UN Human Rights Treaties

"1. Within the United Nations, the specialized agencies and other concerned intergovernmental organizations, States should participate in the development of disability policy.
"2. Whenever appropriate, States should introduce disability aspects in general negotiations concerning standards, information exchange, development programmes, etc.
"3. States should encourage and support the exchange of knowledge and experience among:
"(a) Non-governmental organizations concerned with disability issues;
"(b) Research institutions and individual researchers involved in disability issues;
"(c) Representatives of field programmes and of professional groups in the disability field;
"(d) Organizations of persons with disabilities;
"(e) National coordinating committees.
"4. States should ensure that the United Nations and the specialized agencies, as well as all intergovernmental and interparliamentary bodies, at global and regional levels, include in their work the global and regional organizations of persons with disabilities.
"IV. MONITORING MECHANISM
"1. The purpose of a monitoring mechanism is to further the effective implementation of the Rules. It will assist each State in assessing its level of implementation of the Rules and in measuring its progress. The monitoring should identify obstacles and suggest suitable measures that would contribute to the successful implementation of the Rules. The monitoring mechanism will recognize the economic, social and cultural features existing in individual States. An important element should also be the provision of advisory services and the exchange of experience and information between States.
"2. The Rules shall be monitored within the framework of the sessions of the Commission for Social Development. A Special Rapporteur with relevant and extensive experience in disability issues and international organizations shall be appointed, if necessary, funded by extrabudgetary resources, for three years to monitor the implementation of the Standard Rules.
"3. International organizations of persons with disabilities having consultative status with the Economic and Social Council and organizations representing persons with disabilities who have not yet formed their own organizations should be invited to create among themselves a panel of experts, on which organizations of persons with disabilities shall have a majority, taking into account the different kinds of disabilities and necessary equitable geographical distribution, to be consulted by the Special Rapporteur and, when appropriate, by the Secretariat.
"4. The panel of experts will be encouraged by the Special Rapporteur to review, advise and provide feedback and suggestions on the promotion, implementation and monitoring of the Rules.
"5. The Special Rapporteur shall send a set of questions to States, entities within the United Nations system, and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, including organizations of persons with disabilities. The set of questions should address implementation plans for the Rules in States. The questions should be selective in nature and cover a number of specific rules for in-depth evaluation. In preparing the questions the Special Rapporteur should consult with the panel of experts and the Secretariat.
"6. The Special Rapporteur shall seek to establish a direct dialogue not only with States but also with local non-governmental organizations, seeking their views and comments on any information intended to be included in the reports. The Special Rapporteur shall provide advisory services on the implementation and monitoring of the Rules and assistance in the preparation of replies to the sets of questions.
"7. The Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development of the Secretariat, as the United Nations focal point on disability issues, the United Nations Development Programme and other entities and mechanisms within the United Nations system, such as the regional commissions and specialized agencies and inter-agency meetings, shall cooperate with the Special Rapporteur in the implementation and monitoring of the Rules at the national level.

"8. The Special Rapporteur, assisted by the Secretariat, shall prepare reports for submission to the Commission for Social Development at its thirty-fourth and thirty-fifth sessions. In preparing such reports, the Rapporteur should consult with the panel of experts.
"9. States should encourage national coordinating committees or similar bodies to participate in implementation and monitoring. As the focal points on disability matters at the national level, they should be encouraged to establish procedures to coordinate the monitoring of the Rules. Organizations of persons with disabilities should be encouraged to be actively involved in the monitoring of the process at all levels.
"10. Should extrabudgetary resources be identified, one or more positions of interregional adviser on the Rules should be created to provide direct services to States, including:
"(a) The organization of national and regional training seminars on the content of the Rules;
"(b) The development of guidelines to assist in strategies for implementation of the Rules;
"(c) Dissemination of information about best practices concerning implementation of the Rules.
"11. At its thirty-fourth session, the Commission for Social Development should establish an open-ended working group to examine the Special Rapporteur's report and make recommendations on how to improve the application of the Rules. In examining the Special Rapporteur's report, the Commission, through its open-ended working group, shall consult international organizations of persons with disabilities and specialized agencies, in accordance with rules 71 and 76 of the rules of procedure of the functional commissions of the Economic and Social Council.
"12. At its session following the end of the Special Rapporteur's mandate, the Commission should examine the possibility of either renewing that mandate, appointing a new Special Rapporteur or considering another monitoring mechanism, and should make appropriate recommendations to the Economic and Social Council.
"13. States should be encouraged to contribute to the United Nations Voluntary Fund on Disability in order to further the implementation of the Rules."
1993/20. Development of a plan of action to implement the long-term strategy to further the implementation of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons
The Economic and Social Council,
Recalling General Assembly resolution 45/91 of 14 December 1990, in which the Assembly invited Member States, specialized agencies and other organizations and bodies of the United Nations system and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to implement the agenda for action until the end of the United Nations Decade of Disabled Persons and beyond” and the preliminary outline of a long-term strategy to the year 2000 and beyond: a society for all,61 forty-seventh session and of the Commission for Social Development at its thirty-third session on the subject of the long-term strategy,
Taking note of the deliberations of the General Assembly at its forty-seventh session and of the Commission for Social Development at its thirty-third session on the subject of the long-term strategy
Emphasizing the need to take rapid action in this connection,
Recalling its resolution 1991/9 of 30 May 1991, in which it recommended that a meeting of experts, to be funded by voluntary contributions, should be held in conjunction with the conference entitled "Independence 1992", to be organized in Canada, with the primary objective of drawing up a long-term strategy to implement the

World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons48 to the year 2000 and beyond,
Taking note with appreciation of the report of the United Nations Expert Group Meeting on a Long-Term Strategy to Further the Implementation of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons to the Year 2000 and Beyond,62 held at Vancouver, Canada, from 25 to 29 April 1992, and of the important input of non-governmental organizations of persons with disabilities,
Recognizing that the report represents a significant step forward in the development of a plan of action to implement the long-term strategy,
1. Requests the Secretary-General to seek the views of Member States on the strategy outlined in the report of the United Nations Expert Group Meeting on a Long-Term Strategy to Further the Implementation of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons to the Year 2000 and Beyond;
2. Also requests the Secretary-General to develop a draft plan of action based on those views, the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons, the report of the Expert Group Meeting, the report of the ad hoc open-ended working group to elaborate standard rules on the equalization of opportunities for disabled persons” and other recent developments, as appropriate;
3. Recommends that the draft plan of action include priorities and a time-frame for implementation and that it be submitted to the General Assembly for consideration at its forty-eighth session and for approval at its forty-ninth session;
4. Requests that the draft plan of action be developed in consultation with the international non-governmental organizations of persons with disabilities having consultative status with the Economic and Social Council.
43rd plenary meeting 27 July 1993
1993/21. Positive and full inclusion of persons with disabilities in all aspects of society and the leadership role of the United Nations in the process
The Economic and Social Council
Recommends to the General Assembly the adoption of the following draft resolution:
"Positive and full inclusion of persons with disabilities in all aspects of society and the leadership role of the United Nations in the process
"The General Assembly,
"Mindful of the pledge made by States, under the Charter of the United Nations, to take action jointly and separately, in cooperation with the Organization, in order to promote higher standards of living, full employment, and conditions of economic and social progress and development,
"Reaffirming the commitment to human rights and fundamental freedoms, social justice and the dignity and worth of the human person proclaimed in the Charter,
"Recalling in particular the international standards of human rights laid down in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,”

"Noting that the rights proclaimed in the above-mentioned instruments should be ensured equally to all individuals without discrimination,
"Recalling the provisions safeguarding the rights of women with disabilities in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women,1"
"Having regard to the Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons,” the Declaration on the Rights of Mentally Retarded Persons,” the Declaration on Social Progress and Development,” the Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and for the Improvement of Mental Health Care” and other relevant instruments adopted by the General Assembly,
"Also having regard to the relevant conventions and recommendations adopted by the International Labour Organisation with particular reference to participation in employment without discrimination by persons with disabilities,
"Mindful of the relevant recommendations and work of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, in particular the World Declaration on Education for All,” and of the work of the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children's Fund and other concerned organizations,
"Recognizing that the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons,48 adopted by the General Assembly by its resolution 37/52 of 3 December 1982, and the definition therein of 'equalization of opportunities' reflect the determination of the international community to ensure that the various international instruments and recommendations will be put to practical, concrete and effective use in improving the quality of life of persons with disabilities and their families and communities,
"Acknowledging that the objective of the United Nations Decade of Disabled Persons (1983-1992) to implement the World Programme of Action is still valid and requires urgent and continued action,
"Recalling that the World Programme of Action is based on concepts which are equally valid in developed and developing countries,
"Convinced that intensified efforts are needed to achieve the full and equal enjoyment of human rights and full participation and inclusion in society of persons with disabilities,
"Recognizing that persons with disabilities, their families and representatives and organizations concerned with the needs of persons with disabilities must be active partners with States in the planning and implementation of all measures affecting their civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights,
"Recalling Economic and Social Council resolution 1990/26 of 24 May 1990 and reaffirming the specific measures required for the attainment of full equality by persons with disabilities, enumerated in the World Programme of Action,
"Reaffirming the commitment of the Commission for Social Development to the provisions and rules set out in the ongoing process of elaborating standard rules on the equalization of opportunities for persons with disabilities,
"Recognizing the essential role of the United Nations and the Commission for Social Development in providing leadership and positive guidance to encourage