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

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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 Elections 2024

The 17th Conference of States Parties to the CRPD will be held on 11-13 June 2024 during which the elections will take place for nine of the eighteen seats of the CRPD Committee, with the mandate from 2025 to 2028.

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Get to know the candidates

Public presentation of candidates to the United Nations Committee on the Rights Of Persons with Disabilities

2024 CRPD Elections results

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 28th sessions (July 2023). 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.

CRPD Committee’s general comments: further guidance on CRPD articles and themes

The CRPD Committee has adopted 8 general comments on diverse articles of the Convention, through highly participatory processes. IDA has contributed to them all throughout the years.

You can access all CRPD Committee’s general comments and all IDA’s written contributions submitted in the process prior to their adoption here.

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.

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

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

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

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

UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies provide guidance on the legal standards and obligations emanating from the human rights treaties through general comments or recommendations. The International Disability Alliance has consistently engaged and advocated to mainstream the rights of persons with disabilities in those UN Treaty Body documents.

General comments by other UN Treaty Bodies

Disability Relevant Extracts of Other UNTBs' Concluding Observations

IDA and DPOD launch guidance material on reporting to UN Human Rights Mechanisms for Organizations of Persons with Disabilities

The International Disability Alliance, with support from Disabled People Organization Denmark (DPOD), has launched its updated guidance material, consisting of six documents, to facilitate and support organizations of persons with disabilities and allies seeking to engage with different UN Treaty Bodies and with the Human Rights Council.

Meeting room of the CRPD 29th Session

Other CRPD advocacy

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...

LATEST NEWS

Read below the latest news

The CRPD Committee opens its 31st session!

Today, the CRPD Committee opened its 31st session (August 12th to September 5th). Over the next three weeks, the Committee will conduct the State reviews of Burkina Faso, Benin, the Netherlands, Belarus, Ghana, Belgium, Denmark, Mauritius, and Ukraine.

New Committee against Torture's Concluding Observations are out: States must provide redress and reparation to victims of State violence and institutionalization!

On July 26th, the CAT Committee closed its 80th session. During the session, the Committee held interactive dialogues with, and recently published its recommendations to, Côte d'Ivoire, Ecuador, Republic of Korea, Türkiye. 

UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture confirms mandate to monitor places where persons with disabilities are detained due to lack of community support

Earlier this month, the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture published its general comment no. 1 on article 4 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture

IDA calls CMWF and CERD Committee to include disability perspective in guidance to eradicate xenophobia

Last Friday 14th June, the UN Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (CMWF Committee) closed its 38th session, during which it held constructive dialogues with the States of Congo, Senegal, Türkiye.

2024 CRPD Elections results

On June 11th, in New York, at the 17th Conference of States Parties to the CRPD, States Parties elected nine members of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities whose term will run from 2025 to 2028. 

With the outcome of this election, the composition of the CRPD Committee for the period 2025-2026 will feature ten women out of 18 members, adhering to the criterion of gender balance.

The CRPD Committee closed its 30th session: seven Concluding Observations coming soon!

Group photo of the CRPD committee

The CRPD Committee closed its 30th session on Friday 22nd, March, which started on March 4th and included seven States reviews and two sessions for Follow up to Inquiry reports. The Committee will soon publish its Concluding Observations on the countries under review, namely, Kazakhstan, Zambia, Bahrein, Sweden, Azerbaijan, Costa Rica and Nicaragua.

The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities the opens its 30th session (March 4th to March 22nd)

CRPD Committee at the opening of the session with Chair Ms. Gertrude Fefoame on the large screen

Today, Monday 4th March, the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities opened its 30th session. Throughout this session, the Committee will review the State’s reports and hold...

Highlights of CRPD Committee’s Concluding Observations adopted at the 29th session

CRPD Session 29

During its 29th session, held between August 14th and September 8th, the CRPD Committee held constructive dialogues and adopted Concluding Observations on the eight following countries Andorra, Austria, Germany, Israel, Malawi, Mauritania, Mongolia, and Paraguay, four of which were reviewed for the second time. 

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The CRPD Committee closed its 29th session: eight Concluding Observations coming soon

Meeting room of the CRPD 29th Session

The CRPD Committee closed its 29th session after four weeks of work including eight States reviews and two sessions for Follow-up Inquiry reports. The Committee will soon publish its...

The Committee on the opens its 29th session (August 14th to September 8th)

Vladimir CUK adressing the audience at opening of CRPDs 29th Session

Today, Monday 14th August, the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has initiated its 29th session. Throughout this session, the Committee will review the State’s reports and hold public constructive dialogues with 8 countries: Andorra, Austria, Germany, Israel, Malawi, Mauritania, Mongolia, and Paraguay.

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The CRPD Committee closed its 28th session and published its Concluding Observations on the countries under review

CRPD Committee Session

On Friday 24th March, at 5.30 pm Geneva time, the CRPD Committee closed its 28th session, which consisted of three very charged weeks of work, announcing, and highlighting the main developments. 

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Opening 28th session of the CRPD Committee - Statement by Klaus Lachwitz, International Disability Alliance

Klaus Lachwitz, International Disability Alliance speaks at 28th session of the CRPD.

Opening 28th session of the CRPD Committee - March 6th 2023
Statement by Klaus Lachwitz, International Disability Alliance.

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The CRPD Committee opens its 28th session

Yesterday, on Monday, March 6th, the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities initiated its 28th session. Throughout this session, the Committee will review the states' reports and hold public constructive dialogues with 6 countries: Angola and Georgia between Wednesday 8 to Friday 10, and Tunisia, Peru, Argentina, and Togo, during the second week of the session (March 13th to March 17th).

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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

CRPD logo

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.