UN Human Rights Treaties

United Nations A54861–E200047
General Assembly
Economic and Social Council
Distr. General
5 May 2000
English
Original Chinese and English
00-42032 (E) 110500
`````````
General Assembly
Fifty-fourth session
Agenda item 106
Social development, including questions relating to the
world social situation and to youth, ageing, disabled
persons and the family
Economic and Social Council
Substantive session of 2000
New York, 5 July-1 August 2000
Item 14 (b) of the provisional agenda
Social and human rights questions
social development
Letter dated 2 May 2000 from the Permanent Representative of
China to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General
I have the honour to draw your attention to the World NGO Summit on
Disability held from 10 to 12 March 2000 in Beijing, which adopted the Beijing
Declaration on the Rights of People with Disabilities in the New Century, calling for
the initiation of a process leading to the adoption of an international convention on
the rights of all people with disabilities (see annex).
I should be grateful if you would have the text of the present letter and its
annex distributed as a document of the General Assembly, under agenda item 106,
and of the Economic and Social Council, under item 14 (b) of the provisional
agenda.
(Signed) Wang Yingfan
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Permanent Representative of China
to the United Nations
E2000100.

A54861
E200047
Annex to the letter dated 2 May 2000 from the Permanent
Representative of China to the United Nations addressed to
the Secretary-General
Beijing Declaration on the Rights of People with Disabilities in
the New Century
Adopted on 12 March 2000 at the World NGO Summit on Disability
1. We, the leaders of Disabled People’s International, Inclusion International,
Rehabilitation International, the World Blind Union and the World Federation of the
Deaf, as well as national non-governmental organizations (NGOs) of and for people
with disabilities from all continents, have convened in Beijing from 10 to 12 March
2000 to develop a new century strategy for the full participation and equality of
people with disabilities.
2. We recognize, with appreciation, that the last two decades of the twentieth
century witnessed an increased awareness of issues faced by over 600 million
people with disabilities, assisted in part by various United Nations instruments.
3. We express deep concern that such instruments and mandates have yet to create
a significant impact on improving the lives of people with disabilities, especially
women and girls with disabilities, who remain the most invisible and marginalized
of all disadvantaged social groups.
4. We emphasize that the continued exclusion of people with disabilities from the
mainstream development process is a violation of fundamental rights and an
indictment of humankind at the inception of the new century.
5. We share the conviction that the full inclusion of people with disabilities in
society requires our solidarity in working towards an international convention that
legally binds nations, to reinforce the moral authority of the United Nations
Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities.
6. We believe that the inception of the new century is an opportune time for
people with diverse disabilities and their organizations, and other civic
organizations, local and national Governments, members of the United Nations
system and other intergovernmental bodies, as well as the private sector, to
collaborate closely in an inclusive and wide consultative process aimed at the
development and adoption of an international convention to promote and protect the
rights of people with disabilities, and enhance equal opportunities for participation
in mainstream society.
7. We therefore urge all heads of State and Government, public administrators,
local authorities, members of the United Nations system, people with disabilities,
civic organizations that participate in the development process, and socially
responsible private sector organizations, to immediately initiate the process for an
international convention, including by raising it in all forthcoming international
forums, especially the special session of the United Nations General Assembly on
social development, the NGO Millennium Forum, the United Nations Millennium
Assembly and related preparatory meetings.

A54861
E200047
8. We further urge all participants in this process to actively facilitate the
adoption of such a convention, which should address, inter alia, the following areas
of priority concern
(a) Improvement of the overall quality of life of people with diverse
disabilities, and their upliftment from deprivation, hardship and poverty;
(b) Education, training, remunerative work, and participation in decisionmaking
processes at all levels;
(c) Elimination of discriminatory attitudes and practices, as well as
information, legal and infrastructural barriers;
(d) Increased allocations of resources to ensure the equal participation of
people with disabilities.
9. We hereby send out a call to action to all concerned with equality and human
dignity, to join together in widespread efforts embracing national capitals, towns and
cities, remote villages, and United Nations forums, to ensure the adoption of an
international convention on the rights of all people with disabilities.
10. We commit our respective organizations to strive for a legally binding
international convention on the rights of all people with disabilities to full
participation and equality in society.