UN Human Rights Treaties

United Nations E/CN.5/2003/L.5
Economic and Social Council Distr.: Limited
18 February 2003
Original: English
03-25107 (E) 190203
*0325107*
Commission for Social Development
Forty-first session
10-21 February 2003
Agenda item 3 (b) (iii)
Follow-up to the World Summit for Social
Development and the twenty-fourth special
session of the General Assembly: review of
relevant United Nations plans and programmes
of action pertaining to the situation of social groups:
World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons
Mexico: draft resolution
The Commission for Social Development recommends to the Economic and
Social Council the adoption of the following draft resolution:
“Comprehensive and integral international convention to
promote and protect the rights and dignity of persons with
disabilities
“The Economic and Social Council,
“Reaffirming the outcome 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,
“Recalling General Assembly resolution 56/168 of 19 December 2001,
by which the Assembly established an Ad Hoc Committee to consider
proposals for a comprehensive and integral international convention to
promote and protect 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,
“Recalling also General Assembly resolution 57/229 of 18 December
2002, by which the Assembly took note with appreciation of the report of the
Ad Hoc Committee on its first session and reaffirmed the need to promote and
protect the equal and effective enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental
freedoms by persons with disabilities, aware of the contribution that a

E/CN.5/2003/L.5
convention could make in that regard and thus convinced of the need to
continue to consider proposals,
“Recalling Economic and Social Council resolution 2002/7 of 24 July
2002 on a comprehensive and integral international convention to promote and
protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities,
“Underlining the important contribution of the Commission for Social
Development and the Commission on Human Rights to the elaboration of a
comprehensive and integral international convention to protect and promote
the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities,
“Stressing the primary responsibility of Governments in the promotion
and protection of all human rights of persons with disabilities,
“Welcoming the work of national, regional and international meetings of
Governments, experts, and non-governmental organizations that contribute to
the work of the Ad Hoc Committee, including the regional initiatives taken in
Africa, America, Asia and Europe prior to the second session of the Ad Hoc
Committee,
“Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General1 on the fourth
quinquennial review and appraisal of the World Programme of Action
concerning Disabled Persons,2
“Deeply concerned about the disadvantaged and vulnerable situation
faced by the six hundred million persons with disabilities in all parts of the
world,
“1. Welcomes the contributions of the Special Rapporteur on Disability
to the process of elaboration of the international convention, and encourages
the Special Rapporteur to continue to make contributions to the work of the Ad
Hoc Committee, particularly on ways to achieve a comprehensive instrument
addressing all human rights of persons with disabilities;
“2. Also welcomes the contributions of the Office of the United Nations
High Commissioner for Human Rights to the process of elaboration of the
international convention, and encourages it to continue to make contributions
to the work of the Ad Hoc Committee;
“3. Requests the Commission for Social Development to continue to
contribute to the process of elaboration of the international convention by,
inter alia, providing its views regarding social development of persons with
disabilities and proposals for a convention, bearing in mind the experience in
the implementation of the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities
for Persons with Disabilities3 and the World Programme of Action concerning
Disabled Persons;2
“4. Invites relevant bodies and specialized agencies of the United
Nations system, in particular the International Labour Organization, the World
Health Organization and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization, to continue to contribute to the process of elaboration of
__________________
1 A/58/61-E/2003/5.
2 See General Assembly resolution 37/52.
3 General Assembly resolution 48/96, annex.

E/CN.5/2003/L.5
the convention and to make available to the Ad Hoc Committee suggestions
and possible elements to be considered as proposals for the convention;
“5. Encourages the relevant bodies of the United Nations to continue to
promote and support the active participation of civil society, including
interested non-governmental organizations, in the process of elaboration of the
international convention, and requests the Secretary-General to disseminate
widely to the community of non-governmental organizations all available
information on accreditation procedures, as well as information on supportive
measures for the participation in the Ad Hoc Committee in accordance with
General Assembly resolution 57/229 and Assembly decision 56/510 of 23 July
2002;
“6. Also encourages member and observer States to ensure the
necessary expertise and the participation of international disability
organizations in the work of the Ad Hoc Committee by, inter alia, providing
adequate financial resources, in accordance with the standard practice of the
General Assembly, and by including persons with disabilities in their
delegations to the Ad Hoc Committee;
“7. Invites Governments, civil society and the private sector to
contribute to the voluntary fund established to support the participation of nongovernmental
organizations and experts from developing countries, in
particular from least developed countries;
“8. Urges that efforts be made to ensure that accessibility with
reasonable accommodation insofar as facilities and documentation is improved
for all persons with disabilities, in accordance with General Assembly decision
56/473 of 23 July 2002;
“9. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to provide the Ad Hoc
Committee with the facilities necessary for the performance of its work, and in
that context invites the Secretary-General to reallocate resources to allow the
United Nations Programme on Disability to provide support to the Ad Hoc
Committee, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 57/229.”