles” on the first line and the last line, and suggests the addition of “of opportunity” after “equality”on the first line.


(c) to mainstream disability issues into all economic and social development policies and programmes;


EU Proposal: “States shall ensure that the needs and concerns of persons with disabilities are incorporated into economic and social development plans and policies, and not treated separately”


(d) to refrain from engaging in any act or practice that is inconsistent with this convention and to ensure that public authorities and institutions act in conformity with this Convention;


EU Proposal: EU suggests replacing “that is inconsistent with this convention” with “of discrimination against persons with disabilities”, and replacing the word “Convention” with “obligation”.


(e) to take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination on the ground of disability by any person, organisation or private enterprise;


EU Proposal: EU suggests deleting “private” before “enterprise”.


(f) to promote the development, availability and use of universally designed goods, services, equipment and facilities. Such goods, services, equipment and facilities should require the minimum possible adaptation and the least cost to meet the specific needs of a person with disabilities.


EU Proposal: Move (f) to Article 19.


2. In the development and implementation of policies and legislation to implement this Convention, States Parties shall do so in close consultation with, and include the active involvement of, persons with disabilities and their representative organisations.


EU Proposal: Move paragraph 2 to Article 25 and reword.

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INDIA


Article 4 on General Obligations


New 4(e) bis: Discrimination does not include provisions, criteria or practices that are objectivity and demonstratively justified by the State Party by a legitimate aim and where the means of achieving that aim are reasonable and necessary.


New 4(f) bis: In relation to the economic, social and cultural rights of this Convention, States Parties undertake to give immediate effect to those aspects of those rights which are capable of immediate implementation (including, but not limited to obligation of non-discrimination in the enjoyment of those rights) and in relation to other aspects of those rights, progressively the full realization of those rights by all appropriate means.


2. In the development and implementation of policies and legislation to implement this Convention, States Parties shall do so in consultation with persons with disabilities (their families – new) and their representative organizations.
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KENYA

Draft Article 4
GENERAL OBLIGATIONS


Insert the phrase ‘including specific allocation of resources to satisfy obligations towards persons with disabilities’ in 1 (c) after the word ‘programmes’ so that it reads -


(c) to mainstream disability issues into all economic and social development policies and programmes including specific allocation of resources to satisfy obligations towards persons with disabilities;


Insert the following new paragraphs in 1 after paragraph (f).


to establish credible and effective structures to oversee implementation and monitoring;


to ensure a barrier free society through the establishment of an effective enabling environment;


to provide particular protection and support for persons with disabilities who are vulnerable on account of situations such as conflict and natural disasters or because of their status as children, women and persons living with HIV/AIDS.
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UN System Organizations

ILO

Draft Article 4 General Obligations


• Welcoming the call for States Parties to undertake to mainstream disability issues into all economic and social development policies and programmes, the ILO underlines that such mainstreaming needs to be based on effective practice, so that people with disabilities can benefit rather than becoming more disadvantaged than before.


• Welcomes the emphasis on consultation with and active involvement of people with disabilities in the development and implementation of policies and legislation, and strongly recommends that the social partners and other stakeholders be also involved and be specifically mentioned in article 4.2.


• Referring to footnote 19, the ILO would welcome an emphasis on progressive realization of economic, social and cultural rights, since some countries may face difficulties in immediately implementing some of the draft Convention provisions, given the significant development effort which will be required in order to make these rights a reality.
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OHCHR

See references to international human rights conventions and jurisprundence.

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WHO

Article 4 General obligations

WHO supports the need to mainstream disability issues in development and would suggest the inclusion of health along with economic and social development in Article 4(c). WHO would like to highlight the issue of progressive realization of right to health in the draft convention. The principle of progressive realization of this right imposes an obligation on Member States to move as expeditiously and effectively as possible towards that goal (WHO, 2002).

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National Human Rights Institutions

ASIA PACIFIC FORUM

Draft article 4 of the WG text is in general satisfactory, but the Convention needs to address explicitly (as did the Chair’s draft text):

(a) the question of whether some or all of the rights (and which ones) are to be guaranteed immediately or realized progressively;


(b) the obligation to make available appropriate remedies;


(c) the obligations of States in relation to private or non-State actors. This should clearly define the responsibility of States when State functions are delegated or subcontracted to private entities.

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NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS

Interventions at the Third Session:


Article 4


Thank you Chair; there have been a few interventions this afternoon that seek to delete Art. 4(1) particularly, the chapeau containing the phrase “within their jurisdiction”


The National Institutions submit, Chair, that this deletion could potentially discriminate against people with disabilities who may for instance be asylum seekers or those who are not citizens.


Chair, while this may not be its intention, the removal of this chapeau could result negatively in that not all people with disabilities would enjoy all their human rights and fundamental freedoms.


Further to that, we believe that its removal would substantially narrow the scope of this convention to one that focuses almost exclusively on non-discrimination and thus moving away from a comprehensive international legal instrument.


We would therefore support the retention of Art. 4(1)


Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions


Article 4
Obligations with respect to economic, social and cultural rights


Proposal: amend proposal by Israel to read as follows:


3. In relation to [economic, social and cultural rights/the rights set forth in articles *** of this Convention], States Parties undertake:


(a) to give immediate effect to the aspects of those rights which are capable of immediate implementation (including, but not limited to obligations of non-discrimination in the enjoyment of those rights); and


(b) in relation to other aspects of those rights, to take steps to the maximum of their available resources, when needed within the framework of international cooperation, with a view to achieving progressively the full realization of those rights by all appropriate means.


Remedies
Proposal: include in article 4 the following paragraphs:


4. Each State Party to this Convention undertakes:

(a) To ensure that any person or class of persons whose rights or freedoms recognized in the Convention are violated shall have an effective and appropriate remedy (including as the right to just and adequate reparation or satisfaction for any damage suffered as a result of such discrimination), whether the violation has been committed by persons or entities acting in an official capacity or by private persons or entities;


(b) To ensure that any person claiming such a remedy shall have his or her right thereto determined by competent judicial, administrative or legislative authorities, or by any other competent authority provided for by the legal system of the State,; and


(c) To ensure that the competent authorities shall enforce such remedies when granted.


5. States Parties recognize that access to effective remedies may require the provision of free legal assistance to persons with disabilities and the modification or flexible application of existing laws and practice regulating matters of procedure and evidence.


25 May 2004


Article 4 (summary)


APF on behalf of National Human Rights Institutions:


We would like to address two issues. The first is the absence of an explicit provision on remedies. In a convention, the purpose of which is to ensure the effective and practical enjoyment of rights, we consider that a provision on remedies is important. The Bangkok draft and Chair’s draft text for the Working Group contained such a provision.


Concern about the inclusion of a provision on remedies reflects a view that it would be inappropriate to include such a provision in a convention, which guarantees economic, social and cultural rights. However, this fails to reflect the developments of the past 20 years within the UN system – in particular the work of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) – which make clear that some aspects of economic, social and cultural rights are justiciable – these include guarantees of non-discrimination but are not confined to those aspects.


The second point is a related one. The proposals so far made in relation to economic, social and cultural rights emphasize the progressive realization of these rights, without regard to the developments of the last 20 years, which recognize that many aspects of economic, social and cultural rights are capable of immediate implementation.


We believe the convention should reflect these developments and note that the Bangkok and Chair’s draft text contained a provision of this sort.
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ONTARIO HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION

Article 4 – General obligations


4.1: States Parties undertake to ensure the full realization of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all individuals within their jurisdiction without discrimination of any kind on the basis of disability…


The Commission would support the view, as set out in footnote 20 to this draft Article, that there should be a general obligation to include the rights of non-citizens with disabilities who otherwise enjoy some degree of legal status within the State. For example, it has been reported to the Commission that persons with disabilities who are visitors to Ontario are ineligible to access para-transit vehicles in some regions because of the lack of reciprocal agreements or waivers.


4.1(b): To adopt legislative, administrative and other measures to give effect to this Convention, …


The Commission supports this provision. In Canada, all provincial and federal jurisdictions have legislated the rights of equality and non-discrimination on the ground of disability, set out in federal, provincial and territorial human rights codes as well as being entrenched in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms under Canada’s Constitution Act. In addition, Ontario has legislated barrier-removal planning and reporting requirements for government and para-public sectors under its Ontarians with Disabilities Act (2001).


4.1(e): To take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination on the ground of disability by any person, organization or private enterprise;


In Ontario and other provincial and territorial jurisdictions in Canada, the protection in human rights codes providing that persons with disabilities be free from discrimination in employment, services, housing, contracts and trade unions, extends beyond government and the public sector to include private enterprise.
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Non-governmental Organizations

AUSTRALIAN NGOs

Interventions made at the Third Session:


Article 4: General Obligations


Mr Chairman:


Thank you for this opportunity to address the Ad Hoc Committee.


We support in principle the Working Group’s current formulation of draft Article 4 but assert that an explicit statement with respect to international obligations is a crucial aspect of the convention and should be added to the text. This statement should be contained within Article 4 as such obligations are relevant to the entire convention.


In light of the fact that approximately two thirds of the world’s 600 million people with disability live in the developing world, it is essential that the practical implementation of this convention involve a transfer of resources, knowledge, technical assistance and policy advice to the developing world. Without such a transfer, people with disability in developing countries will not benefit from this convention. A clear framework of international cooperation will provide the basis for this transfer.


It is important to understand that in many cases international cooperation will cost very little, and will amount to information exchange about technical standards and the provision of policy advice, based on domestic experience.


It is also important to recognise that there is already substantial resource transfer occurring between developed and developing states for example through bi-lateral aid programs and inter-governmental bodies such as the World Bank and the World Health Organisation. It is critical that these aid programs respect the human rights of people with disability, as enunciated by this convention.


It is of fundamental importance that there be international cooperation in the area of trade and commerce. This is particularly so in relation to the setting of compatible standards, for example standards governing accessibility in telecommunications, copyright etc.


This will result in no extra outlay for developed states but vastly improved outcomes for people with disability in developing countries


That concludes our intervention. Thank you

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EUROPEAN DISABILITY FORUM

EDF position paper:


Draft Article 4 General Obligations


The initial paragraph should state, as in the ICCPR, that States “shall respect and ensure the full realisation of all human rights and fundamental freedoms.”


Paragraph a) should also include by-laws, rules and we suggest to replace the word “discourage customs” by “counter customs”.


EDF proposes to add to paragraph c) a reference to international cooperation, which would oblige both the donor and the recipient of development cooperation funds to take into account persons with disabilities.


EDF also considers it very important that a paragraph on remedies is included in this article.


EDF also suggests to add a reference to positive action measures to paragraph e) of this article.


EDF suggests a reference to the use of public procurement and public funds in paragraph f) as a way of promoting Universal Design in goods, services, equipment and facilities.


When implementing the General State Obligations, special attention should be given to those disabled people more in danger of exclusion and discrimination, including women with disabilities, disabled people from ethnic minorities, disabled people living in rural and remote areas.


Paragraph 2 of this article is considered of vital importance. It could be strengthened through a reference to the concept of partnership and to the provision of measures which would strengthen the role and capacity of representative organisations of persons with disabilities to play an active role in the implementation of the Convention.


Comments at the Third Session:


Draft Article 4
General Obligations


Proposals for amendments to the current text of article 4 are largely based on the EDF contribution.


Paragraph a) should also include by-laws, rules and EDF suggest to replace the word ?discourage customs? by ?counter customs?.


EDF proposes to add to paragraph c) a reference to international cooperation, which would oblige both the donor and the recipient of development cooperation funds to take into account persons with disabilities.


EDF also considers it very important that a paragraph on remedies is included in this article, as suggested in footnote 22.


EDF also suggests to add a reference to positive action measures to paragraph e) of this article.


EDF suggests a reference to the use of public procurement and public funds in paragraph f) as a way of promoting Universal Design in goods, services, equipment and facilities.


When implementing the General State Obligations, special attention should be given to those disabled people more in danger of exclusion and discrimination, including women with disabilities, disabled people from ethnic or indigenous minorities, disabled people living in rural and remote areas.


Paragraph 2 of this article is considered of vital importance. It could be strengthened through a reference to the concept of partnership and to the provision of measures which would strengthen the role and capacity of representative organisations of persons with disabilities to play an active role in the implementation of the Convention. EDF also supported the proposal of New Zealand on this paragraph.


Secondly, EDF reacted to the EU proposal and stated our concern on proposed limitation of chapeau to non discrimination.


EDF also stated their concern about the last words in the paragraph on mainstreaming, as disability specific plans and programmes are still needed. Not everything can be mainstreamed. A twin-track approach is required.


Finally, moving paragraph 2 to article 25 will depend on final wording of article 25. A better alternative would be to include references in both.
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INDIAN NGO CONSULTATIVE MEETING

Draft Article 4
General Obligations of the States Parties:


12. In this article, the expression “all individuals” should be substituted with “men, women, boys and girls with disabilities” to clearly incorporate gender prospective in the general obligations. The modified article would thus read as “States Parties undertake to ensure the full realisation of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all “men, women, boys and girls with disabilities” within their jurisdiction without discrimination of any kind on the basis of disability.

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INTERNATIONAL SAVE THE CHILDREN ALLIANCE

Draft Article 4 – general obligations


This article sets out the obligations on governments towards persons with disabilities as rights holders. We would wish to ensure active participation of children in developing policies and legislation to implement this convention.


Suggested changes
g. In the development and implementation of policies and legislation to implement this convention, States Parties shall do so in close consultation with, and include the active involvement of, persons with disabilities, including children, and their representative organisations.
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JAPAN DISABILITY FORUM

< Draft Article 4 > General Obligations

* As same as the JDF’s Comment 3 for Article 3.

* It is necessary to add a new paragraph stipulating the relevance to reasonable accommodation.

JDF’s Comment to this part (1)
While acknowledging that a denial of “reasonable accommodation” constitutes discrimination on the ground of disability whether it takes place in the public sector or the private sector, it should be stipulated in the provisions that State Parties bear the obligation to provide “reasonable accommodation” both in the public and private sectors.

JDF’s Comment to this part (2)
The provision that conventional obligations are applicable to both the public and private sectors should be included either in “Definition” or “Obligations of State Parties” rather than stipulating it in every relevant provision.


Reference: International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination: Article 1-1 (Definition)
In this Convention, the term “racial discrimination” shall mean any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life.


Reference: The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women: Article 2 Policy Measures (obligations of state parties)
States Parties condemn discrimination against women in all its forms, agree to pursue by all appropriate means and without delay a policy of eliminating discrimination against women and, to this end, undertake:


(a) To embody the principle of the equality of men and women in their national constitutions or other appropriate legislation if not yet incorporated therein and to ensure, through law and other appropriate means, the practical realization of this principle;


(b) To adopt appropriate legislative and other measures, including sanctions where appropriate, prohibiting all discrimination against women;


(c) To establish legal protection of the rights of women on an equal basis with men and to ensure through competent national tribunals and other public institutions the effective protection of women against any act of discrimination;


(d) To refrain from engaging in any act or practice of discrimination against women and to ensure that public authorities and institutions shall act in conformity with this obligation;


(e) To take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women by any person, organization or enterprise;


(f) To take all appropriate measures, including legislation, to modify or abolish existing laws, regulations, customs and practices which constitute discrimination against women;


(g) To repeal all national penal provisions which constitute discrimination against women.

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LANDMINES SURVIVORS NETWORK

DRAFT ARTICLE 4 COMMENTS


By including a provision expressly obliging states to give effect to the rights contained in the convention, the Working Group text is reflective of the principle that implementation of international human rights is essentially a domestic issue. In addition, Draft Article 4 also includes the important prohibition against discrimination in giving effect to the rights.


Footnote 18 highlights the concern of some Working Group members over the inclusion of a paragraph on remedies because the draft text includes coverage of civil and political rights as well as economic, social and cultural rights. Although the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights does not include a specific provision on remedies, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights has stated that the provision of judicial remedies is “among the measures which might be considered appropriate, in addition to legislation,” and that “the enjoyment of the rights recognized, without discrimination, will often be appropriately promoted, in part, through the provision of judicial or other effective remedies.” (Cf. Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, General Comment 3, para. 5) Therefore, the absence of an explicit provision on remedies in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights does not preclude the Ad Hoc Committee from including such a provision in this convention, and the exclusion of such a provision re. civil and political rights would depart from human rights law. (Cf. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 2(3))


Footnote 19 questions how the progressive realization of economic, social and cultural rights should be addressed in the treaty. As Footnote 19 highlights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child (Article 4) provides language that may be helpful, as it clearly indicates which rights in the Convention would be subject to progressive realization. It should also be noted that Article 4 of that convention also references the utility of international cooperation in implementing rights.


Footnote 20 raises the question of whether the phrase “within their jurisdiction” may be too broad and inclusive? The Ad Hoc Committee may wish to consider the alternative phrasing “within its territory and subject to its jurisdiction.” (Cf. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 2(1))


Draft Article 4(1)(a) addresses the types of actions to be undertaken by states to “give effect to this Convention” as well as those that should be changed or discouraged because they are “inconsistent with this convention.” In order to avoid ambiguity, or an overly limiting interpretation that could discourage flexibility in implementation of the convention, the Ad Hoc Committee might consider the alternative phrasing “inconsistent with the object and purpose of this convention.” (Cf. Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, Article 18) This alternative phrasing may also be usefully incorporated in Draft Article 4(1)(d), which references acts or practices “inconsistent with this convention.”


Draft Article 4(1)(c) addresses the mainstreaming of “disability issues.” Reference may be made to the UN Standard Rules usage of the term “disability aspects,” which is a broader and more inclusive formulation. (Cf. UN Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, Rule 14)


Draft Article 4(1)(e) is consistent with international human rights law in its coverage of private actors. (Cf. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, Article 2(e); Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 3(1)) Such coverage is particularly important given increasing privatization in the provision of goods and services once provided by public entities.


Draft Article 4(1)(f) addresses important issues of accessibility that, as indicated in Footnote 22, may perhaps be better elaborated in Draft Article 19 (Accessibility).


Draft Article 4(2) requires development of implementation measures “in close consultation with, and include the active involvement of, persons with disabilities and their representative organizations.” This important concept could be further developed through incorporation of the principle of “partnership with disabled people,” (Cf. New Zealand’s View of a Convention on the Rights of Disabled People, para. 28) as well as measures to ensure that people with disabilities understand their rights under the convention and are able to participate in this partnership process. (Cf. Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 42)


The Ad Hoc Committee may also wish to consider the suggestion made in the Working Group that Draft Article 4 include a paragraph addressing national-level monitoring of the implementation of the convention. Such a provision would reinforce the principle that domestic implementation is a State obligation.


Intervention by Jerry White on behalf of Landmine Survivors Network
May 24, 2004


Article 4
Obligations with respect to economic, social and cultural rights


Landmine Survivors Network would like to thank the Working Group for its fine work in preparing the draft before us.


The provision on general obligations is critical to ensure that States understand broadly what their commitments are in implementing their substantive obligations, which I emphasize are and must continue to be much broader than the narrow approach of non discrimination proposed by the European Union.


To echo South Africa, Jordan, Lichtenstein, Mexico and many other delegates, as important as non discrimination is in the context of this treaty, the concept of full inclusion is about more than just the absence of non discrimination. As reflected in the draft text, we believe that the Convention must reflect the full range of civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights, which on the basis of our work with survivors in scores of mine affected countries are necessary if our human rights are to be enjoyed.


Further, the proposal to remove States’ obligation to take measures to eliminate discrimination by “private enterprises” is of deep concern, and unnecessary. First, other conventions have extended State obligations to the private sector, and this treaty should require no less of States in the disability context. Second, discrimination against persons with disabilities happens to a large extent in the private sector, namely work and accessibility, to identify two key areas.


We would also like to affirm Thailand’s proposal on subparagraph c, now reading, “to integrate disability issues into all economic and social development policies and programmes, including international cooperation.”

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WORLD BLIND UNION

GENERAL OBLIGATIONS
Article 4:


The text should not diminish PWD:s rights compared to the rights given in the CCPR, the “Convention on the Civil and Political Rights”.


”… ensure the full realisation of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all individuals within their jurisdiction without discrimination…”. It can be interpreted as the rights cover PWD who are non-citizens, but not other non-citizens.

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WORLD NETWORK OF USERS AND SURVIVORS OF PSYCHIATRY

Draft Article 4


WNUSP COMMENT: It should be noted that paragraph 2 does not replicate article 18 paragraph c, and that they are complementary. Provisions requiring the involvement of people with disabilities in policymaking and programmatic action are also included in specific issue areas, in article 5(2)(d), article 6(c), and article 21(m). The Ad Hoc Committee may wish to consider whether any other issue areas require particular emphasis on the obligation to consult with people with disabilities and their representative organizations.
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