« People with Disabilities Now Able to Pursue Justice in Qatar | Home | Kenyans with Disabilities to Influence Constitution »
Brazil Ratifies Disability Rights Treaty
By Andrea Shettle, MSW | August 13, 2008
Brazil became the 34th country to ratify the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) on August 1. They also became the 20th country to ratify the accompanying Optional Protocol.
The CRPD is the first legally binding, international agreement among countries that protects the human rights of people with disabilities. It protects a wide range of human rights, such as signing contracts; owning and inheriting property; accessible public accommodations; respect for physical and mental integrity; and more.
The Optional Protocol gives people with disabilities in ratifying countries one more way to pursue justice. If someone feels their human rights has been violated under the CRPD, they must first pursue all means of justice that are available within their country. If all attempts to obtain redress in their country fail, and if their country has ratified the Optional Protocol, they may then bring a complaint to the international Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Committee is authorized to investigate these complaints.
In addition to the 34 countries that have ratified the CRPD, another 96 countries have declared official interest in ratifying it in the future. Among these, 51 countries also have declared interest in ratifying the Optional Protocol.
Find out if your country has signed or ratified the CRPD at http://www.un.org/disabilities/countries.asp?navid=12&pid=166
Learn more about the CRPD and Optional Protocol by skimming the RatifyNow FAQ.
Learn how you can become involved with the global campaign to promote the ratification and implementation of the CRPD and Optional Protocol in your country and elsewhere.
Topics: News |
Comments
You must be logged in to post a comment.