UN Human Rights Treaties

United Nations A/AC.265/2006/L.6
General Assembly
Distr.: Limited
23 August 2006
Original: English
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Ad Hoc Committee on a Comprehensive and
Integral International Convention on the
Protection and Promotion of the Rights and
Dignity of Persons with Disabilities
New York, 14-25 August 2006
Draft report of the Ad Hoc Committee on a Comprehensive
and Integral International Convention on the Protection
and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with
Disabilities on its eighth session
I. Introduction
1. In its resolution 56/168 of 19 December 2001, the General Assembly decided
to establish the Ad Hoc Committee on a Comprehensive and Integral International
Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons
with Disabilities, based on the holistic approach in the work done in the fields of
social development, human rights and non-discrimination and taking into account
the recommendations of the Commission on Human Rights and the Commission for
Social Development.
2. In its resolution 60/232 of 23 December 2005, the General Assembly decided
that the Ad Hoc Committee should hold, within existing resources, prior to the
sixty-first session of the General Assembly, two sessions in 2006, one of 15 working
days, from 16 January to 3 February, in order to achieve a complete reading of the
draft text of a convention prepared by the Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee, and
one of 10 working days, from 7 to 18 August.
3. At its seventh session, the Ad Hoc Committee recommended that its eighth
session be held from 14 to 25 August 2006.
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II. Organizational matters
A. Opening and duration of the eighth session
4. The Ad Hoc Committee held its eighth session at United Nations Headquarters
from 14 to 25 August 2006. In the course of its session, the Ad Hoc Committee held
20 meetings.
5. The Division for Social Policy and Development of the Department of
Economic and Social Affairs acted as the substantive secretariat, while the
Disarmament and Decolonization Affairs Branch of the Department for General
Assembly and Conference Management served as secretariat of the Ad Hoc
Committee.
6. The eighth session of the Ad Hoc Committee was opened by the Chairman of
the Committee, Don McKay, Ambassador of New Zealand.
B. Officers
7. The following officers continued to serve on the Bureau of the Committee:
Chairman:
Don McKay (New Zealand)
Vice-Chairpersons:
Jorge Ballestero (Costa Rica)
Petra Ali Doláková (Czech Republic)
Mu’taz Hyassat (Jordan)
Fiola Hoosen (South Africa)1
C. Agenda
8. At its 1st meeting, on 14 August 2006, the Ad Hoc Committee adopted its
provisional agenda, as contained in document A/AC.265/2006/L.4, as follows:
1. Opening of the session.
2. Adoption of the agenda.
3. Organization of work.
4. Consideration of the working text as contained in the report of the Ad
Hoc Committee on its seventh session (A/AC.265/2006/2, annex II).
5. Conclusion of the work of the Ad Hoc Committee at its eighth session.
6. Adoption of the report of the Ad Hoc Committee on its eighth session.
__________________
1 At its 1st meeting, on 14 August 2006, the Ad Hoc Committee agreed that Fiola Hoosen of
South Africa would serve on the Bureau as representative of the Group of African States.
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D. Documentation
9. The Ad Hoc Committee had before it the following documents:
(a) Provisional agenda (A/AC.265/2006/L.4);
(b) Proposed organization of work (A/AC.265/2006/L.5);
(c) Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on its seventh session
(A/AC.265/2006/2);
(d) Letter dated 10 August 2006 from the Deputy Permanent Representative
of the Sudan to the United Nations addressed to the Secretariat (A/AC.265/2006/3);
(e) List of participants (A/AC.265/2006/INF/2);
(f) National institutional frameworks and human rights of persons with
disabilities (background conference document prepared by the Department of
Economic and Social Affairs) (A/AC.265/2006/CRP.5).
III. Organization of work
10. During its eighth session, the Ad Hoc Committee concluded the draft text of a
convention and an optional protocol in accordance with the programme of work
adopted at its first meeting, on 14 August 2006. On 25 August, at its 20th meeting,
the Ad Hoc Committee adopted the draft text of a convention on the rights of
persons with disabilities and an optional protocol.
IV. Recommendations
11. The Committee decided to establish an open-ended drafting group tasked with
ensuring uniformity of terminology throughout the text of the draft convention,
harmonizing the versions in the official languages of the United Nations and
reporting on the results of its work to the Ad Hoc Committee at a meeting of its
resumed eighth session, to be held before the end of the sixty-first session of the
General Assembly in order to enable the Ad Hoc Committee to forward the finalized
text of the convention to the Assembly, and requested the Secretary-General to
provide adequate secretariat services for the drafting group within existing
resources.
V. Adoption of the report of the Ad Hoc Committee
12. At its 20th meeting, on 25 August 2006, the Committee adopted the draft
report on its eighth session (A/AC.265/2006/L.6).
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Annex I
Additional non-governmental organizations accredited to
the Ad Hoc Committee
[…]
Annex II
Draft text of a convention on the rights of persons
with disabilities
[…]