The 23rd session of the Human Rights Council took place from 27 May to 14 June 2013 in Geneva.
More information on this session
On 12 June, the Council held a panel on democracy and the rule of law, made accessible to persons with disabilities with sign language interpretation and captioning. Yusdiana, a woman with a disability from Indonesia and from the General Election Network on Disability Access (AGENDA), participated and called for better election access.
Mohammed Barakat, Chairman of DPI member, Disabled Without Borders Organization of Palestine, also attended part of the Council session.
Resolutions:
During the session, the Council adopted resolutions referring to persons with disabilities, on violence against women, elimination of discrimination against women, internally displaced persons, trafficking in persons, and education. The Council also adopted a resolution on attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism, requesting a preliminary OHCHR report for the HRC 24th regular session (September 2013).
Disability analysis of resolutions
Resolution on attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism
UPR:
The Council considered UPR reports for the UPR 15th session. On 6 June, Pascale Ribes, President of the French Council of Persons with Disabilities for European Affairs (CFHE) made a statement at the consideration of France's UPR report, calling for France to withdraw its reservation on article 29 CRPD. France had rejected Slovakia's recommendation to "Withdraw its reservation to article 29 of CRPD and engage in consultation with organizations of persons with disabilities to identify steps needed to implement the Convention". Botswana rejected recommendations to ratify the CRPD, saying it would do so when it was in a position to implement it, but did accept to consider ratifying the CRPD and to speed up progress towards ratification.
Status of UPR15 recommendations
