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Legal Analysis of the Modifications Proposed at the
3rd UN Ad Hoc Committee Meeting
Commentary on Proposed Modifications of the text produced by the Working Group for the
UN Ad Hoc Committee on a Comprehensive and Integral International Convention on the Protection and
Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities made at the 3rd Ad Hoc Committee Meeting
May 24 to June 4, 2004.
Prepared by Landmine Survivors Network
August • 2004
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This document is intended to provide a commentary on the Proposed Modifications of
the text produced by the Working Group for the UN Ad Hoc Committee on a Comprehensive
and Integral International Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights and
Dignity of Persons with Disabilities. Specifically, this analysis examines the proposed
modifications submitted during the third session of the Ad Hoc Committee and provides
a synthesis of the proposals. The synthesized text is placed in the left-hand page of the
document, and a commentary discussing why specific proposals were chosen appears
in the right-hand page. Specifically, the commentary provides coverage of:
(1)strengths and weaknesses of specific proposals;
(2)references to comparable precedents in existing international treaties or other
international legal instruments; and
(3)additional proposals not found in the Proposed Modifications document
In order to ensure that the document is accessible to those individuals using screen
readers, an electronic version may be found at and
This document is intended to be a tool to assist those participating in the development of
the Convention. This analysis is not exhaustive and the omission of any particular points
or issues does not indicate an opinion regarding their value or need for inclusion in this
Convention.
For more information and/or comments, please contact:
Table of Contents
TopicPages
Draft Preamble……………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………..……………5-9
Draft Article 1-Purpose………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..10-11
Draft Article 2-General Principles……………………………………………………………………………………..……………………………..12
Draft Article 3-Definitions………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………....13-14
Draft Article 4-General Obligations………………………………………………………………………………...………………………………..15-17
Draft Article 5-Awareness-Raising Measures…………………………………………………………………………………….…………….….18-19
Draft Article 6-Statistics and Data Collection……………………………………………………………………………………………………….20-21
Draft Article 7-Equality and Non-Discrimination……………………………………………………………………………………………………23-25
Draft Article 8-Right to Life……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………26-27
Draft Article 9-Equal Recognition as a Person Before the Law…………………………………………………………………………………..28-30
Draft Article 10-Liberty and Security of the Person………………………………………………………………………………………………..31-32
Draft Article 11-Freedom from Torture or Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment…………………………………………33-34
Draft Article 12-Freedom from Violence and Abuse……………………………………………………………………………………………….35-36
Draft Article 13-Freedom of Expression and Opinion and Access to Information………………………………………………………………37-39
Draft Article 14-Respect for Privacy, the Home and Personal Relationships…………………………………………………………………..40-42
Draft Article 15-Living Independently and Being Included in the Community…………………………………………………………………..43-45
Draft Article 15bis-Women with Disabilities…………………………………………………………………………………………………………46
Draft Article 16-Children with Disabilities……………………………………………………………………………………………………………47-50
Draft Article 17-Education…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….51-53
Draft Article 18-Participation in Political and Public life……………………………………………………………………………………………54-58
Draft Article 19-Accessibility………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….59-61
Draft Article 20-Support Services……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………62
Draft Article 20bis-Liberty of Movement…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….63
Draft Article 21-Right to Highest Attainable Standard of Health………………………………………………………………………………….64-65
Draft Article 21bis-Right to Rehabilitation and Habilitation………………………………………………………………………………………..66-67
Draft Article 22-Right to Work…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….….68-70
Draft Article 23-Social Security………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………71-73
Draft Article 23bis-Adequate Standard of Living…………………………………………………………………………………………………..74-75
Draft Article 24-Participation in Cultural Life………………………………………………………………………………………………………..76
Draft Article 24bis-Leisure, Recreation and Sport…………………………………………………………………………………………………77-79
Draft Article 24ter-Culture and Linguistic Identity………………………………………………………………………………………………….80
Draft Article 24quart-Participation in Religious Life………………………………………………………………………………………………..81-82
Draft Article 24quint-International Cooperation……………………………………………………………………………………………………83-85
Draft Article 24sext-Relationship of the Convention to other Laws………………………………………………………………………………86
Draft Article 25-Monitoring……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………87-88
Abbreviations:
CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
CERD Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
CRC Convention on the Rights of the Child
ICESCR International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
ICCPR International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
UDHR Universal Declaration of Human Rights
CAT Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
UNSR UN Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities
ILO International Labour Organization
WHO World Health Organization
NHRI National Human Rights Institutions
EDF European Disability Forum
PWDA People With Disability Australia, Inc.
WFDB World Federation of the DeafBlind
WFD World Federation of the Deaf
WNUSP World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry
e
(Costa Rica)
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Legal Analysis of Modifications Proposed at the UN AHC3, prepared by Landmine Survivors Network