Comprehensive and integral international convention to promote and protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities [E/2005/26]

Draft resolution II^*

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 56/168 of 19 December 2001, by which the Assembly established an Ad Hoc Committee, open to the participation of all Member States and observers of the United Nations, to consider proposals for a comprehensive and integral international convention to promote and protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities, based on the holistic approach in the work carried out in the fields of social development, human rights and nondiscrimination and taking into account the recommendations of the Commission on Human Rights and the Commission for Social Development,

Recalling also Economic and Social Council resolution 2004/14 of 21 July 2004 on a comprehensive and integral international convention to promote and protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities,

Welcoming the important contributions made so far to the work of the Ad Hoc Committee by all stakeholders,

Reaffirming the universality, indivisibility and interdependence of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and the need for their full enjoyment to be guaranteed to persons with disabilities, without discrimination,

Convinced of the contribution that a convention will make in this regard, and welcoming the firm support of the international community for such a convention and the continued engagement in its elaboration,

Recognizing the strong commitment and the positive steps taken by Governments to promote and protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities, including through collaboration and cooperation at the regional and international levels, with the aim of strengthening national capacities and supporting national efforts in order to improve the living conditions of persons with disabilities in all regions,

Welcomes the important progress achieved so far in the negotiation of a draft convention, and invites Member States and observers to continue to participate actively and constructively in the Ad Hoc Committee, with a view to an early conclusion of a draft text of a convention in order to present it to the General Assembly, as a matter of priority, for adoption;
Requests the Commission for Social Development to continue to contribute to the process of negotiation of a draft international convention, bearing in mind its area of expertise and the experience in the implementation of the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities³ and the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons;⁴
Welcomes the contributions of the Special Rapporteur on Disability of the Commission to the process of elaboration of a draft convention, and requests the Special Rapporteur to contribute further to the work of the Ad Hoc Committee, drawing from her experience in the monitoring of the Standard Rules by, inter alia, providing her views on the elements to be considered in a draft international convention;
Requests the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the Secretariat, through its Division for Social Policy and Development, to continue to support the work of the Ad Hoc Committee, in collaboration with the Special Rapporteur and other relevant United Nations bodies and agencies, through, inter alia, the provision of information on issues related to a draft international convention and the promotion of awareness of the work of the Ad Hoc Committee, from within existing resources;
Underlines the importance of strengthening cooperation and coordination between the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Department of Economic and Social Affairs in order to provide technical support to the work of the Ad Hoc Committee, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 59/198 of 20 December 2004;
Invites bodies, organs and entities of the United Nations system to continue to participate, as appropriate, in the Ad Hoc Committee and to contribute to its work;
Invites non-governmental organizations, national disability and human rights institutions and independent experts with an interest in the matter to continue their active participation and contributions to the Ad Hoc Committee, and encourages the relevant bodies of the United Nations to continue to promote and support such active participation of civil society, in accordance with General Assembly decision 56/510 of 23 July 2002 and Assembly resolution 57/229 of 18 December 2002;
Invites Governments, civil society and the private sector to contribute to the voluntary fund established by the General Assembly to support the participation of non-governmental organizations and experts from developing countries, in particular from least developed countries, in the work of the Ad Hoc Committee;
Requests the Secretary-General to disseminate widely to nongovernmental organizations all available information on accreditation procedures, modalities and supportive measures for their participation in the work of the Ad Hoc Committee, as well as the criteria for the financial assistance that is available through the voluntary fund;
Stresses the need for additional efforts to ensure reasonable accessibility to facilities and documentation at the United Nations for all persons with disabilities, in accordance with General Assembly decision 56/474 of 23 July 2002;
Requests the Secretary-General and the Special Rapporteur to report to the Commission for Social Development at its forty-fourth session, on the implementation of the present resolution.