UN Human Rights Treaties

UNITED
A
NATIONS
General Assembly
Distr.
GENERAL
A/RES/54/121
20 January 2000
Fifty-fourth session
Agenda item 106
RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
[on the report of the Third Committee (A/54/595)]
54/121. Implementation of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled
Persons: towards a society for all in the twenty-first century
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolutions 37/52 of 3 December 1982, by which it adopted the World Programme of
Action concerning Disabled Persons,1 48/96 of 20 December 1993, by which it adopted the Standard Rules
on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, 49/153 of 23 December 1994, 50/144 of
21 December 1995 and 52/82 of 12 December 1997,
Recalling also Economic and Social Council resolutions 1997/19, on equalization of opportunities for
persons with disabilities, and 1997/20, on children with disabilities, of 21 July 1997 and Commission on
Human Rights resolution 1998/31, on the human rights of persons with disabilities, of 17 April 1998,2
1 A/37/351/Add.1 and Corr.1, annex, sect. VIII, recommendation I (IV).
2 See Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 1998, Supplement No. 3 (E/1998/23), chap. II,
sect. A.
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3 Resolution 34/180, annex.
4 Resolution 44/25, annex.
5 A/54/388 and Add.1.
/...
Recalling further the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, and reaffirming the
obligations contained in relevant human rights instruments, including the Convention on the Elimination of
All Forms of Discrimination against Women3 and the Convention on the Rights of the Child,4
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,
Noting with appreciation the important contributions of subregional, regional and international seminars
and conferences related to persons with disabilities, such as the Fifth World Assembly of Disabled Peoples’
International, held at Mexico City from 1 to 7 December 1998, on the theme “Towards an inclusive twentyfirst
century”,
Expressing grave concern that situations of armed conflict have especially devastating consequences
for the human rights of persons with disabilities,
Mindful of the need to adopt and implement effective policies and strategies to promote the rights and
the full and effective participation of persons with disabilities in economic, social, cultural and political life,
on the basis of equality, to achieve a society for all,
Concerned that improvement of disability awareness and sensitivity to disability issues has not been
significant enough to improve the quality of life of persons with disabilities worldwide,
Recognizing the importance of timely and reliable data on disability-sensitive policies, programme
planning and evaluation and the need for further development of practical statistical methodology for the
collection and compilation of data on populations with disabilities,
Realizing that technology, in particular information technology, provides new possibilities for improving
accessibility and employment for persons with disabilities and facilitating their full participation and
equality, and welcoming the initiatives of the United Nations in promoting information technology as a
means of achieving the universal goal of a society for all,
1. Takes note with appreciation of the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the
World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons;5
2. Welcomes the initiatives of Governments to enhance the rights of persons with disabilities and for
the further equalization of opportunities by, for and with persons with disabilities, and also welcomes the
contribution of the United Nations system and non-governmental organizations, as appropriate, in this regard;
3. Notes with appreciation the valuable work undertaken by the Special Rapporteur for monitoring
the implementation of the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities
of the Commission for Social Development under his second mandate for the period 1997–2000;
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/...
4. Encourages Governments, non-governmental organizations and the private sector, as appropriate,
to take concrete measures to promote the implementation of relevant United Nations resolutions and agreed
international standards concerning persons with disabilities, in particular the Standard Rules on the
Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, and for the further equalization of opportunities
for persons with disabilities by focusing on accessibility, health, social services, including training and
rehabilitation, safety nets, employment and sustainable livelihoods, in the design and implementation of
strategies, policies and programmes to promote a more inclusive society;
5. Calls upon Governments to undertake all necessary measures to advance beyond the adoption of
national plans for people with disabilities through, inter alia, the creation or reinforcement of arrangements
for the promotion and awareness of disability issues and the allocation of sufficient resources for the full
implementation of existing plans and initiatives, and emphasizes the importance of supporting national
efforts through international cooperation in this regard;
6. Encourages Governments and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to take
practical actions, including public information campaigns, by, for and with persons with disabilities, with
a view to increasing disability awareness and sensitivity to disability issues and to combating and overcoming
discrimination against persons with disabilities and in order to further their full and effective participation
in society;
7. Encourages Governments to continue their support to non-governmental organizations contributing
to the fulfilment of the implementation of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons;
8. Also encourages Governments to involve persons with disabilities in the formulation of strategies
and plans aimed at eradicating poverty, promoting education and enhancing employment;
9. Urges relevant bodies and organizations of the United Nations system, including relevant human
rights treaty bodies and the regional commissions, as well as intergovernmental and non-governmental
organizations and institutions, to work closely with the programme on disability of the Division for Social
Policy and Development of the Secretariat in the promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities,
including activities at the field level, by sharing experiences, findings and recommendations on persons with
disabilities;
10. Urges Governments to cooperate with the Statistics Division of the Secretariat in the continued
development of global statistics and indicators on disability, and encourages them to avail themselves of the
technical assistance of the Division to build national capacities for national data-collection systems, as
needed;
11. Also urges Governments, in collaboration with the United Nations system, to give special attention
to the rights, needs and well-being of children with disabilities and their families in the development of
policies and programmes;
12. Encourages Governments, concerned non-governmental organizations and the private sector to
continue to support the United Nations Voluntary Fund on Disability with a view to implementing fully the
World Programme of Action and the Standard Rules, including the work of the Special Rapporteur, and to
support activities to build national capacities, with emphasis on priorities identified in resolution 52/82;
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13. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to support initiatives of relevant bodies and
organizations of the United Nations system, as well as those of regional, intergovernmental and nongovernmental
organizations and institutions, for the promotion of the human rights of persons with
disabilities and the further implementation of the World Programme of Action and in their efforts to integrate
persons with disabilities in technical cooperation activities, both as beneficiaries and as decision makers;
14. Also requests the Secretary-General to include, in his assessments of the implementation of the
outcome of major United Nations conferences and summits to be considered at the forthcoming special
sessions of the General Assembly, the contribution of these meetings to the promotion of the rights and wellbeing
of persons with disabilities;
15. Expresses its appreciation to the Secretary-General for his efforts in improving the accessibility
of the United Nations for persons with disabilities, and urges him to continue to implement plans to provide
a barrier-free environment, as well as information in an accessible format and communication services;
16. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its fifty-sixth session, through
the Commission for Social Development at its thirty-ninth session, a report on the implementation of the
present resolution.
83rd plenary meeting
17 December 1999