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1. AIM OF THE DACF FOR PWDs

The aims of the DACF for PWDs are the following:

• minimization of poverty among all PWDs particularly those outside the formal sector of employment, and
• the enhancement of their social image through dignified labour.

2. OBJECTIVES OF THE FUND

1. To support the income generating activities of individual persons with disabilities as a means of economic empowerment
2. To provide educational support for children, students and trainees with disabilities.
3. To build the capacity of OPWDs in the districts to enable them to advocate and assert their rights and undertake awareness raising and sensitization on disability issues.
4. To support persons with disabilities have access to technical aids and other assistive devices and equipment

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3. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION ON THE FUND (posting, arrival, quantum, etc.) from National to District level

1. A. Information on Purpose of fund

• The beneficiary PWDs of the DACF should be well sensitised about the actual purpose of the DACF allocated to PWDs.
• Stakeholders to be sensitised include: Metropolitan/Municipal/District Chief Executives, core management staff of assemblies, assembly members, especially members of the Finance & Administration and Social services sub-Committees; and other relevant stakeholders.
• The sensitization exercise should be done by District Disability Fund Management Committee (DFMC} and GFD.

1. B. Communication on DACF:

• The office of the Administrator of DACF shall in each quarter furnish the NCPD with allocations made to MMDAs and their corresponding percentage for PWDs
• The Secretariat of the NCPD shall circulate the information received to GFD and other relevant stake holders.
• District GFD Committees shall send regular feed back on the fund directly to GFD or through GFD member organizations for onward transmission to the office of the Disability Council.
• The District Assembly shall present quarterly report on the disbursement of the Fund to NCPD and GFD

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4. FUND MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

Each MMDA shall form a special committee, Disability Fund Management Committee (DFMC), for the purpose of managing the DACF for PWDs.

Composition:

The membership of the committee will include:

• District representative, NCPD
• Chairperson, Social services sub-committee
• District Director, Department of Social Welfare
• District GFD representative
• Co-opted technical member(s) that the Committee deems fit

The chairperson of this committee shall come from within the committee

Responsibilities of the Committee

The committee will among others:-

• Vet and approve applications received from PWDs and OPWDs
• Monitor and supervise the utilization of the funds.
• Sensitise all relevant stakeholders at the District level
• Present quarterly report on the management of the Fund to District Assembly and district NCPD representative

Meetings of the Committee

• The Committee shall meet quarterly for the disbursement of allocations for each quarter.
• Other meetings shall be arranged for purposes of monitoring beneficiaries of the fund. This can however be assigned to such sub-committee as the DFMC shall decide. The said smaller committee shall report to the DFMC.

Allowances

• The DFMC shall be paid such sitting allowance as the Assembly will determine. This shall however not be more than the regular sitting allowance of the Assembly.
• The cost of such meeting as well as monitoring of beneficiaries should be financed from the percentage share of DACF for PWDs as management cost.
• Such management cost charged to the fund should not exceed 5% of the total fund.

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5. AREAS FOR FUNDING

The under-listed are the areas for support under the DACF for PWDs.

• Advocacy/awareness raising on the rights and responsibilities of PWDs
• Strengthening of OPWDs (Organizational development)
• Training in employable skills/apprenticeship
• Income generation activities (input/working capital)
• Some educational support for children, students and trainees with disability
• Provision of technical aids, assistive devices, equipment and registration of NHIS.

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6. ACCESS TO DACF:

Both groups and individuals shall have access to the fund. Individual PWDs who are not members of any OPWD can access funding from the DACF for any of the purposes stated above

7. MONITORING OF THE UTILIZATION OF FUND

National Level: NCPD, MLGRD, MESW, DACF Secretariat, GFD.

Local Level: NCPD, GFD Committee, District Assembly and Department of Social Welfare.

8. BANK ACCOUNTS FOR THE FUND

1. A separate Bank account be opened in each MMDA for the purpose of managing the DACF for PWDs
2. In this account will be lodge the quarterly allocation for persons with disabilities to secure it for their use.
3. Signatories to this account should be the MMD Coordinating Directors and Finances Officers.
4. There shall be no borrowing from the account.However, loans can only be arranged by NCPD and on the basis of approval rsolution passed by the relevant MMDAs with minutes attached.This shall enable deductions at source for repayment.

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9. ROLES/RESPONSIBILITIES OF KEY ACTORS (NATIONAL/DISTRICT)

1. A. National Council on Persons with Disability [NCPD]

• Be responsible for the overall monitoring of the fund
• Receive notice of quarterly release to MMDAs from the office of DACF and circulate same to relevant organizations in the disability sector.
• Receive complaints for redress

1. B. Department of Social Welfare [DSW]

• Monitor the disbursement and utilization of the fund through MMDAs Social Welfare Officers
• Make appropriate recommendations to the council to improve the entire process

1. C. Ghana Federation of the Disabled [GFD]

• Ensure the formation of GFD Committees in every district for purposes of presenting a common front in their engagement with district authorities.
• Build capacity of its branches/members to participate effectively in the entire disbursement process
• Ensure compliance with the guidelines by GFD committees and beneficiary individuals with respect to the use of the fund
• Report breaches and violations of directives with respect to the DACF to NCPWD
• Make proposals for possible review/revision of the guidelines

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PERSONS WITH DISABILITY ACT, 2006 ACT 715

Act 715 The seven hundred and fifteenth ACT of the parliament of the republic of Ghana entitled PERSONS WITH DISABILITY ACT, 2006

AN ACT to provide for persons with disability, to establish a National Council on Persons with Disability and to provide for related matters.

DATE OF ASSENT: 9 th August, 2006 ENACTED by the President and Parliament:

Rights of persons with disability

Right to family life and social activities

1. A person with disability shall not be deprived of the right to live with that person’s family or the right to participate in social, political, economic, creative or recreational activities.

Differential treatment in respect of residence

2. Except as otherwise required by the condition or the need for improvement of a person with disability, a person shall not subject a person with disability to differential; treatment in respect of residence.

Living conditions in specialized establishments

3. Where a person with disability has to be put in a specialised establishment, the environment and living conditions of the establishment shall, except as otherwise required by the condition of the person with disability, be as close as possible to those of a person without disability of the same age as the person with disability.

Exploitation of and discrimination against a person with disability

4. (1) A person shall not discriminate against, exploit or subject a person with disability to abusive or degrading treatment.
   (2) An employer shall not discriminate against a prospective employee or an employee on grounds of disability unless the disability is is=n respect of the relevant employment.

Party to judicial proceedings

5. Where a person with disability is a party in judicial proceedings, the adjudicating body shall take into account the condition of the person with disability and provide appropriate facilities that enable the person with disability to participate effectively in the proceedings.

Access to public places

6. The owner or occupier of a place to which the public has access shall provide appropriate facilities that make the place accessible to and available for use by a person with disability.

Access to public services

7. A person who provides service to the public shall put in place the necessary facilities that make the service available and accessible to a person with disability.

Penalty for contravention

8. A person who contravenes Section 1, 2, 4, 6, or 7 commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding fifty penalty units or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding three months or to both. Employment of persons with disability

Public employment centres

9. The Ministry shall through the public employment centres, assist to secure jobs for persons with disability.

Promotion of employment of persons with disability

10. (1) The Government shall grant a person who employs a person with disability an annual tax rebate of the taxable income in respect of each person with disability employed as shall be prescribed in Regulations made under this Act.
    (2) The Government shall grant special incentives to persons with disability engaged in business and also to business organizations that employ persons with disability.
11. A person who employs a person with disability shall provide
    1. the relevant working tools, and
    2. appropriate facilities required by the person with disability for the efficient performance of the functions required by the employment.

Posting, transfer and redeployment of person with disability

12. (1) An employer shall not post or transfer a person with disability to a Section or place of the establishment not suited for the person.
    (2) Where a person in employment suffers a disability as a result of the employment, the employer shall counsel, re-train and re-deploy the person to another Sections more suited to the person with disability and this shall be in addition to any other relief which the employee is entitled to under the Workmen’s Compensation Law, 1987 (PNDCL 187).

Appropriate training for the unemployed person with disability

13. (1) Where the name of a person with disability remains on a job search list for more than two years, the Ministry shall take the name of that person off the list, and where applicable
    1. give that person appropriate training,
    2. Provide that person with necessary working tools and materials, and
    3. Assist that person to access loan capital for that person to start a business
    
    (2) A person with disability who sells the tools or materials received under subsection 1. and a person who buys the tools or materials given to a person with disability under subsection 1. commits an offence and each person is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding two hundred and fifty penalty units or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding one year or to both.

Rehabilitation Centres

14. (1) The Ministry shall progressively establish rehabilitation centres in regions and in districts for persons with disability.
    (2) A rehabilitation centre shall offer guidance, counselling and appropriate training for persons with disability who are unable to enter into the mainstream of social life.
    (3) A rehabilitation centre shall be provided with the staff and other facilities that are necessary for the performance of its functions.

Community based rehabilitation

15. The Ministry shall ensure that as far as practicable persons with disability, shall be rehabilitated in their communities, to foster their integration.

Education of persons with disability

Education of a child with disability

16. (1) A parent, guardian or custodian of a child with disability of school going age shall enrol the child in a school.
    (2) A parent, guardian or custodian who contravenes subsection 1. commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine nor exceeding ten penalty units, or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding fourteen days.

Facilities and equipment in educational institutions

17. The Minister of Education shall by Legislative Instrument designate schools or institutions in each region which shall provide the necessary facilities and equipment that will enable persons with disability to fully benefit from the school or institution.

Free education and special schools

18. The Government shall
    1. provide free education for a person with disability, and
    2. establish special schools for persons with disability who by reason of their disability cannot be enrolled in formal schools.

Appropriate training for basic school graduates

19. Where a person with disability has completed basic education but is unable to pursue further formal education, the Ministry shall provide the person with appropriate training.

Refusal of admission on account of disability

20. (1) A person responsible for admission into a school or other institution of learning shall not refuse to give admission to a person with disability on account of the disability unless the person with disability has been assessed by the Ministry responsible for Education in collaboration with the Ministries responsible for Health and Social Welfare to be a person who clearly requires to be in a special school for children or persons with disability.
    (2) A person who contravenes Subsection (1) commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding fifty penalty units or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or to both.

Special education in technical, vocational and teacher training institutions

21. The Minister of Education shall by Legislative Instrument designate in each region a public technical, vocational and teacher training institutions which shall include in their curricula special education, such as
    1. sign language, and
    2. Braille writing and reading
22. A public library shall as far as practicable be fitted with facilities that will enable persons with disability to use the library.

Transportation

Integration of needs of persons with disability

23. The Ministries responsible for rail, air, and road transport and where appropriate the Ministry of Local Government shall ensure that the needs of persons with disability are taken into account in the design, construction and operation of the transportation network.

Importation of non-conventional vehicles

24. (1) A person with disability may import a vehicle adapted or modified for use by persons with disability.
    (2) A person without disability shall not import a vehicle adapted or modified for use by persons with disability except with the express approval of the Minister.
    (3) A vehicle imported under subsection 1. shall upon the recommendations of the Minister and with approval of the Minister for Finance be exempt from the payment of import duty and any other tax relating to the importation.
    (4) A vehicle imported under subsection 1. shall not be re-exported.
    (5) A person who contravenes subsection 4. commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding two hundred and fifty penalty units or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding twelve months or to both.

A person with disability as a pedestrian

25. A motorist shall stop for a person with disability who shows an intention to cross the road either at the pedestrian crossing or at an appropriately designated point for crossing by persons with disability.

Parking places for persons with disability

26. (1) A District Assembly or an operator of a parking lot shall demarcate a special parking place which shall be reserved for the exclusive use of persons with disability.
    (2) Without limiting Subsection 1, each public place for parking vehicles shall have a clearly demarcated area for the exclusive use of persons with disability.

Parking places for persons with disability

27. A person with hearing disability may own a driving license upon passing a driving test and satisfying conditions prescribed by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority.

Facilities at port terminals

28. (1) The Civil Aviation Authority and any other authority responsible for the management of a port shall provide facilities that will aid the movement of a person with disability at the port.

Reserve seats on vehicles

29. A person responsible for the booking of passengers on a commercial bus shall reserve at least two seats for the persons with disability except that where the bus is full without the reserved seats having been occupied, the driver or the person responsible for putting passengers on the bus may, fill the reserved seats with other passengers.

Contravention of sections 25 and 29.

30. A person who contravenes Sections 25 and 29 commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding fifty penalty units or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding three months or to both. Health-care and facilities

Medical treatment

31. The Ministry of Health in formulating health policies shall provide for free general and specialist medical care, rehabilitative operation treatment and appropriate assistive devices for persons with total disability.

Training of health professionals

32. The Ministry of Health shall include the study of disability and disability related issues in the curricula of training institutions for health professionals to develop appropriate human resources to provide general and specialised rehabilitation services.

Health programmes

33. The Ministry of Health shall include education on disability and disability issues in health care programmes.

Periodic screening of children

34. The Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Ministries responsible for Education and Social Welfare shall provide for the periodic screening of children in order to detect, prevent and manage disability.

Establishment of assessment centres

35. The Ministry of Health in collaboration with District Assemblies and the Ministry responsible dor Social Welfare shall establish and operate health assessment and resource centres in each district and provide early diagnostic medical attention to mothers and infants to determine the existence or onset of disability.

Miscellaneous provisions

Incentive for manufacturers of technical aids and appliances

36. A person who manufactures technical aids or appliances in the country for the use of persons with disability shall be given tax exemption that the Minister in consultation with the Minister of Finance may determine in Regulations.

Derogatory Names

37. (1) A person shall not call a person with disability derogatory names because of the disability of the person.
    (2) A person who contravenes Subsection 1. commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding fifty penalty units or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding three months or to both.

Access to sporting events, festivals and cultural activities

38. The Ministry responsible for Education and Sports, the District Assemblies and the National Commission for Culture shall as far as practicable ensure, though the provision of adequate facilities, programmes and incentives, that persons with disability have access to sports and cultural events.

Participation in national activities

39. A person or institution which organises a national, regional or district activity, shall as far as practicable ensure that facilities are made available for the participation in the activity by persons with disability.

Law enforcement and persons with disability

40. (1) Law enforcement agencies shall take into consideration the disability of a person on arrest, detention, trial or confinement of the person and provide for that person accordingly.
    (2) Institutions for the training of law enforcement personnel shall have as part of their curricula, the study of disability and disability related issues.

Establishment and functions of National Council on Persons with Disability

Establishment of National Council on Persons with Disability

41. (1) There is established by this Act a body to be known as the National Council on Persons with Disability.
    (2) The Council is a body corporate with perpetual succession, and a common seal and may sue or be sued in its corporate name. (3) The Council may for the performance of its functions acquire and hold movable or immovable property and may enter into contract or any other transaction.
    (4) Where there is hindrance to the acquisition of the property, the property may be acquired for the Council under the State Property and Contracts Act 1960 (C.A.6) or the State Lands Act, 1962 (Act 125) and the costs shall be borne by the Council.

Object and functions of the Council

42. (1) The object of the Council is to propose and evolve policies and strategies to enable persons with disability enter and participate in the mainstream of the national development process.
    (2) To achieve the object, the Council shall
    1. monitor and evaluate disability policies and programmes,
    2. formulate strategies for broad-based inter-sectoral, interdisciplinary involvement and participation in the implementation of the national disability policy,
    3. produce an organizational manual on the operations of the Council and its secretariat,
    4. coordinate disability activities;
    5. advise the Ministry on disability issues and submit to the Minister proposals for appropriate legislation on disability,
    6. mobilise resources for the attainment of its object,
    7. coordinate activities of organisations of persons with disability, and international organizations and non-governmental organisations that deal with disability,
    8. promote studies and research on issues of disability and provide education and information to the public on issues of disability,
    9. maintain a register of,
       • persons with disability, and
       • institutions, organizations and associations which provide rehabilitation, services or support for persons with disability,
    10. play an advocacy role on disability issues at all levels; and
    11. perform other functions that are necessary for the attainment of its object.

Governing body of the Council

43. (1) For the performance of the functions of the Council there shall be a Board consisting of
    1. the chairperson,
    2. one representative not below the rank of deputy director, of the Ministry of Health,
    3. one representative not below the rank of deputy director, of the Department of Social Welfare,
    4. one representative not below the rank of deputy director, of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development,
    5. one representative of employers’ association
    6. one representative not below the rank of deputy director, of the Ministry of Ministry of Education,
    7. one representative not below the rank of deputy director, of the Ministry of Manpower, Youth and Employment,
    8. three representatives of organizations of persons with disabilities one of whom is a woman, nominated on rotational basis by the organizations,
    9. one representative not below the rank of deputy director, of the Ministry responsible for Women and Children’s Affairs, and
    10. two other persons, one of whom is a woman,
    
    (2) The chairperson and other members of the Board shall be appointed by the President in accordance with Article 70 of the Constitution.

Tenure of office of members

44. (1) A member of the Board shall hold office for a period of three years and is eligible for re-appointment but a member shall not hold office for more than two terms in succession.
    (2) Where a member resigns, dies, is removed from Office or is for a sufficient reason unable to act as a member, the Minister shall notify the President of the vacancy and the President shall acting on the advice of the nominating authority and in consultation with the Council of State appoint another person to old office for the unexpired portion of the member’s term of office.
    (3) A member of the Board may at any time resign from office in writing addressed to the President through the Minister.
    (4) A member of the Board who is absent from three consecutive meetings of the Board without sufficient reason ceases to be a member of the Council.
    (2) The President may by letter addressed to a member revoke the appointment of that member.

Meetings of the Board

45. (1) The Board shall meet at least once every three months for the despatch of business at the times and in the places determined by the chairperson.
    (2) The chairperson shall at the request in writing of at least one-third of the members of the Board convene an extraordinary meeting of the Board at the place and time determined by the chairperson.
    (3) The quorum at the meeting of the Board is nine members of the Board or a greater number determined by the Board in respect of an important matter.
    (4) The chairperson shall preside at meetings of the Board and in the absence of the chairperson; a member of the Board elected by the members present from among their number shall preside.
    (5) Matters before the Board shall be decided by a majority of the members present and voting and in the event of an equality of votes, the person presiding shall have a casting vote.
    (6) The Board may co-opt any person to act as an adviser at its meetings but a co-opted member shall not vote any matter for decision by the Board.
    (7) The proceedings of the Board shall not be invalidated by reason of a vacancy among the members or a defect in the appointment or qualification of a member.
    (8) Subject this Section, the Board shall determine and regulate the procedure for its meeting.

Disclosure of interest by a Board member

46. (1) A member of the Board who has an interest in a matter under consideration by the Board shall disclose in writing the nature of that interest to the Board and is disqualified from participating in the deliberations of the Board in respect of that matter.
    (2) A member who fails to disclose an interest under (1) ceases be a member.

Appointment of Committees

47. (1) The Board may for the performance of the functions of the Council appoint committees of the Board comprising members of the Board or non-members or both.
    (2) A committee entirely of non-members shall not be advisory.

Allowance of members

48. Members of the Board and members of a Committee of the Board shall be paid allowance that the Minister in consultation with the Minister for Finance may determine.

Regional and district offices of the Council

49. (1) The Board may establish regional and district offices of the Council in each regional capital and in the districts.
    (2) A regional or district office of the council shall be provided with public officers that the President shall appoint in accordance with Article 195 of the Constitution.
    (2) A regional or district office of the council shall perform the functions of the Council in the region or district.

Register

50. The Board shall maintain a register in which shall be recorded
    1. the names, addresses and other personal particulars of persons with disability, and
    2. names, addresses of offices and other particulars of institutions, organisations and associations which provide rehabilitation, services or support for persons with disability.

Administrative and financial provisions

Executive Secretary

51. (1) The President shall in accordance with Article 195 of the Constitution appoint an Executive Secretary of the Council.
    (2) The Executive Secretary shall hold office on the terms and conditions specified in the letter of appointment.

Functions of the Executive Secretary

52. (1) The Executive Secretary is responsible for the day to day administration of the Council and is answerable to the Board in the performance of functions under this Act.
    (2) The Executive Secretary shall maintain the register referred to in Section 50.
    (3) The Executive Secretary shall perform any other functions determined by the Board.
    (4) The Executive Secretary may delegate a function to an officer of the Council but shall not be relieved from the ultimate responsibility for the performance of the delegated function.

Appointment of other staff

53. (1) The Council shall have other officers and staff as may be necessary for the effective performance of its functions.
    (2) The President shall in accordance with Article 195 of the Constitution appoint other staff of the Council.
    (3) Other public officers may be transferred or seconded to the Council or may otherwise give assistance to it.
    (4) The Council may engage the services of advisers on the recommendations of the Board.

Delegation of power of appointment

54. 54. The President may in accordance with Article 195(2) of the Constitution delegate the power of appointment of public officers under this Act.

Funds of the council

55. The funds of the Council include
    1. moneys provided by Parliament
    2. donations, grants and gifts, and
    3. any other moneys that are approved by the Minister responsible for Finance, with the approval of Parliament

Accounts and audit

56. (1) The Board shall keep books of account and proper records in relation to them in a form approved by the Auditor-General.
    (2) The Board shall submit the accounts of the Council to the Auditor-General for audit within three months after the end of each financial year.
    (3) The Auditor-General shall not later than three months after the receipt of the accounts, audit the accounts of the Council and forward a copy of the audit report to the Minister.
    (4) The Internal Audit Agency Act, 2003 (Act 658) shall apply to this Act.
    (2) The financial year of the Council is the same as the financial year of the government.

Annual report and other reports

57. (1) The Board shall within one month after the receipt of the audit report submit an annual report to the Minister covering the activities and the operations of the Council for the year to which the report relates.
    (2) The annual report shall include the report of the Auditor-General.
    (3) The Minister shall, within one month after the receipt of the annual report submits the report to Parliament with a statement that the Minister considers necessary.
    (2) The Board shall also submit to the Minister any other reports which the Minister may require in writing.

Regulations

58. The Minister may, on the advice of the Board, by legislative instrument, make Regulations providing
    1. For minimum standard of facilities to be provided and maintained by public bodies or institutions so as to make those bodies or institutions and services provided by those bodies or institutions available to persons with disability, and
    2. Generally for the effective implementation of the objects of this Act.

Interpretation

59. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires “Council” means the National Council on Persons with Disability established under Section 41;
    “District Assembly” includes Municipal and Metropolitan Assembly;
    “Minister” means the Minister responsible for Social Welfare;
    “Ministry” means the Ministry responsible for Social Welfare;
    “person with disability” means an individual with a physical, mental or sensory impairment including a visual, hearing or speech functional disability which gives rise to physical, cultural or social barriers that substantially limits one more of the major life activities of that individual;
    “port” includes airport, seaport, railway station and lake transport terminal; and
    “transportation network” includes facilities used for the transport of passengers.

Transitional provisions

60. The owner or occupier of an existing building to which the public has access shall within ten years of the commencement of this Act make that building accessible to and available for use by a person with disability. Date of Gazette notification: 11 th August, 2006.

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CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

The States Parties to the present Convention,

1. Recalling the principles proclaimed in the Charter of the United Nations which recognize the inherent dignity and worth and the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family as the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,
2. Recognizing that the United Nations, in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in the International Covenants on Human Rights, has proclaimed and agreed that everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth therein, without distinction of any kind,
3. Reaffirming the universality, indivisibility, interdependence and interrelatedness of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and the need for persons with disabilities to be guaranteed their full enjoyment without discrimination,
4. Recalling the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families,
5. Recognizing that disability is an evolving concept and that disability results from the interaction between persons with impairments and attitudinal and environmental barriers that hinders their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others,
6. Recognizing the importance of the principles and policy guidelines contained in the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons and in the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities in influencing the promotion, formulation and evaluation of the policies, plans, programmes and actions at the national, regional and international levels to further equalize opportunities for persons with disabilities,
7. Emphasizing the importance of mainstreaming disability issues as an integral part of relevant strategies of sustainable development,
8. Recognizing also that discrimination against any person on the basis of disability is a violation of the inherent dignity and worth of the human person,
9. Recognizing further the diversity of persons with disabilities,
10. Recognizing the need to promote and protect the human rights of all persons with disabilities, including those who require more intensive support,
11. Concerned that, despite these various instruments and undertakings, persons with disabilities continue to face barriers in their participation as equal members of society and violations of their human rights in all parts of the world,
12. Recognizing the importance of international cooperation for improving the living conditions of persons with disabilities in every country, particularly in developing countries,
13. Recognizing the valued existing and potential contributions made by persons with disabilities to the overall well-being and diversity of their communities, and that the promotion of the full enjoyment by persons with disabilities of their human rights and fundamental freedoms and of full participation by persons with disabilities will result in their enhanced sense of belonging and in significant advances in the human, social and economic development of society and the eradication of poverty,
14. Recognizing the importance for persons with disabilities of their individual autonomy and independence, including the freedom to make their own choices,
15. Considering that persons with disabilities should have the opportunity to be actively involved in decision-making processes about policies and programmes, including those directly concerning them,
16. Concerned about the difficult conditions faced by persons with disabilities who are subject to multiple or aggravated forms of discrimination on the basis of race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic, indigenous or social origin, property, birth, age or other status,
17. Recognizing that women and girls with disabilities are often at greater risk, both within and outside the home, of violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation,
18. Recognizing that children with disabilities should have full enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms on an equal basis with other children, and recalling obligations to that end undertaken by States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child,
19. Emphasizing the need to incorporate a gender perspective in all efforts to promote the full enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms by persons with disabilities,
20. Highlighting the fact that the majority of persons with disabilities live in conditions of poverty, and in this regard recognizing the critical need to address the negative impact of poverty on persons with disabilities,
21. Bearing in mind that conditions of peace and security based on full respect for the purposes and principles contained in the Charter of the United Nations and observance of applicable human rights instruments are indispensable for the full protection of persons with disabilities, in particular during armed conflicts and foreign occupation,
22. Recognizing the importance of accessibility to the physical, social, economic and cultural environment, to health and education and to information and communication, in enabling persons with disabilities to fully enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms,
23. Realizing that the individual, having duties to other individuals and to the community to which he or she belongs, is under a responsibility to strive for the promotion and observance of the rights recognized in the International Bill of Human Rights,
24. Convinced that the family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State, and that persons with disabilities and their family members should receive the necessary protection and assistance to enable families to contribute towards the full and equal enjoyment of the rights of persons with disabilities,
25. Convinced that a comprehensive and integral international convention to promote and protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities will make a significant contribution to redressing the profound social disadvantage of persons with disabilities and promote their participation in the civil, political, economic, social and cultural spheres with equal opportunities, in both developing and developed countries,

Have agreed as follows:

Article 1: Purpose

The purpose of the present Convention is to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity.

Persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.

Article 2: Definitions

For the purposes of the present Convention:

“Communication” includes languages, display of text, Braille, tactile communication, large print, accessible multimedia as well as written, audio, plain-language, human-reader and augmentative and alternative modes, means and formats of communication, including accessible information and communication technology;

“Language” includes spoken and signed languages and other forms of non spoken languages;

“Discrimination on the basis of disability” means any distinction, exclusion or restriction on the basis of disability which has the purpose or effect of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal basis with others, of all human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field. It includes all forms of discrimination, including denial of reasonable accommodation;

“Reasonable accommodation” means necessary and appropriate modification and adjustments not imposing a disproportionate or undue burden, where needed in a particular case, to ensure to persons with disabilities the enjoyment or exercise on an equal basis with others of all human rights and fundamental freedoms;

“Universal design” means the design of products, environments, programmes and services to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design.

“Universal design” shall not exclude assistive devices for particular groups of persons with disabilities where this is needed.

Article 3: General Principles

The principles of the present Convention shall be:

1. Respect for inherent dignity, individual autonomy including the freedom to make one’s own choices, and independence of persons;
2. Non-discrimination;
3. Full and effective participation and inclusion in society;
4. Respect for difference and acceptance of persons with disabilities as part of human diversity and humanity;
5. Equality of opportunity;
6. Accessibility;
7. Equality between men and women;
8. Respect for the evolving capacities of children with disabilities and respect for the right of children with disabilities to preserve their identities.

Article 4: General Obligations

1. States Parties undertake to ensure and promote the full realization of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all persons with disabilities without discrimination of any kind on the basis of disability. To this end, States Parties undertake:

1. To adopt all appropriate legislative, administrative and other measures for the implementation of the rights recognized in the present Convention;
2. To take all appropriate measures, including legislation, to modify or abolish existing laws, regulations, customs and practices that constitute discrimination against persons with disabilities;
3. To take into account the protection and promotion of the human rights of persons with disabilities in all policies and programmes;
4. To refrain from engaging in any act or practice that is inconsistent with the present Convention and to ensure that public authorities and institutions act in conformity with the present Convention;
5. To take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability by any person, organization or private enterprise;
6. To undertake or promote research and development of universally designed goods, services, equipment and facilities, as defined in article 2 of the present Convention, which should require the minimum possible adaptation and the least cost to meet the specific needs of a person with disabilities, to promote their availability and use, and to promote universal design in the development of standards and guidelines;
7. To undertake or promote research and development of, and to promote the availability and use of new technologies, including information and communications technologies, mobility aids, devices and assistive technologies, suitable for persons with disabilities, giving priority to technologies at an affordable cost;
8. To provide accessible information to persons with disabilities about mobility aids, devices and assistive technologies, including new technologies, as well as other forms of assistance, support services and facilities;
9. To promote the training of professionals and staff working with persons with disabilities in the rights recognized in the present Convention so as to better provide the assistance and services guaranteed by those rights.

2. With regard to economic, social and cultural rights, each State Party undertakes to take measures to the maximum of its available resources and, where needed, within the framework of international cooperation, with a view to achieving progressively the full realization of these rights, without prejudice to those obligations contained in the present Convention that are immediately applicable according to international law.

3. In the development and implementation of legislation and policies to implement the present Convention, and in other decision-making processes concerning issues relating to persons with disabilities, States Parties shall closely consult with and actively involve persons with disabilities, including children with disabilities, through their representative organizations.

4. Nothing in the present Convention shall affect any provisions which are more conducive to the realization of the rights of persons with disabilities and which may be contained in the law of a State Party or international law in force for that State. There shall be no restriction upon or derogation from any of the human rights and fundamental freedoms recognized or existing in any State Party to the present Convention pursuant to law, conventions, regulation or custom on the pretext that the present Convention does not recognize such rights or freedoms or that it recognizes them to a lesser extent.

5. The provisions of the present Convention shall extend to all parts of federal States without any limitations or exceptions

Article 5: Equality and non-discrimination

• States Parties recognize that all persons are equal before and under the law and are entitled without any discrimination to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law.
• States Parties shall prohibit all discrimination on the basis of disability and guarantee to persons with disabilities equal and effective legal protection against discrimination on all grounds.
• In order to promote equality and eliminate discrimination, States Parties shall take all appropriate steps to ensure that reasonable accommodation is provided.
• Specific measures which are necessary to accelerate or achieve de facto equality of persons with disabilities shall not be considered discrimination under the terms of the present Convention.

Article 6: Women with disabilities

• States Parties recognize that women and girls with disabilities are subject to multiple discrimination, and in this regard shall take measures to ensure the full and equal enjoyment by them of all human rights and fundamental freedoms.
• States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure the full development, advancement and empowerment of women, for the purpose of guaranteeing them the exercise and enjoyment of the human rights and fundamental freedoms set out in the present Convention.

Article 7: Children with disabilities

• States Parties shall take all necessary measures to ensure the full enjoyment by children with disabilities of all human rights and fundamental freedoms on an equal basis with other children.
• In all actions concerning children with disabilities, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration.
• States Parties shall ensure that children with disabilities have the right to express their views freely on all matters affecting them, their views being given due weight in accordance with their age and maturity, on an equal basis with other children, and to be provided with disability and age-appropriate assistance to realize that right.

Article 8: Awareness-raising

1. States Parties undertake to adopt immediate, effective and appropriate measures:

1. To raise awareness throughout society, including at the family level, regarding persons with disabilities, and to foster respect for the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities;
2. To combat stereotypes, prejudices and harmful practices relating to persons with disabilities, including those based on sex and age, in all areas of life;
3. To promote awareness of the capabilities and contributions of persons with disabilities.

2. Measures to this end include:

1. Initiating and maintaining effective public awareness campaigns designed:
   • To nurture receptiveness to the rights of persons with disabilities;
   • To promote positive perceptions and greater social awareness towards persons with disabilities;
   • To promote recognition of the skills, merits and abilities of persons with disabilities, and of their contributions to the workplace and the labour market;
2. Fostering at all levels of the education system, including in all children from an early age, an attitude of respect for the rights of persons with disabilities;
3. Encouraging all organs of the media to portray persons with disabilities in a manner consistent with the purpose of the present Convention;
4. Promoting awareness-training programmes regarding persons with disabilities and the rights of persons with disabilities

Article 9: Accessibility

1. To enable persons with disabilities to live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life, States Parties shall take appropriate measures to ensure to persons with disabilities access, on an equal basis with others, to the physical environment, to transportation, to information and communications, including information and communications technologies and systems, and to other facilities and services open or provided to the public, both in urban and in rural areas. These measures, which shall include the identification and elimination of obstacles and barriers to accessibility, shall apply to, inter alia:

1. Buildings, roads, transportation and other indoor and outdoor facilities, including schools, housing, medical facilities and workplaces;
2. Information, communications and other services, including electronic services and emergency services.

2. States Parties shall also take appropriate measures:

1. To develop, promulgate and monitor the implementation of minimum standards and guidelines for the accessibility of facilities and services open or provided to the public;
2. To ensure that private entities that offer facilities and services which are open or provided to the public take into account all aspects of accessibility for persons with disabilities;
3. To provide training for stakeholders on accessibility issues facing persons with disabilities;
4. To provide in buildings and other facilities open to the public signage in Braille and in easy to read and understand forms;
5. To provide forms of live assistance and intermediaries, including guides, readers and professional sign language interpreters, to facilitate accessibility to buildings and other facilities open to the public;
6. To promote other appropriate forms of assistance and support to persons with disabilities to ensure their access to information;
7. To promote access for persons with disabilities to new information and communications technologies and systems, including the Internet;
8. To promote the design, development, production and distribution of accessible information and communications technologies and systems at an early stage, so that these technologies and systems become accessible at minimum cost.

Article 10: Right to life

States Parties reaffirm that every human being has the inherent right to life and shall take all necessary measures to ensure its effective enjoyment by persons with disabilities on an equal basis with others.

Article 11: Situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies

States Parties shall take, in accordance with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, all necessary measures to ensure the protection and safety of persons with disabilities in situations of risk, including situations of armed conflict, humanitarian emergencies and the occurrence of natural disasters.

Article 12: Equal recognition before the law

1. States Parties reaffirm that persons with disabilities have the right to recognition everywhere as persons before the law.

2. States Parties shall recognize that persons with disabilities enjoy legal capacity on an equal basis with others in all aspects of life.

3. States Parties shall take appropriate measures to provide access by persons with disabilities to the support they may require in exercising their legal capacity.

4. States Parties shall ensure that all measures that relate to the exercise of legal capacity provide for appropriate and effective safeguards to prevent abuse in accordance with international human rights law. Such safeguards shall ensure that measures relating to the exercise of legal capacity respect the rights, will and preferences of the person, are free of conflict of interest and undue influence, are proportional and tailored to the person’s circumstances, apply for the shortest time possible and are subject to regular review by a competent, independent and impartial authority or judicial body. The safeguards shall be proportional to the degree to which such measures affect the person’s rights and interests.

5. Subject to the provisions of this article, States Parties shall take all appropriate and effective measures to ensure the equal right of persons with disabilities to own or inherit property, to control their own financial affairs and to have equal access to bank loans, mortgages and other forms of financial credit, and shall ensure that persons with disabilities are not arbitrarily deprived of their property.

Article 13: Access to justice

1. States Parties shall ensure effective access to justice for persons with disabilities on an equal basis with others, including through the provision of procedural and age-appropriate accommodations, in order to facilitate their effective role as direct and indirect participants, including as witnesses, in all legal proceedings, including at investigative and other preliminary stages.

2. In order to help to ensure effective access to justice for persons with disabilities, States Parties shall promote appropriate training for those working in the field of administration of justice, including police and prison staff.

Article 14: Liberty and security of person

1. States Parties shall ensure that persons with disabilities, on an equal basis with others:

1. Enjoy the right to liberty and security of person;
2. Are not deprived of their liberty unlawfully or arbitrarily, and that any deprivation of liberty is in conformity with the law, and that the existence of a disability shall in no case justify a deprivation of liberty.

States Parties shall ensure that if persons with disabilities are deprived of their liberty through any process, they are, on an equal basis with others, entitled to guarantees in accordance with international human rights law and shall be treated in compliance with the objectives and principles of the present Convention, including by provision of reasonable accommodation.

Article 15: Freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment

1. No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. In particular, no one shall be subjected without his or her free consent to medical or scientific experimentation.

2. States Parties shall take all effective legislative, administrative, judicial or other measures to prevent persons with disabilities, on an equal basis with others, from being subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Article 16: Freedom from exploitation, violence and abuse

1. States Parties shall take all appropriate legislative, administrative, social, educational and other measures to protect persons with disabilities, both within and outside the home, from all forms of exploitation, violence and abuse, including their gender-based aspects.

2. States Parties shall also take all appropriate measures to prevent all forms of exploitation, violence and abuse by ensuring, inter alia, appropriate forms of gender- and age-sensitive assistance and support for persons with disabilities and their families and caregivers, including through the provision of information and education on how to avoid, recognize and report instances of exploitation, violence and abuse. States Parties shall ensure that protection services are age-, gender- and disability-sensitive.

3. In order to prevent the occurrence of all forms of exploitation, violence and abuse, States Parties shall ensure that all facilities and programmes designed to serve persons with disabilities are effectively monitored by independent authorities.

4. States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to promote the physical, cognitive and psychological recovery, rehabilitation and social reintegration of persons with disabilities who become victims of any form of exploitation, violence or abuse, including through the provision of protection services. Such recovery and reintegration shall take place in an environment that fosters the health, welfare, self-respect, dignity and autonomy of the person and takes into account gender- and age-specific needs.

5. States Parties shall put in place effective legislation and policies, including women- and child-focused legislation and policies, to ensure that instances of exploitation, violence and abuse against persons with disabilities are identified, investigated and, where appropriate, prosecuted.

Article 17: Protecting the integrity of the person

Every person with disabilities has a right to respect for his or her physical and mental integrity on an equal basis with others.

Article 18: Liberty of movement and nationality

1. States Parties shall recognize the rights of persons with disabilities to liberty of movement, to freedom to choose their residence and to a nationality, on an equal basis with others, including by ensuring that persons with disabilities:

1. Have the right to acquire and change a nationality and are not deprived of their nationality arbitrarily or on the basis of disability;
2. Are not deprived, on the basis of disability, of their ability to obtain, possess and utilize documentation of their nationality or other documentation of identification, or to utilize relevant processes such as immigration proceedings, that may be needed to facilitate exercise of the right to liberty of movement;
3. Are free to leave any country, including their own;
4. Are not deprived, arbitrarily or on the basis of disability, of the right to enter their own country.

2. Children with disabilities shall be registered immediately after birth and shall have the right from birth to a name, the right to acquire a nationality and, as far as possible, the right to know and be cared for by their parents.

Article 19: Living independently and being included in the community

States Parties to the present Convention recognize the equal right of all persons with disabilities to live in the community, with choices equal to others, and shall take effective and appropriate measures to facilitate full enjoyment by persons with disabilities of this right and their full inclusion and participation in the community, including by ensuring that:

1. Persons with disabilities have the opportunity to choose their place of residence and where and with whom they live on an equal basis with others and are not obliged to live in a particular living arrangement;
2. Persons with disabilities have access to a range of in-home, residential and other community support services, including personal assistance necessary to support living and inclusion in the community, and to prevent isolation or segregation from the community;
3. Community services and facilities for the general population are available on an equal basis to persons with disabilities and are responsive to their needs.

Article 20: Personal mobility

States Parties shall take effective measures to ensure personal mobility with the greatest possible independence for persons with disabilities, including by:

1. Facilitating the personal mobility of persons with disabilities in the manner and at the time of their choice, and at affordable cost;
2. Facilitating access by persons with disabilities to quality mobility aids, devices, assistive technologies and forms of live assistance and intermediaries, including by making them available at affordable cost;
3. Providing training in mobility skills to persons with disabilities and to specialist staff working with persons with disabilities;
4. Encouraging entities that produce mobility aids, devices and assistive technologies to take into account all aspects of mobility for persons with disabilities.

Article 21: Freedom of expression and opinion, and access to information

States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure that persons with disabilities can exercise the right to freedom of expression and opinion, including the freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas on an equal basis with others and through all forms of communication of their choice, as defined in article 2 of the present Convention, including by:

1. Providing information intended for the general public to persons with disabilities in accessible formats and technologies appropriate to different kinds of disabilities in a timely manner and without additional cost;
2. Accepting and facilitating the use of sign languages, Braille, augmentative and alternative communication, and all other accessible means, modes and formats of communication of their choice by persons with disabilities in official interactions;
3. Urging private entities that provide services to the general public, including through the Internet, to provide information and services in accessible and usable formats for persons with disabilities;
4. Encouraging the mass media, including providers of information through the Internet, to make their services accessible to persons with disabilities;
5. Recognizing and promoting the use of sign languages.

Article 22: Respect for privacy

1. No person with disabilities, regardless of place of residence or living arrangements, shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with his or her privacy, family, home or correspondence or other types of communication or to unlawful attacks on his or her honour and reputation. Persons with disabilities have the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.

2. States Parties shall protect the privacy of personal, health and rehabilitation information of persons with disabilities on an equal basis with others.

Article 23: Respect for home and the family

1. States Parties shall take effective and appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against persons with disabilities in all matters relating to marriage, family, parenthood and relationships, on an equal basis with others, so as to ensure that:

1. The right of all persons with disabilities who are of marriageable age to marry and to found a family on the basis of free and full consent of the intending spouses is recognized;
2. The rights of persons with disabilities to decide freely and responsibly on the number and spacing of their children and to have access to age-appropriate information, reproductive and family planning education are recognized, and the means necessary to enable them to exercise these rights are provided;
3. Persons with disabilities, including children, retain their fertility on an equal basis with others.

2. States Parties shall ensure the rights and responsibilities of persons with disabilities, with regard to guardianship, wardship, trusteeship, adoption of children or similar institutions, where these concepts exist in national legislation; in all cases the best interests of the child shall be paramount. States Parties shall render appropriate assistance to persons with disabilities in the performance of their child-rearing responsibilities.

3. States Parties shall ensure that children with disabilities have equal rights with respect to family life. With a view to realizing these rights, and to prevent concealment, abandonment, neglect and segregation of children with disabilities, States Parties shall undertake to provide early and comprehensive information, services and support to children with disabilities and their families.

4. States Parties shall ensure that a child shall not be separated from his or her parents against their will, except when competent authorities subject to judicial review determine, in accordance with applicable law and procedures, that such separation is necessary for the best interests of the child. In no case shall a child be separated from parents on the basis of a disability of either the child or one or both of the parents.

5. States Parties shall, where the immediate family is unable to care for a child with disabilities, undertake every effort to provide alternative care within the wider family, and failing that, within the community in a family setting.

Article 24: Education

1. States Parties recognize the right of persons with disabilities to education. With a view to realizing this right without discrimination and on the basis of equal opportunity, States Parties shall ensure an inclusive education system at all levels and lifelong learning directed to:

1. The full development of human potential and sense of dignity and self-worth, and the strengthening of respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and human diversity;
2. The development by persons with disabilities of their personality, talents and creativity, as well as their mental and physical abilities, to their fullest potential;
3. Enabling persons with disabilities to participate effectively in a free society.

2. In realizing this right, States Parties shall ensure that:

1. Persons with disabilities are not excluded from the general education system on the basis of disability, and that children with disabilities are not excluded from free and compulsory primary education, or from secondary education, on the basis of disability;
2. Persons with disabilities can access an inclusive, quality and free primary education and secondary education on an equal basis with others in the communities in which they live;
3. Reasonable accommodation of the individual’s requirements is provided;
4. Persons with disabilities receive the support required, within the general education system, to facilitate their effective education;
5. Effective individualized support measures are provided in environments that maximize academic and social development, consistent with the goal of full inclusion.

3. States Parties shall enable persons with disabilities to learn life and social development skills to facilitate their full and equal participation in education and as members of the community. To this end, States Parties shall take appropriate measures, including:

1. Facilitating the learning of Braille, alternative script, augmentative and alternative modes, means and formats of communication and orientation and mobility skills, and facilitating peer support and mentoring;
2. Facilitating the learning of sign language and the promotion of the linguistic identity of the deaf community;
3. Ensuring that the education of persons, and in particular children, who are blind, deaf or deafblind, is delivered in the most appropriate languages and modes and means of communication for the individual, and in environments which maximize academic and social development.

4. In order to help ensure the realization of this right, States Parties shall take appropriate measures to employ teachers, including teachers with disabilities, who are qualified in sign language and/or Braille, and to train professionals and staff who work at all levels of education. Such training shall incorporate disability awareness and the use of appropriate augmentative and alternative modes, means and formats of communication, educational techniques and materials to support persons with disabilities.

5. States Parties shall ensure that persons with disabilities are able to access general tertiary education, vocational training, adult education and lifelong learning without discrimination and on an equal basis with others. To this end, States Parties shall ensure that reasonable accommodation is provided to persons with disabilities.

Article 25: Health

States Parties recognize that persons with disabilities have the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health without discrimination on the basis of disability. States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure access for persons with disabilities to health services that are gender-sensitive, including health-related rehabilitation. In particular, States Parties shall:

1. Provide persons with disabilities with the same range, quality and standard of free or affordable health care and programmes as provided to other persons, including in the area of sexual and reproductive health and population-based public health programmes;
2. Provide those health services needed by persons with disabilities specifically because of their disabilities, including early identification and intervention as appropriate, and services designed to minimize and prevent further disabilities, including among children and older persons;
3. Provide these health services as close as possible to people’s own communities, including in rural areas;
4. Require health professionals to provide care of the same quality to persons with disabilities as to others, including on the basis of free and informed consent by, inter alia, raising awareness of the human rights, dignity, autonomy and needs of persons with disabilities through training and the promulgation of ethical standards for public and private health care;
5. Prohibit discrimination against persons with disabilities in the provision of health insurance, and life insurance where such insurance is permitted by national law, which shall be provided in a fair and reasonable manner;
6. Prevent discriminatory denial of health care or health services or food and fluids on the basis of disability.

Article 26: Habilitation and rehabilitation

1. States Parties shall take effective and appropriate measures, including through peer support, to enable persons with disabilities to attain and maintain maximum independence, full physical, mental, social and vocational ability, and full inclusion and participation in all aspects of life. To that end, States Parties shall organize, strengthen and extend comprehensive habilitation and rehabilitation services and programmes, particularly in the areas of health, employment, education and social services, in such a way that these services and programmes:

1. Begin at the earliest possible stage, and are based on the multidisciplinary assessment of individual needs and strengths;
2. Support participation and inclusion in the community and all aspects of society, are voluntary, and are available to persons with disabilities as close as possible to their own communities, including in rural areas.

2. States Parties shall promote the development of initial and continuing training for professionals and staff working in habilitation and rehabilitation services.

3. States Parties shall promote the availability, knowledge and use of assistive devices and technologies, designed for persons with disabilities, as they relate to habilitation and rehabilitation.

Article 27: Work and employment

1. States Parties recognize the right of persons with disabilities to work, on an equal basis with others; this includes the right to the opportunity to gain a living by work freely chosen or accepted in a labour market and work environment that is open, inclusive and accessible to persons with disabilities. States Parties shall safeguard and promote the realization of the right to work, including for those who acquire a disability during the course of employment, by taking appropriate steps, including through legislation, to, inter alia:

1. Prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability with regard to all matters concerning all forms of employment, including conditions of recruitment, hiring and employment, continuance of employment, career advancement and safe and healthy working conditions;
2. Protect the rights of persons with disabilities, on an equal basis with others, to just and favourable conditions of work, including equal opportunities and equal remuneration for work of equal value, safe and healthy working conditions, including protection from harassment, and the redress of grievances;
3. Ensure that persons with disabilities are able to exercise their labour and trade union rights on an equal basis with others;
4. Enable persons with disabilities to have effective access to general technical and vocational guidance programmes, placement services and vocational and continuing training;
5. Promote employment opportunities and career advancement for persons with disabilities in the labour market, as well as assistance in finding, obtaining, maintaining and returning to employment;
6. Promote opportunities for self-employment, entrepreneurship, the development of cooperatives and starting one’s own business;
7. Employ persons with disabilities in the public sector;
8. Promote the employment of persons with disabilities in the private sector through appropriate policies and measures, which may include affirmative action programmes, incentives and other measures;
9. Ensure that reasonable accommodation is provided to persons with disabilities in the workplace;
10. Promote the acquisition by persons with disabilities of work experience in the open labour market;
11. Promote vocational and professional rehabilitation, job retention and return-to-work programmes for persons with disabilities.

2. States Parties shall ensure that persons with disabilities are not held in slavery or in servitude, and are protected, on an equal basis with others, from forced or compulsory labour.

Article 28: Adequate standard of living and social protection

1. States Parties recognize the right of persons with disabilities to an adequate standard of living for themselves and their families, including adequate food, clothing and housing, and to the continuous improvement of living conditions, and shall take appropriate steps to safeguard and promote the realization of this right without discrimination on the basis of disability.

2. States Parties recognize the right of persons with disabilities to social protection and to the enjoyment of that right without discrimination on the basis of disability, and shall take appropriate steps to safeguard and promote the realization of this right, including measures:

1. To ensure equal access by persons with disabilities to clean water services, and to ensure access to appropriate and affordable services, devices and other assistance for disability-related needs;
2. To ensure access by persons with disabilities, in particular women and girls with disabilities and older persons with disabilities, to social protection programmes and poverty reduction programmes;
3. To ensure access by persons with disabilities and their families living in situations of poverty to assistance from the State with disability-related expenses, including adequate training, counselling, financial assistance and respite care;
4. To ensure access by persons with disabilities to public housing programmes;
5. To ensure equal access by persons with disabilities to retirement benefits and programmes.

Article 29: Participation in political and public life

States Parties shall guarantee to persons with disabilities political rights and the opportunity to enjoy them on an equal basis with others, and shall undertake:

1. To ensure that persons with disabilities can effectively and fully participate in political and public life on an equal basis with others, directly or through freely chosen representatives, including the right and opportunity for persons with disabilities to vote and be elected, inter alia, by:
   • Ensuring that voting procedures, facilities and materials are appropriate, accessible and easy to understand and use;
   • Protecting the right of persons with disabilities to vote by secret ballot in elections and public referendums without intimidation, and to stand for elections, to effectively hold office and perform all public functions at all levels of government, facilitating the use of assistive and new technologies where appropriate;
   • Guaranteeing the free expression of the will of persons with disabilities as electors and to this end, where necessary, at their request, allowing assistance in voting by a person of their own choice;
2. To promote actively an environment in which persons with disabilities can effectively and fully participate in the conduct of public affairs, without discrimination and on an equal basis with others, and encourage their participation in public affairs, including:
   • Participation in non-governmental organizations and associations concerned with the public and political life of the country, and in the activities and administration of political parties;
   • Forming and joining organizations of persons with disabilities to represent persons with disabilities at international, national, regional and local levels.

Article 30: Participation in cultural life, recreation, leisure and sport

1. States Parties recognize the right of persons with disabilities to take part on an equal basis with others in cultural life, and shall take all appropriate measures to ensure that persons with disabilities:

1. Enjoy access to cultural materials in accessible formats;
2. Enjoy access to television programmes, films, theatre and other cultural activities, in accessible formats;
3. Enjoy access to places for cultural performances or services, such as theatres, museums, cinemas, libraries and tourism services, and, as far as possible, enjoy access to monuments and sites of national cultural importance.

2. States Parties shall take appropriate measures to enable persons with disabilities to have the opportunity to develop and utilize their creative, artistic and intellectual potential, not only for their own benefit, but also for the enrichment of society.

3. States Parties shall take all appropriate steps, in accordance with international law, to ensure that laws protecting intellectual property rights do not constitute an unreasonable or discriminatory barrier to access by persons with disabilities to cultural materials.

4. Persons with disabilities shall be entitled, on an equal basis with others, to recognition and support of their specific cultural and linguistic identity, including sign languages and deaf culture.

5. With a view to enabling persons with disabilities to participate on an equal basis with others in recreational, leisure and sporting activities, States Parties shall take appropriate measures:

1. To encourage and promote the participation, to the fullest extent possible, of persons with disabilities in mainstream sporting activities at all levels;
2. To ensure that persons with disabilities have an opportunity to organize, develop and participate in disability-specific sporting and recreational activities and, to this end, encourage the provision, on an equal basis with others, of appropriate instruction, training and resources;
3. To ensure that persons with disabilities have access to sporting, recreational and tourism venues;
4. To ensure that children with disabilities have equal access with other children to participation in play, recreation and leisure and sporting activities, including those activities in the school system;
5. To ensure that persons with disabilities have access to services from those involved in the organization of recreational, tourism, leisure and sporting activities.

Article 31: Statistics and data collection

1. States Parties undertake to collect appropriate information, including statistical and research data, to enable them to formulate and implement policies to give effect to the present Convention. The process of collecting and maintaining this information shall:

1. Comply with legally established safeguards, including legislation on data protection, to ensure confidentiality and respect for the privacy of persons with disabilities;
2. Comply with internationally accepted norms to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms and ethical principles in the collection and use of statistics.

2. The information collected in accordance with this article shall be disaggregated, as appropriate, and used to help assess the implementation of States Parties’ obligations under the present Convention and to identify and address the barriers faced by persons with disabilities in exercising their rights.

3. States Parties shall assume responsibility for the dissemination of these statistics and ensure their accessibility to persons with disabilities and others.

Article 32: International cooperation

1. States Parties recognize the importance of international cooperation and its promotion, in support of national efforts for the realization of the purpose and objectives of the present Convention, and will undertake appropriate and effective measures in this regard, between and among States and, as appropriate, in partnership with relevant international and regional organizations and civil society, in particular organizations of persons with disabilities. Such measures could include, inter alia:

1. Ensuring that international cooperation, including international development programmes, is inclusive of and accessible to persons with disabilities;
2. Facilitating and supporting capacity-building, including through the exchange and sharing of information, experiences, training programmes and best practices;
3. Facilitating cooperation in research and access to scientific and technical knowledge;
4. Providing, as appropriate, technical and economic assistance, including by facilitating access to and sharing of accessible and assistive technologies, and through the transfer of technologies.

2. The provisions of this article are without prejudice to the obligations of each State Party to fulfil its obligations under the present Convention.

Article 33: National implementation and monitoring

1. States Parties, in accordance with their system of organization, shall designate one or more focal points within government for matters relating to the implementation of the present Convention, and shall give due consideration to the establishment or designation of a coordination mechanism within government to facilitate related action in different sectors and at different levels.

2. States Parties shall, in accordance with their legal and administrative systems, maintain, strengthen, designate or establish within the State Party, a framework, including one or more independent mechanisms, as appropriate, to promote, protect and monitor implementation of the present Convention. When designating or establishing such a mechanism, States Parties shall take into account the principles relating to the status and functioning of national institutions for protection and promotion of human rights.

3. Civil society, in particular persons with disabilities and their representative organizations, shall be involved and participate fully in the monitoring process.

Article 34: Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

1. There shall be established a Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities ( hereafter referred to as “the Committee”), which shall carry out the functions hereinafter provided.

2. The Committee shall consist, at the time of entry into force of the present Convention, of twelve experts. After an additional sixty ratifications or accessions to the Convention, the membership of the Committee shall increase by six members, attaining a maximum number of eighteen members.

3. The members of the Committee shall serve in their personal capacity and shall be of high moral standing and recognized competence and experience in the field covered by the present Convention. When nominating their candidates, States Parties are invited to give due consideration to the provision set out in article 4, paragraph 3, of the present Convention.

4. The members of the Committee shall be elected by States Parties, consideration being given to equitable geographical distribution, representation of the different forms of civilization and of the principal legal systems, balanced gender representation and participation of experts with disabilities.

5. The members of the Committee shall be elected by secret ballot from a list of persons nominated by the States Parties from among their nationals at meetings of the Conference of States Parties. At those meetings, for which two thirds of States Parties shall constitute a quorum, the persons elected to the Committee shall be those who obtain the largest number of votes and an absolute majority of the votes of the representatives of States Parties present and voting.

6. The initial election shall be held no later than six months after the date of entry into force of the present Convention. At least four months before the date of each election, the Secretary-General of the United Nations shall address a letter to the States Parties inviting them to submit the nominations within two months. The Secretary-General shall subsequently prepare a list in alphabetical order of all persons thus nominated, indicating the State Parties which have nominated them, and shall submit it to the States Parties to the present Convention.

7. The members of the Committee shall be elected for a term of four years. They shall be eligible for re-election once. However, the term of six of the members elected at the first election shall expire at the end of two years; immediately after the first election, the names of these six members shall be chosen by lot by the chairperson of the meeting referred to in paragraph 5 of this article.

8. The election of the six additional members of the Committee shall be held on the occasion of regular elections, in accordance with the relevant provisions of this article.

9. If a member of the Committee dies or resigns or declares that for any other cause she or he can no longer perform her or his duties, the State Party which nominated the member shall appoint another expert possessing the qualifications and meeting the requirements set out in the relevant provisions of this article, to serve for the remainder of the term.

10. The Committee shall establish its own rules of procedure.

11. The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall provide the necessary staff and facilities for the effective performance of the functions of the Committee under the present Convention, and shall convene its initial meeting.

12. With the approval of the General Assembly of the United Nations, the members of the Committee established under the present Convention shall receive emoluments from United Nations resources on such terms and conditions as the Assembly may decide, having regard to the importance of the Committee’s responsibilities.

13. The members of the Committee shall be entitled to the facilities, privileges and immunities of experts on mission for the United Nations as laid down in the relevant sections of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations.

Article 35: Reports by States Parties

1. Each State Party shall submit to the Committee, through the Secretary- General of the United Nations, a comprehensive report on measures taken to give effect to its obligations under the present Convention and on the progress made in that regard, within two years after the entry into force of the present Convention for the State Party concerned.

2. Thereafter, States Parties shall submit subsequent reports at least every four years and further whenever the Committee so requests.

3. The Committee shall decide any guidelines applicable to the content of the reports.

4. A State Party which has submitted a comprehensive initial report to the Committee need not, in its subsequent reports, repeat information previously provided. When preparing reports to the Committee, States Parties are invited to consider doing so in an open and transparent process and to give due consideration to the provision set out in article 4, paragraph 3, of the present Convention.

5. Reports may indicate factors and difficulties affecting the degree of fulfilment of obligations under the present Convention.

Article 36: Consideration of reports

1. Each report shall be considered by the Committee, which shall make such suggestions and general recommendations on the report as it may consider appropriate and shall forward these to the State Party concerned. The State Party may respond with any information it chooses to the Committee. The Committee may request further information from States Parties relevant to the implementation of the present Convention.

2. If a State Party is significantly overdue in the submission of a report, the Committee may notify the State Party concerned of the need to examine the implementation of the present Convention in that State Party, on the basis of reliable information available to the Committee, if the relevant report is not submitted within three months following the notification. The Committee shall invite the State Party concerned to participate in such examination. Should the State Party respond by submitting the relevant report, the provisions of paragraph 1 of this article will apply.

3. The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall make available the reports to all States Parties.

4. States Parties shall make their reports widely available to the public in their own countries and facilitate access to the suggestions and general recommendations relating to these reports.

5. The Committee shall transmit, as it may consider appropriate, to the specialized agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations, and other competent bodies, reports from States Parties in order to address a request or indication of a need for technical advice or assistance contained therein, along with the Committee’s observations and recommendations, if any, on these requests or indications.

Article 37: Cooperation between States Parties and the Committee

1. Each State Party shall cooperate with the Committee and assist its members in the fulfilment of their mandate.

2. In its relationship with States Parties, the Committee shall give due consideration to ways and means of enhancing national capacities for the implementation of the present Convention, including through international cooperation.

Article 38: Relationship of the Committee with other bodies

In order to foster the effective implementation of the present Convention and to encourage international cooperation in the field covered by the present Convention:

1. The specialized agencies and other United Nations organs shall be entitled to be represented at the consideration of the implementation of such provisions of the present Convention as fall within the scope of their mandate. The Committee may invite the specialized agencies and other competent bodies as it may consider appropriate to provide expert advice on the implementation of the Convention in areas falling within the scope of their respective mandates. The Committee may invite specialized agencies and other United Nations organs to submit reports on the implementation of the Convention in areas falling within the scope of their activities;
2. The Committee, as it discharges its mandate, shall consult, as appropriate, other relevant bodies instituted by international human rights treaties, with a view to ensuring the consistency of their respective reporting guidelines, suggestions and general recommendations, and avoiding duplication and overlap in the performance of their functions.

Article 39: Report of the Committee

The Committee shall report every two years to the General Assembly and to the Economic and Social Council on its activities, and may make suggestions and general recommendations based on the examination of reports and information received from the States Parties. Such suggestions and general recommendations shall be included in the report of the Committee together with comments, if any, from States Parties.

Article 40: Conference of States Parties

1. The States Parties shall meet regularly in a Conference of States Parties in order to consider any matter with regard to the implementation of the present Convention.

2. No later than six months after the entry into force of the present Convention, the Conference of States Parties shall be convened by the Secretary-General of the United Nations. The subsequent meetings shall be convened by the Secretary-General biennially or upon the decision of the Conference of States Parties.

Article 41: Depositary

The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall be the depositary of the present Convention.

Article 42: Signature

The present Convention shall be open for signature by all States and by regional integration organizations at United Nations Headquarters in New York as of 30 March 2007.

Article 43: Consent to be bound

The present Convention shall be subject to ratification by signatory States and to formal confirmation by signatory regional integration organizations. It shall be open for accession by any State or regional integration organization which has not signed the Convention.

Article 44: Regional integration organizations

1. “Regional integration organization” shall mean an organization constituted by sovereign States of a given region, to which its member States have transferred competence in respect of matters governed by the present Convention. Such organizations shall declare, in their instruments of formal confirmation or accession, the extent of their competence with respect to matters governed by the present Convention. Subsequently, they shall inform the depositary of any substantial modification in the extent of their competence.

2. References to “States Parties” in the present Convention shall apply to such organizations within the limits of their competence.

3. For the purposes of article 45, paragraph 1, and article 47, paragraphs 2 and 3, of the present Convention, any instrument deposited by a regional integration organization shall not be counted.

4. Regional integration organizations, in matters within their competence, may exercise their right to vote in the Conference of States Parties, with a number of votes equal to the number of their member States that are Parties to the present Convention. Such an organization shall not exercise its right to vote if any of its member States exercises its right, and vice versa.

Article 45: Entry into force

1. The present Convention shall enter into force on the thirtieth day after the deposit of the twentieth instrument of ratification or accession.

2. For each State or regional integration organization ratifying, formally confirming or acceding to the present Convention after the deposit of the twentieth such instrument, the Convention shall enter into force on the thirtieth day after the deposit of its own such instrument.

Article 46: Reservations

1. Reservations incompatible with the object and purpose of the present Convention shall not be permitted.

2. Reservations may be withdrawn at any time.

Article 47: AmendmentsReservations

1. Any State Party may propose an amendment to the present Convention and submit it to the Secretary-General of the United Nations. The Secretary- General shall communicate any proposed amendments to States Parties, with a request to be notified whether they favour a conference of States Parties for the purpose of considering and deciding upon the proposals. In the event that, within four months from the date of such communication, at least one third of the States Parties favour such a conference, the Secretary-General shall convene the conference under the auspices of the United Nations. Any amendment adopted by a majority of two thirds of the States Parties present and voting shall be submitted by the Secretary-General to the General Assembly of the United Nations for approval and thereafter to all States Parties for acceptance.

2. An amendment adopted and approved in accordance with paragraph 1 of this article shall enter into force on the thirtieth day after the number of instruments of acceptance deposited reaches two thirds of the number of States Parties at the date of adoption of the amendment. Thereafter, the amendment shall enter into force for any State Party on the thirtieth day following the deposit of its own instrument of acceptance. An amendment shall be binding only on those States Parties which have accepted it.

3. If so decided by the Conference of States Parties by consensus, an amendment adopted and approved in accordance with paragraph 1 of this article which relates exclusively to articles 34, 38, 39 and 40 shall enter into force for all States Parties on the thirtieth day after the number of instruments of acceptance deposited reaches two thirds of the number of States Parties at the date of adoption of the amendment.

Article 48: Denunciation

A State Party may denounce the present Convention by written notification to the Secretary-General of the United Nations. The denunciation shall become effective one year after the date of receipt of the notification by the Secretary-General.

Article 49: Accessible format

The text of the present Convention shall be made available in accessible formats.

Article 50: Authentic texts

The Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish texts of the present Convention shall be equally authentic. IN WITNESS THEREOF the undersigned plenipotentiaries, being duly authorized thereto by their respective Governments, have signed the present Convention.

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OPTIONAL PROTOCOL TO THE CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

The States Parties to the present Protocol have agreed as follows:

Article 1

1. A State Party to the present Protocol (“State Party”) recognizes the competence of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (“the Committee”) to receive and consider communications from or on behalf of individuals or groups of individuals subject to its jurisdiction who claim to be victims of a violation by that State Party of the provisions of the Convention.

2. No communication shall be received by the Committee if it concerns a State Party to the Convention that is not a party to the present Protocol.

Article 2

The Committee shall consider a communication inadmissible when:

1. The communication is anonymous;
2. The communication constitutes an abuse of the right of submission of such communications or is incompatible with the provisions of the Convention;
3. The same matter has already been examined by the Committee or has been or is being examined under another procedure of international investigation or settlement;
4. All available domestic remedies have not been exhausted. This shall not be the rule where the application of the remedies is unreasonably prolonged or unlikely to bring effective relief;
5. It is manifestly ill-founded or not sufficiently substantiated; or when
6. The facts that are the subject of the communication occurred prior to the entry into force of the present Protocol for the State Party concerned unless those facts continued after that date.

Article 3

Subject to the provisions of article 2 of the present Protocol, the Committee shall bring any communications submitted to it confidentially to the attention of the State Party. Within six months, the receiving State shall submit to the Committee written explanations or statements clarifying the matter and the remedy, if any, that may have been taken by that State.

Article 4

1. At any time after the receipt of a communication and before a determination on the merits has been reached, the Committee may transmit to the State Party concerned for its urgent consideration a request that the State Party take such interim measures as may be necessary to avoid possible irreparable damage to the victim or victims of the alleged violation.

2. Where the Committee exercises its discretion under paragraph 1 of this article, this does not imply a determination on admissibility or on the merits of the communication.

Article 5

The Committee shall hold closed meetings when examining communications under the present Protocol. After examining a communication, the Committee shall forward its suggestions and recommendations, if any, to the State Party concerned and to the petitioner.

Article 6

1. If the Committee receives reliable information indicating grave or systematic violations by a State Party of rights set forth in the Convention, the Committee shall invite that State Party to cooperate in the examination of the information and to this end submit observations with regard to the information concerned.

2. Taking into account any observations that may have been submitted by the State Party concerned as well as any other reliable information available to it, the Committee may designate one or more of its members to conduct an inquiry and to report urgently to the Committee. Where warranted and with the consent of the State Party, the inquiry may include a visit to its territory.

3. After examining the findings of such an inquiry, the Committee shall transmit these findings to the State Party concerned together with any comments and recommendations.

4. The State Party concerned shall, within six months of receiving the findings, comments and recommendations transmitted by the Committee, submit its observations to the Committee.

5. Such an inquiry shall be conducted confidentially and the cooperation of the State Party shall be sought at all stages of the proceedings.

Article 7

1. The Committee may invite the State Party concerned to include in its report under article 35 of the Convention details of any measures taken in response to an inquiry conducted under article 6 of the present Protocol.

2. The Committee may, if necessary, after the end of the period of six months referred to in article 6, paragraph 4, invite the State Party concerned to inform it of the measures taken in response to such an inquiry.

Article 8

Each State Party may, at the time of signature or ratification of the present Protocol or accession thereto, declare that it does not recognize the competence of the Committee provided for in articles 6 and 7.

Article 9

The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall be the depositary of the present Protocol.

Article 10

The present Protocol shall be open for signature by signatory States and regional integration organizations of the Convention at United Nations Headquarters in New York as of 30 March 2007.

Article 11

The present Protocol shall be subject to ratification by signatory States of the present Protocol which have ratified or acceded to the Convention. It shall be subject to formal confirmation by signatory regional integration organizations of the present Protocol which have formally confirmed or acceded to the Convention. It shall be open for accession by any State or regional integration organization which has ratified, formally confirmed or acceded to the Convention and which has not signed the Protocol.

Article 12

1. “Regional integration organization” shall mean an organization constituted by sovereign States of a given region, to which its member States have transferred competence in respect of matters governed by the Convention and the present Protocol. Such organizations shall declare, in their instruments of formal confirmation or accession, the extent of their competence with respect to matters governed by the Convention and the present Protocol. Subsequently, they shall inform the depositary of any substantial modification in the extent of their competence.

2. References to “States Parties” in the present Protocol shall apply to such organizations within the limits of their competence.

3. For the purposes of article 13, paragraph 1, and article 15, paragraph 2, of the present Protocol, any instrument deposited by a regional integration organization shall not be counted.

4. Regional integration organizations, in matters within their competence, may exercise their right to vote in the meeting of States Parties, with a number of votes equal to the number of their member States that are Parties to the present Protocol. Such an organization shall not exercise its right to vote if any of its member States exercises its right, and vice versa.

Article 13

1. Subject to the entry into force of the Convention, the present Protocol shall enter into force on the thirtieth day after the deposit of the tenth instrument of ratification or accession.

2. For each State or regional integration organization ratifying, formally confirming or acceding to the present Protocol after the deposit of the tenth such instrument, the Protocol shall enter into force on the thirtieth day after the deposit of its own such instrument.

Article 14

1. Reservations incompatible with the object and purpose of the present Protocol shall not be permitted.

2. Reservations may be withdrawn at any time.

Article 15

1. Any State Party may propose an amendment to the present Protocol and submit it to the Secretary-General of the United Nations. The Secretary-General shall communicate any proposed amendments to States Parties, with a request to be notified whether they favour a meeting of States Parties for the purpose of considering and deciding upon the proposals. In the event that, within four months from the date of such communication, at least one third of the States Parties favour such a meeting, the Secretary-General shall convene the meeting under the auspices of the United Nations. Any amendment adopted by a majority of two thirds of the States Parties present and voting shall be submitted by the Secretary-General to the General Assembly of the United Nations for approval and thereafter to all States Parties for acceptance.

2. An amendment adopted and approved in accordance with paragraph 1 of this article shall enter into force on the thirtieth day after the number of instruments of acceptance deposited reaches two thirds of the number of States Parties at the date of adoption of the amendment. Thereafter, the amendment shall enter into force for any State Party on the thirtieth day following the deposit of its own instrument of acceptance. An amendment shall be binding only on those States Parties which have accepted it.

Article 16

A State Party may denounce the present Protocol by written notification to the Secretary-General of the United Nations. The denunciation shall become effective one year after the date of receipt of the notification by the Secretary-General.

Article 17

The text of the present Protocol shall be made available in accessible formats.

Article 18

The Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish texts of the present Protocol shall be equally authentic. IN WITNESS THEREOF the undersigned plenipotentiaries, being duly authorized thereto by their respective Governments, have signed the present Protocol.

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