Legislation - The United Nations

The United Nations - Enable & Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

What Does That Mean?

In broad strokes, the principles guiding the United Nation's Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities are the right to self-determination, to non-discrimination, to full participation in society, among others. Further, signatories (i.e., State Parties) have an obligation "to prohibit all discrimination on the basis of disability and guarantee to persons with disabilities equal and effective legal protection against discrimination on all grounds" as well as to adopt effective measures to increase awareness on discrimination issues.

State Parties must also ensure and promote all human rights for all persons with disabilities. Nine specific mechanisms are set forth in order to ensure compliance. Among them, State Parties undertake to "take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability" and "undertake or promote research and development of, and to promote the availability and use of new technologies, including information and communications technologies, mobility aids, devices and assistive technologies, suitable for persons with disabilities".

How Does That Involve You?

Most relevant for document accessibility, signatories engage themselves to "promote access for persons with disabilities to new information and communications technologies and systems, including the Internet" and to "promote the design, development, production and distribution of accessible information and communications technologies".

My Accessibility Requirements

To disseminate widely and promote the use of the Guidelines and Principles for the Development of Disability Statistics and the Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses and to facilitate technical assistance, within existing resources, including the provision of assistance for capacity-building of Member States, in particular to developing countries.

To integrate a disability perspective in reviewing their progress towards realizing the Millennium Development Goals for all and providing equal access, to everyone.

For additional guidance on how to encourage your country to comply, select The United Nations Secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to learn more.