U. N. convention for the persons with disabilities

Dr. Udai Narain Sinha

CONVENTION on the RIGHTS of PERSONS with DISABILITIES

At UN, delegates finalize new treaty protecting rights of persons with disabilities – 28 August 2006

After a hectic debate and discussions in the following manner:- 27 August 2006

Cautious optimism as talks on UN disability treaty near end - 25 August 2006

UN human rights chief offers support for adoption of disability treaty - 23 August 2006

Progress made in talks on UN disability convention but differences remain - 21 August 2006

Youth with disabilities strive to inspire and educate through UN treaty process - 18 August 2006

Proposed treaty to protect persons with disabilities will help them – chair of UN talks - 15 August 2006

Proposed UN convention on disabled rights close to fruition as negotiations resume - 14 August 2006

UN talks to complete treaty on rights for persons with disabilities to resume Monday - 13 August 2006

Finally Mr. Thomas Schindlmayr

27 August 2006 – After five years of negotiations, countries meeting at United Nations Headquarters in New York have agreed on a new treaty to protect the rights of persons with disabilities.

“This is the first convention of this magnitude for this century,” UN General Assembly President Jan Eliasson said after the agreement was reached late Friday. He told the negotiators that they were conveying to the world “the message that we want to have a life with dignity for all and that all human beings are all equal.”

“This marks a great day for the UN and for persons with disabilities,” said New Zealand\'s Ambassador Don MacKay, who chaired the talks through its final sessions. “It\'s a good convention and it will make a difference for millions of people.”

The successful completion of the treaty, after a day of intense negotiations and compromises that capped years of effort, was met with applause by well over a hundred government delegations and hundreds of representatives of disability organizations who participated in the process of crafting the 40-article pact.

Proponents of the convention maintained that the treaty was necessary because persons with disabilities represented one of the most marginalized groups and that their rights had been routinely ignored or denied throughout much of the world.

While the convention does not create new rights, it specifically prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities in all areas of life, including civil rights, access to justice and the right to education, health services and access to transportation.

The convention was largely approved by consensus, although there was a vote on a provision concerning “foreign occupation” that was included in the preamble. With five countries voting against, the provision was adopted.
And has been passed on September 1, 06, giving a major relief to us.

However, will the Government of India and its State terriotories would have the same spirit as is shown in the convention or shall play the role of caste and political game even to the cases of Disabled persons without giving them adequate place in its political scenario i.e. in the legislative places?, is a difficult to be understood.