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Summary of the seventh ad hoc committee on a comprehensive international convention on the
rights and dignity of persons with disabilities
Background: The seventh session of the ad hoc committee on a Convention on the Rights and
Dignity of Persons with Disabilities (the Committee) took place at UNHQ in New York from 16
January to 3 February, 2006. The goal of the session was to conduct a complete review of a draft
text which was prepared by the Chair of the Committee, Ambassador Don MacKay of New
Zealand1.
Participation by mine/ERW-affected Member States and non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) from mine/ERW affected Member States: UNMAS provided briefings to several
mine/ERW-affected Member States, including Afghanistan and Burundi. Twenty-nine mine/ERW
affected Member States attended the session, and delegations from Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Kenya, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, and Yemen included a mine/ERW survivor and other
persons with disabilities.
Representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from mine/ERW-affected Member
States, including Union des Personnes Handicappes au Burundi (UPHB, Burundi), Iraqi
Handicapped and Survivors Society (IHSS, Iraq), and Peace and the Tolerance International
Organization (PTIO, Sudan), attended the seventh session. UNMAS assisted in obtaining
accreditation status for these NGOs at the sixth session in August 2005. Other NGO participants
in the seventh session included representatives from Landmine Survivors Network (LSN), The
Cambodia Trust, Disabled Peoples’ International, and Rehabilitation International. Vietnam
Veterans of America Foundation (VVAF), The Cambodia Trust, Mine Combat Organization (Sudan),
and Statute of Mine Combat Organization (Sudan) obtained their accreditation status at the end of
seventh session.
Brown Bag Lunch Meeting with UNMAS: UNMAS organized a brown bag lunch meeting on 25th
January with three NGO representatives, including two persons with disabilities, from Burundi, Iraq,
and Sudan. UNMAS officers and Ms. Mara Bustelo and Ms. Jane Connors from the Office of High
Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR, Geneva), attended the meeting. The purpose of this
meeting was to exchange views on the new convention and challenges NGOs face in promoting
the rights of landmine survivors. Dr. Yousif Abbullah of PTIO explained that access to reasonable
employment, inclusive education, and health services, including trauma care, is particularly
challenging for landmine survivors in Sudan. Mr. Mouffak Khafaji of IHSS has been lobbying the
Iraqi Government to ratify the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Treaty (APMBT). In addition, he stressed
the importance of raising support for the rights of women with disabilities and for the political rights
of persons with disabilities. Mr. Claver Seberege of UPHB gave a briefing on his organization’s
activity in promoting the education and health rights of persons with disabilities. Mr. Seberege
initiated a “projet de loi (draft legislation)” on the human rights of persons with disabilities and
brought it to the attention of the Vice President. Ms. Bustelo of the OHCHR commented that NGOs
can play an important role in assisting governments in fulfilling a reporting requirement2. She also
commented that LSN, a very strong advocate on the new convention, could provide technical
assistance to NGOs from mine-affected countries in promoting basic services for survivors.3 In
addition, Ms. Bustelo and Ms. Connors stated that the OHCHR could offer assistance in drafting
legislation. The meeting provided UNMAS and the OHCHR with important and insightful
1
The text is available at http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/rights/ahcstatachairstxt.htm .
2
The reporting process is the central feature of the human rights monitoring system and all treaties require
States Parties to submit an initial report on the implementation of the treaty for the State concerned and
periodically thereafter.
3
Dr. Yousif has initiated a dialogue with LSN on a possible establishment of a LSN office in Sudan.
1
information on the situation of landmine survivors and other persons with disabilities in Burundi,
Iraq, and Sudan.
Summary of discussions on key articles: The Chair is of the view that there are no significant
issues remaining for the majority of draft articles, including Health (article 25), Habilitation and
Rehabilitation (article 26), Work and Employment (article 27), and Statistics and Data Collection
(article 31). The following issues of concern for the mine action community are still being debated:
Draft articles 6 “Women with Disabilities” and 7 “Children with Disabilities”: There is a
widespread view that the new convention should have separate articles on women with
disabilities and children with disabilities, and that gender and age should be mentioned in
general provisions (the preamble; “article 3” general principles; and “article 4” general
obligations). There are, however, differences in views among delegates as to whether
gender and age references in the preamble and article 3 should be retained or should be
merged with article 4.
Draft article 32 (“International Cooperation”): While some delegates consider that States
Parties to a new convention should undertake to fulfill their obligations to implement the
convention with their own resources, other delegates consider that international cooperation
should be called for in the convention to ensure support to developing countries in fulfilling
their treaty obligations. The revised text reflects these views and will be discussed at the
eighth session.
Draft article 33 (“National Implementation and Monitoring”): The convention will include an
article on effective national and international monitoring, however, specifics have not been
clarified. Details will be discussed at the eighth session4.
Side events:
Health as a fundamental right of persons with disabilities (23rd Jan): The workshop was
organized by the World Health Organization (WHO). Keynote speakers included Dr. Vasquez
of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and Dr. Montero of WHO HQ (Geneva). Dr.
Vasquez referred to a link between public health and human rights for persons with disabilities.
He emphasized the importance of public health policies, and explained how human rights-
based legislation could positively affect the physical and mental health of persons with
disabilities. Dr. Montero added that WHO promotes data collection and surveillance systems
for persons with disabilities, and explained that social policies and poverty eradication policies
do not often include persons with disabilities. WHO will publish a concept paper on health and
rehabilitation.
Briefing on current discussions of treaty body reform (24th Jan): Ms. Jane Connors of the
OHCHR briefed on the existing seven treaty bodies and the reporting system/requirement. She
explained that Member States are considering introducing a unified standing treaty body and a
single report to avoid duplication of work (i.e. seven different treaty bodies reviewing separate
reports covering similar issues) and to lessen the burden on Member States to meet their
reporting obligations5.
400 Million R (1st February): This side event was organized by The Cambodia Trust, a U.K.
NGO. Speakers included Mr. Chris Moon, Ms. Caroline Casey, and Mr. Carson Harte. Mr.
4. Discussions at the eighth session will be based on “A discussion text”
(http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/rights/ahc7ann2rep.htm) and “A list of questions”
(http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/rights/ahc7questions.htm).
5
More information on the current reform of the OHCHR is available at
http://www.ohchr.org/english/bodies/system.htm
2
Moon, a former HALO Trust deminer and a landmine survivor, introduced a global campaign
called “400 Million R”. The purpose of the campaign is to help prevent the causes of disabilities
and to ensure that persons with disabilities have equal access to all mainstream healthcare,
education, training, and employment opportunities and community activities. The campaign
expects to achieve its goals by organizing an exciting, dynamic, high profile, and political
campaign to bring its message to the international political arena6.
The Next Ad Hoc Committee Meeting: At the end of the session, the Chair adopted
A/AC.265/2006/L.3, which recommends that the Committee continue its work at its eighth session
from 14 to 25 August 2006. The Chair urged delegates to ensure that positions on draft articles on
women and children with disabilities, international cooperation, and national implementation and
monitoring are widely consulted prior to the eighth session. The eighth session will review a
revised text, which is available at: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/rights/ahc7ann2rep.htm
th
(Akiko Ikeda; Victim Assistance Officer; UNMAS; 14 March, 2006)
6
More information on the campaign is available at http://www.400millionR.com.
3
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