On Friday, 6 March 2020, the annual interactive debate on the rights of persons with disabilities was held in the framework of the 43rd session of the Human Rights Council. The debate was focused on Article 8 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on Awareness Raising.
This panel discussion addressed the human rights of persons with disabilities with regard to the obligation to promote awareness-raising under article 8 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
The objectives were:
- To bring greater understanding to awareness-raising as a complementary tool to implement the Convention.
- To identify good practices and strategies in ensuring effective awareness-raising through media, direct engagement of persons with disabilities and attitude changing training.
- To share information from stakeholders concerning existing legislation, policies and practices ensuring a human rights-based approach to awareness-raising.
- For more information on the session, please visit the dedicated page on the Human Rights Council website.
The opening statement was given by Ms Michelle Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Ms Bachelet highlighted that persons with disabilities must know their rights and be involved in implementation, planning and monitoring of all policies. She recalled that human rights awareness starts in places close to home, calling upon promoting awareness-raising inside communities.
The session was chaired by H.E. Ms Socorro Flores Liera, Vice-President of the Human Rights Council.
Among the panellists, Mr Ishumael Zhou, President of the African Union of the Blind, had the floor as a representative of the International Disability Alliance. In his statement, Mr Zhou mentioned, inter alia, that while all the articles of the CRPD are equally important, the adoption of a stand-alone provision on awareness-raising, namely Article 8, is indicative of the fundamental role attached to fostering attitudinal change. Indeed, improving mutual understanding and acceptance in the society is paramount to tackle those assumptions, stereotypes and misconceptions that are at the basis of human rights violations and discrimination based on Disability. His complete statement can be downloaded here.
Mr Zhou giving the statement in the representation of IDA at the HRC43
Other panellists were Ms Catalina Devandas Aguilar, Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities, Ms Risnawati Utami, Member of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and Mr Andy Stevenson, Senior Producer of Channel 4 and Whisper.
Ms Catalina Devandas recalled that the CRPD recognizes persons with disabilities as a part of human diversity, and this is a fundamental premise to transform the way in which society perceives their disability and their rights. She highlighted the power of awareness-raising to combat ableism and stop considering the disability as a deficit or a negative characteristic of the persons.
From left to right, Mr Stevenson, Ms Devandas, Ms Chavez and Mr Zhou in the room XX of Palais des Nations, where the Interactive Dialogue took place.
