Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006)

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 13 December 2006 and entered into force in 2008. It marked a shift from viewing persons with disabilities as objects of charity or medical treatment to recognising them as holders of rights.

The Social Model of Disability

The Preamble and Article 1 recognise that disability results from the interaction between persons with long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments and attitudinal and environmental barriers that hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.

Key Obligations

States must prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability and provide reasonable accommodation, meaning necessary and appropriate adjustments that do not impose a disproportionate burden (Articles 2 and 5). They must ensure accessibility of the physical environment, transport, information and communications, including information technology, and of public facilities and services (Article 9).

Rights Highlighted

The Convention protects equal recognition before the law and legal capacity (Article 12), access to justice (Article 13), the right to live independently and be included in the community (Article 19), inclusive education (Article 24), health (Article 25), work and employment (Article 27), an adequate standard of living and social protection (Article 28) and participation in political and public life, including accessible voting (Article 29).

Monitoring

The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities reviews state reports. Persons with disabilities and their representative organisations must be closely consulted in implementing the Convention (Article 4(3)), reflecting the motto "Nothing about us without us".

In Indonesia

Indonesia ratified the CRPD by Law No. 19 of 2011 and later enacted Law No. 8 of 2016 on Persons with Disabilities, which requires accessible public services, employment quotas of at least two per cent in government and state enterprises and one per cent in private companies, and established the National Commission on Disability.