As one of the thematic areas addressed by the 2014 CSocD, the rights of persons with disabilities were addressed in a resolution titled “Promoting the rights of persons with disabilities and mainstreaming disability in the post-2015 development agenda”. The resolution addressed the possible renewal of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Disability (SR), which was tasked with monitoring the implementation of the Standard Rules on Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (1994). IDA developed a position paper, circulated to Member States, calling for:
- Non-renewal of the mandate of the SR under the CSocD; and
- The establishment of a new mandate—based on the CRPD—for a Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, under the Human Rights Council.
In addition, IDA engaged in meetings with the Informal Network of the Group of Friends to the CRPD in order to provide background information for Member States supportive of the shift. IDA’s advocacy activities contributed to the final resolution, which noted the expiry of the mandate of the SR, an outcome that provided support for the establishment of the mandate under the HRC of the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.