Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities and the Optional Protocol thereto: accessibility
A/RES/74/144
Recalling the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, 7 the Sendai
Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 8 and the New Urban Agenda, 9
Reaffirming the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, 10 which is inclusive
of persons with disabilities and in which Member States pledged to leave no one
behind, recognizing that the contributions of persons with disabilities are important
to its full and effective implementation, and acknowledging that Member States,
while implementing the 2030 Agenda, should, inter alia, respect, protect and promote
human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without discrimination of any kind,
Welcoming the fact that, since the opening for signature of the Convention on
the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Optional Protocol thereto on 30 March
2007, 162 States and 1 regional integration organization have signed and 180 States
and 1 regional integration organization have ratified or acceded to the Convention
and 94 States have signed and 96 States have ratified the Optional Protocol,
Noting with appreciation the work and activities that have been and continue to
be undertaken in support of the Convention and towards the fulfilment and
mainstreaming of the rights of all persons with disabilities, particularly through, inter
alia, the Conference of States Parties to the Convention, the Under-Secretary-General
and Senior Adviser on Policy, the Committee on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities, other human rights treaty bodies, the Special Rapporteur of the Human
Rights Council on the rights of persons with disabilities, the Special Envoy of the
Secretary-General on Disability and Accessibility, the Inter-Agency Support Group
on the Convention and the Inter-Agency Standing Committee Task Team on Inclusion
of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action,
Noting the need for Member States, the United Nations system and other
stakeholders to further strengthen the normative framework on disability, including
the rights of persons with disabilities, in line with the pledge of leaving no one behind
contained in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and to consider disability
as a global issue, cutting across the pillars of the United Nations,
Welcoming progress towards mainstreaming disability, including the rights of
persons with disabilities, in the work of the United Nations, and noting with
appreciation the launch of the United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy and the
leadership of the Secretary-General to bring about transformative and systematic
change on disability inclusion across the United Nations system,
Welcoming also the contributions of the Steering Committee on Accessibility to
improving the accessibility of United Nations premises, conferences and meetings,
and information and communications, and notes other disability-related initiatives
such as the Global Disability Summit,
Welcoming further the observance of international disability-related days,
including “World Autism Awareness Day” on 2 April 2019 on the theme “Assistive
technologies, active participation”, which promoted accessibility for persons on the
autism spectrum to affordable assistive technologies in order to eliminate the barriers
to their participation on an equal basis with others, as well as the observance of World
Down Syndrome Day on 21 March 2019 on the theme “Leave no one behind in
education”, which focused on inclusive and accessible education,
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A/CONF.157/24 (Part I), chap. III.
Resolution 69/283, annex II.
Resolution 71/256, annex.
Resolution 70/1.
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