The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is an international human rights treaty adopted in 2006 that reaffirms that all persons with disabilities must enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms. It covers rights related to all areas of life such as equality, accessibility, education, independent living, health, employment and freedom from violence.

At the international level, the respect of the Convention rights is monitored by the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It is a body of eighteen independent experts who have been nominated by the countries that have ratified the Convention. Find more information about the Committee.

The principal task of the CRPD Committee is the review of the progress in implementation of the Convention. States Parties are obliged to submit to the Committee reports on measures taken to implement the Convention two years after the entry into force of the Convention.

The Committee also adopts documents called “General Comments” to explain how the Convention must be understood and applied by States Parties. It is currently working on a General Comment on Work and Employment.

You can consult EDF’s guide for organisations of persons with disabilities on how to engage with the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It gives information including how to participate in a country review and/or submit a complaint. Read it here.

In March 2022 the CRPD Committee will hold its 26^th session and 15^th pre-sessional working group, with the review of the following European countries:

• Hungary (Concluding Observations)
• Switzerland (Concluding Observations)
• European Union (List of Issues Prior to Reporting)
• Netherlands (List of Issues)

No European countries are foreseen to be reviewed in the 27^th session and 16^th pre-sessional working group that will take place in August-September 2022.

In 2010, the European Union (EU) became a Party to the CRPD. As the main umbrella organisation of persons with disabilities in Europe, EDF plays an important role in monitoring the implementation of the Convention by the EU.

The CRPD provides for the establishment of a national mechanism for independent and transparent monitoring of the country’s obligations under the Convention. It must have a broad mandate to promote, protect and monitor the implementation of the rights protected under the Convention. The continuous monitoring by this body of the national human rights situation is an incentive for the government to take seriously the obligations undertaken when ratifying the Convention and show genuine progress in fulfilling them.

The European Union set up the EU monitoring Framework to monitor the implementation of the CRPD. EDF is a full member, together with the European Ombudsman, the European Agency of Fundamental Rights and the European Parliament. The European Commission withdrew itself from the Framework, following the recommendation in the Concluding Observations of the CRPD Committee to the EU in 2015. More information about the EU Monitoring Framework.

Our alternative reports gave information to the CRPD Committee about how the EU implements the Convention. Our first alternative report was prepared for the first review of the EU in 2015. It have the view of 100 million Europeans with disabilities on the enjoyment of their political, civil, economic, social and cultural rights in the EU.  The report was the result of collective work with EDF’s members, civil society organisations and other stakeholders. Giving a clear view of the situation of persons with disabilities all over Europe would not have been possible without their contribution and expertise.

In 2022, the CRPD Committee will start the second review of the EU. EDF is currently preparing its second Alternative Report for the review.

EDF provides the CRPD Committee with information on the main issues faced by persons with disabilities in Europe before Committee’s session. It suggests questions and recommendations the Committee can adopt related to European-wide issues, for example about ratification of the Istanbul Convention on combating gender-based and domestic violence, transposition of the European Accessibility Act, or measures to implement the Victims’ Rights Directive.

Read our last information note.

EDF brings the European perspective in the work of the CRPD Committee by participating in consultations. For example, EDF sent written contributions on:

• General Comment on Equality and non-discrimination
• General Comment on Participation with persons with disabilities in the implementation and monitoring of the Convention
• General Comment on the Right to Work and Employment

The International Disability Alliance (IDA) is an alliance of networks of persons with disabilities at the international level. IDA brings together over 1,100 organisations of persons with disabilities and their families from across eight global and six regional networks. EDF is a member of IDA.

EDF is working together with IDA to:

• Raise awareness of persons with disabilities and their organisations about the CRPD and their rights under the Convention
• Provide information on the work of the CRPD Committee and how civil society can contribute to it, e.g., for example by taking part in consultations organised by the Committee
• Supporting organisations of persons with disabilities to contribute to the review of their country by the Committee, i.e. preparing alternative reports, attending meetings with the Committee

EDF and IDA have given in person and online workshops to organisations of persons with disabilities on the CRPD and other related international instruments. For example, this year, an online workshop focused on the Optional Protocols to the CRPD and the UN Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). The Optional Protocols establish individual complaints mechanism for individuals or groups of individuals who have seen their rights violated in their country.

Watch EDF-IDA workshop on Using the UN Optional Protocols to defend the rights of women and girls with disabilities:

EDF-IDA workshop on Using the UN Optional Protocols to defend the rights of women and girls with disabilities