The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)

UNCRPD Cover Page

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol (A/RES/61/106) was adopted on 13 December 2006 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, and was opened for signature on 30 March 2007. There are currently 177 ratifications to the CRPD and 92 ratifications to its Optional Protocol.

The CRPD is a landmark international treaty. It is a comprehensive human rights convention and international development tool, and is at the heart of the disability rights movement.

Read the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol in the UN languages, and other translations.

The CRPD Committee

Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is the body of independent experts which monitors implementation of the Convention by the States Parties.

All States parties are obliged to submit regular reports to the Committee on how the rights are being implemented. States must report initially within two years of accepting the Convention and thereafter every four years. The Committee examines each report and shall make such suggestions and general recommendations on the report as it may consider appropriate and shall forward these to the State Party concerned.

Find the information on upcoming CRPD Committee's sessions here.

CRPD Committee's Views on Individual Communications under the Optional Protocol

CRPD Committee's views on Individual Communications lodged under the Optional Protocol

IDA’s compilations of CRPD Committee’s Concluding Observations

Picture of the podium of room XIX at Palais de Nations, with a big screen on top and crowd

The CRPD Committee has undertaken more than 100 State reviews in a total of 27th sessions. Consequently, the Committee has adopted more than 100 Concluding Observations that include detailed recommendations to State Parties to implement the CRPD. These recommendations conform the main body of the CRPD Committee's “jurisprudence” and reflect the interpretation by the Committee under each article.

Inquiry procedure of the CRPD Committee under the Optional Protocol

The inquiry procedure aims to address grave or systematic violations of any of the rights established in the CRPD. Under article 6 of the Optional Protocol to the CRPD, if the Committee receives reliable information indicating grave or systematic violations by a State party of the rights set forth in the Convention, the Committee will invite the State party to submit relevant observations.

2022 CRPD Committee Elections

At the 15th Conference of States Parties to the CRPD, the elections for the CRPD Committee took place to elect 9 of the 18 members of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities for the period 2023 to 2026.

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UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies: mainstreaming the rights of persons with disabilities

The human rights treaty bodies are committees of independent experts that monitor implementation of the core international human rights treaties. They are created in accordance with the provisions of the treaty that they monitor.

Find the TB-Net Reviews Calendar of upcoming Treaty Bodies reviews, organised by region and country.
Find more information on other Treaty Bodies here.

CRPD advocacy

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IDA lobbies a number of UN mechanisms and bodies based first and foremost on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, in order to advance and promote...

DPOs and the CRPD

Guatemalan DPO representatives in Geneva

The CRPD presents multiple opportunities for organisations of persons with disabilities to engage in advocacy at all...

The CRPD Committee has closed its 27th session

On Friday 9th September, the CRPD Committee closed its 27th session, in which the Committee reviewed and adopted concluding observations on Bangladesh, China (Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau), Indonesia, Japan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, New Zealand, Republic of Korea and Singapore.

The CRPD Committee adopts a report with recommendations regarding the rights of persons with disabilities impacted by the conflict in Ukraine

Jonas RUSKUS - Vice Chair, leading the conversation with the CRPD Committee and delegates on Ukraine

During the 27th session, the CRPD Committee held meetings on the situation of persons with disabilities in the context of the armed conflict in Ukraine, with OPDs, States Parties concerned and UN agencies.

The Guidelines on “Deinstitutionalisation, including in emergencies” have been adopted by the CRPD Committee

Bhargavi Davar of TCI, a member of the Global Coalition on Deinstitutionalization welcoming the adoption of the Guidelines on Deinstituionalization.

The CRPD Committee announced the adoption of the Guidelines on Deinstitutionalisation, including in emergencies, which is the result of a two year long process triggered by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on persons with disabilities in institutions, which had been documented in a report by the Covid-19 Disability Rights Monitor.

The CRPD Committee adopts General Comment No. 8 on Article 27 of the CRPD (Work and employment)

picture of Rapporteur Odelia Fitoussi reading her statement

At the closing of the 27th session, the CRPD Committee announced the adoption of General Comment No. 8 on Article 27 of the CRPD (Work and employment). The document delineates the normative content of Article 27 of the CRPD, and provides comprehensive guidance to States Parties, as well as other stakeholders, for its implementation.

The CRPD Committee Opens its 27th Session this Coming Monday 15th August

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This coming Monday 15th August, the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will initiate its 27th session. With flexibility for remote participation by stakeholders who might require it, this session will benefit from a great level of participation by organizations of persons with disabilities and civil society organizations.

IDA holds a workshop on the CRPD Committee’s review and on the Global Disability Summit with organizations from Laos and Vietnam

During the week of 10 June 2022, IDA held a 2-day workshop on the CRPD Committee’s review process and on the Global Disability Summit. This workshop took place in Hanoi, Vietnam, in collaboration with the Vietnam Federation on Disability.

The CRPD Committee closes its 26th session: adoption of recommendations on Hungary, Jamaica, Mexico, Switzerland and Venezuela

Mr Juan Angel de Gouveia speaking to the CRPD Committee

The CRPD Committee’s 26th session comes to an end today, on 25 March 2022. Throughout the last three weeks, most of the CRPD Committee members have been in Geneva, Switzerland, with some members joining online. This have been the first full time session of the Committee since August 2019, before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

CRPD Committee opens first full session since 2019: The situation of persons with disabilities in Ukraine in focus

Rosemary Kayess - Chairperson of the CRPD Committee

The CRPD Committee opened its 26th session this morning. This is the first full-time session, with members meeting for the first time in Geneva, since August 2019.