The UN Ad Hoc CommitteeThe UN Ad Hoc Committee

The process to draft a new human The process to draft a new human rights treaty for people with rights treaty for people with

disabilitiesdisabilities

Origins of the ProcessOrigins of the Process

19 Dec 200119 Dec 2001– GA Res 56/168 introduced by Mexico and GA Res 56/168 introduced by Mexico and

supporters established the Ad Hoc Committee supporters established the Ad Hoc Committee (AHC)(AHC)

Mandate of AHCMandate of AHC– "to consider proposals for a comprehensive and "to consider proposals for a comprehensive and

integral international convention to promote and integral international convention to promote and protect the rights and dignity of persons with protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities, based on the holistic approach in the disabilities, based on the holistic approach in the work done in the fields of social development, work done in the fields of social development, human rights and non-discrimination and taking human rights and non-discrimination and taking into account the recommendations of the into account the recommendations of the Commission on Human Rights and the Commission Commission on Human Rights and the Commission for Social Development." for Social Development."

Who is Involved?Who is Involved?

Guiding principle of the processGuiding principle of the process– Full inclusion of all relevant stakeholdersFull inclusion of all relevant stakeholders

Who shows up?Who shows up?– UN member statesUN member states– UN observersUN observers– Relevant UN bodies and organizationsRelevant UN bodies and organizations– Special Rapporteur on DisabilitySpecial Rapporteur on Disability– National human rights institutionsNational human rights institutions– Non-governmental organizationsNon-governmental organizations

both ECOSOC and AHC accreditedboth ECOSOC and AHC accredited Educational process for all!Educational process for all!

AHC SessionsAHC Sessions

7 sessions total7 sessions total AHC1 29 July – 9 Aug 2002AHC1 29 July – 9 Aug 2002

– Discussed rationale for convention & Discussed rationale for convention & survived attempts to kill the processsurvived attempts to kill the process

AHC2 16-27 June 2003AHC2 16-27 June 2003– Decision to proceed with drafting Decision to proceed with drafting

conventionconvention– Discussions over process to proceedDiscussions over process to proceed– Decision to establish Working GroupDecision to establish Working Group

AHC Sessions contd.AHC Sessions contd.

Working Group 5-16 January 2004Working Group 5-16 January 2004– 27 governments27 governments– 12 NGOs12 NGOs– 1 national human rights institution rep1 national human rights institution rep– Support from OHCHRSupport from OHCHR– Discussions led by Coordinator (Amb. Discussions led by Coordinator (Amb.

MacKay)MacKay)– Produced Working Group Draft Text to Produced Working Group Draft Text to

form basis of negotiationsform basis of negotiations

AHC Sessions contd.AHC Sessions contd.

AHC3 24 May – 4 June 2004AHC3 24 May – 4 June 2004– Commenced first reading of WG text Commenced first reading of WG text

& decided to delay consideration of:& decided to delay consideration of: DefinitionsDefinitions MonitoringMonitoring Final ProvisionsFinal Provisions

AHC Sessions contd.AHC Sessions contd.

AHC4 23 August – 3 September 2004AHC4 23 August – 3 September 2004 AHC5 24 January – 4 February 2005AHC5 24 January – 4 February 2005 AHC6 1 – 12 August 2005AHC6 1 – 12 August 2005

– First meeting with Amb. MacKay as ChairFirst meeting with Amb. MacKay as Chair– Chair issued “Chair’s Text” in October Chair issued “Chair’s Text” in October

2005, synthesizing amendments made to 2005, synthesizing amendments made to datedate

AHC7 16 January – 3 February 2006AHC7 16 January – 3 February 2006– Revised Working Text issuedRevised Working Text issued

AHC8 will be held 14 – 25 August 2006AHC8 will be held 14 – 25 August 2006– Will not read through text but focus on Will not read through text but focus on

specific issuesspecific issues

Treaty Content & Treaty Content & IssuesIssues

Comprehensive contentComprehensive content Issues of contention:Issues of contention:

– Definition of disabilityDefinition of disability– How to address sub-population groupsHow to address sub-population groups– EducationEducation– Legal capacity – especially balancing Legal capacity – especially balancing

supported decision-making models supported decision-making models with protections against abusewith protections against abuse

– Data & statisticsData & statistics– MonitoringMonitoring– International cooperationInternational cooperation– How to address progressive How to address progressive

realization & references to realization & references to international developmentinternational development

Treaty Content & Treaty Content & Issues contd.Issues contd.

Will it ever end??Will it ever end??

Some had hoped to complete in Some had hoped to complete in September 2005September 2005

Potential to finish in 2006/07Potential to finish in 2006/07 But …But …

– ““Nothing is agreed until everything Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.”is agreed.”