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Article 13 : Freedom of Thought, Expression and Opinion

Draft Proposal

1. States Parties Shall take appropriate actions to ensure that:

(a) all persons with disabilities enjoy the same freedom of expression, thoughts and opinion as that enjoyed by others;

(b) persons with disabilities can exercise their right to freedom of expression, thoughts and opinion through languages, scripts, modes, means and formats of communication of their choice, including but not limited to sign languages, tactile communication techniques, captioning, plain and easily understood texts, large print, Braille and augmentative and alternative communication, in order to seek, receive and impart information on the basis of equality with others;

2. States Parties shall take actions to:

(a) accept and promote the use of a variety of languages and modes and means of communication, including information communication technology (ICT), in order to seek, receive, impart and access information and enable persons with disabilities to communicate on an equal basis as others;

(b) provide training of assistants, intermediaries, interpreters, such as sign language and tactile communication interpreters, note takers, readers and augmentative and alternative communication assistants, to ensure that persons with disabilities have access to information and the facility to communicate;

(c) officially recognise national sign languages in legislation to guarantee linguistic rights for all deaf persons, and to ensure communication with their families, immediate community and the general public;.

3. States Parties shall protect the freedom of thought of persons with disabilities, including:

(a) the freedom of choice whether to consider oneself a person with a disability;

(b) the freedom to adopt and hold opinions and beliefs about the experience of disability;

(c) the freedom to choose practices of support for well-being, based on personal thoughts, opinions and beliefs;

(d) the freedom from coercion that interferes with the capacity to freely produce or sustain thought.