NUPGE urges federal government to adopt and ratify UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Ottawa (30 Nov. 2006) – In 1992, the United Nations proclaimed December 3 as the International Day of Disabled Persons (IDDP). The purpose of the day is to promote full participation and equality of persons with disabilities in every aspect of civil, political, social, economic and cultural life.
To highlight the IDDP this year, the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) will focus on a new UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which is to be formally adopted by a resolution of the General Assembly of the United Nations sometime in the next two weeks.
NUPGE is also calling on the federal government to sign and ratify the convention as soon as possible once it has been adopted by the UN.
The convention 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 would obligate countries, for instance, to gradually include disability-friendly features into the construction of new facilities; promote and improve access to education and information; and introduce measures that eliminate discriminatory practices against persons with disabilities.
An 18-article Optional Protocol has also been drafted to accompany the convention which allows petitioning by individuals and groups to the UN Human Rights Committee once all national recourse procedures have been exhausted. The Protocol will be open to signature by member states at the same time as the Convention.
Development of the Convention was the product of five years of negotiations amongst member states of the UN. It was largely approved by consensus, although there was a vote on a provision concerning “protection of disabled persons during armed conflicts and foreign occupation” that was included in the preamble. In a recorded vote requested by the United States, the provision was approved by a vote of 102 in favour, to 5 against. Canada, along with the United States, Australia, Israel and Japan voted against the provision.
“This convention is extremely important for the 650 million persons with disabilities who make up 10 per cent of the world's population and one of the most marginalized groups,” noted NUPGE National President James Clancy. “Their rights had been routinely ignored or denied throughout much of the world.
“For the two million Canadians with disabilities who still struggle to gain full participation and equality in all aspects of our society, Canada’s ratification of the convention will represent a positive step forward,” added Clancy.
Despite having a a legal environment where our equality is ostensibly secured by provincial and federal Human Rights laws, and, of course the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Canadians with disabilities still face many issues related to even the most basic enjoyment of our human rights.
Over half of Canadians with disabilities are unable to access services necessary to support them in daily living. In some provinces it seems like there's no end to the cutbacks to such services as home care, attendant care, independent living arrangements, provision of technical aids and accessible public transportation. Many of these support services are being privatized and are unaffordable to most people with disabilities.
We also continue to see greater eligibility restrictions for income support and more restrictive definitions of 'disability' for the purposes of eligibility at a time when governments are deciding how to allocate budget surpluses.
“The National Union calls on Prime Minister Harper and his government to ratify the UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Protocol as soon as possible,” stated Clancy. “Canada can use the ratification as an opportunity to build sustainable momentum for implementing a progressive disability rights agenda here in Canada.” NUPGE
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