UN Human Rights Treaties

United Nations A/C.3/56/L.67
General Assembly Distr.: Limited
20 November 2001
Original: English
01-64941 (E) 231101
*0164941*
Fifty-sixth session
Third Committee
Agenda item 119 (b)
Human rights questions: human rights questions,
including alternative approaches for improving
the effective enjoyment of human rights and
fundamental freedoms
Bolivia, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, Morocco,
Nicaragua, Panama, Philippines, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Uruguay:
draft resolution
Comprehensive and integral international convention to promote
and protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities
The General Assembly,
Reaffirming the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations
and the obligations contained in the relevant human rights instruments,
Reaffirming also that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights1 proclaims
that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights, and that
everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set out therein, without distinction
of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion,
national or social origin, property, birth or other status,
Recalling its resolutions 37/52 of 3 December 1982, by which it adopted the
World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons,2 48/96 of 20 December
1993, by which it adopted the Standard Rules on Equalization of Opportunities for
Persons with Disabilities, and 54/121 of 17 December 1999,
Recalling also Economic and Social Council resolution 2000/10 of 27 July
2000 on further promotion of equalization of opportunities by, for and with persons
with disabilities, as well as other relevant resolutions of the General Assembly, the
Economic and Social Council and the functional commissions of the Council,
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1 Resolution 217 A (III).
2 A/37/351/Add.1 and Corr.1, annex, sect. VIII, recommendation I (IV).

A/C.3/56/L.67
Reaffirming the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and
summits and their respective follow-up reviews, in particular as they pertain to the
promotion of the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities on an equal and
participatory basis,
Noting with satisfaction that the Standard Rules on the Equalization of
Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities play an important role in influencing the
promotion, formulation and evaluation of policies, plans, programmes and actions at
the national, regional and international levels to further the equalization of
opportunities by, for and with persons with disabilities,
Recognizing that, despite different efforts made to increase cooperation and
integration, and increasing disability awareness and sensitivity to disability issues,
since the adoption of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons
by Governments, bodies and relevant organizations of the United Nations system
and non-governmental organizations, these efforts have not been sufficient to
promote full and effective participation and opportunities for persons with
disabilities in economic, social, cultural and political life,
Encouraged by the increasing interest of the international community in the
promotion and protection of the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities in the
world under a comprehensive and integral approach,
Deeply concerned about the disadvantaged and vulnerable situation faced by
600 million persons with disabilities around the world, and conscious that this
situation makes it imperative to advance in the elaboration of an international
instrument which will permit a substantial improvement in the quality of life of
persons with disabilities on an equitable basis with other vulnerable groups,
Welcoming the recommendation of the World Conference against Racism,
Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance to the General
Assembly to consider elaborating a comprehensive and integral international
convention to protect and promote the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities,
including special provisions that address the discriminatory practices and treatment
that affect them,
1. Decides to establish an Ad Hoc Committee open to the participation of
all Member States and observers to the United Nations, for the purpose of
elaborating a comprehensive and integral international convention to protect and
promote the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities, based on the holistic
approach in the work done in the field of social development, human rights and nondiscrimination;
2. Decides also that, prior to the fifty-seventh session of the Assembly the
Ad Hoc Committee shall hold two meetings, each of ten working days;
3. Invites States, relevant bodies and organizations of the United Nations
system, including relevant human rights treaty bodies, the regional commissions, the
Special Rapporteur of the Commission for Social Development monitoring the
implementation of the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for
Persons with Disabilities, as well as intergovernmental and non-governmental
organizations with an interest in the matter to make contributions to the work
entrusted to the Ad Hoc Committee, based on the practice of the United Nations;

A/C.3/56/L.67
4. Requests the Secretary-General, with the support of the Office of the
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Division for Social
Policy and Development of the Secretariat, to submit to the Ad Hoc Committee prior
to its first session a compilation of existing international legal instruments,
documents and programmes which directly or indirectly address the situation of
persons with disabilities, to include, inter alia, those of conferences, summits,
meetings or international or regional seminars convened by the United Nations and
intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations;
5. Also requests the Secretary-General to provide the Ad Hoc Committee
with the outcome of the study undertaken pursuant to Commission on Human Rights
resolution 2000/51 of 25 April 20003 and the final reports that will be presented by
the Special Rapporteur of the Commission for Social Development on disability to
that Commission;
6. Calls upon States and the regional commissions, in cooperation with the
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Division for Social
Policy and Development of the Secretariat and the Special Rapporteur of the
Commission for Social Development on monitoring the implementation of the
Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, to
hold regional meetings or seminars to contribute to the work of the Ad Hoc
Committee by making recommendations regarding the content and practical
measures that should be considered in the international convention;
7. Requests the Secretary-General to provide all financial resources to the
Ad Hoc Committee to enable it to discharge its responsibilities, and to promote
voluntary contributions to strengthen its work, in particular, by facilitating the
participation of experts from developing countries;
8. Also requests the Secretary-General to submit a report to the General
Assembly at its fifty-seventh session on the progress made by the Ad Hoc
Committee.
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3 See Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 2000, Supplement No. 3 (E/2000/23),
chap. II, sect. A.