CRPD Outreach & Education

On July 30, 2009, the United States signed the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).  As the United States moves towards ratification of this historic treaty, USICD is working to help the U.S. disability community and our allies better understand the CRPD and what we can all do to ensure its successful implementation for people with disabilities everywhere.  Our activities include human rights education trainings for advocates, presentations by members of the USICD Speakers Bureau at conferences and other related venues, as well as outreach to key policymakers.

USICD's outreach and education activities are guided by our committment to the following:

VISION

In its Education and Outreach Programming activities, USICD seeks to realize both in the United States and abroad:

  • The full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by people with disabilities
  • The full inclusion of people with disabilities as equal members of society
  • The empowerment of people with disabilities and our allies to have a voice of our own and to be effective and informed human rights advocates
  • The development of a culture of human rights that is inclusive of disability as a human rights issue
  • The effective implementation and monitoring of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and other human rights standards that are relevant to the everyday lives of people with disabilities
  • The universal ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

VALUES

In undertaking its Education and Outreach Programming activities, USICD commits to upholding the following principles:

  • Respect for the inherent dignity, individual autonomy, opinions, independence, human rights and fundamental freedoms of all people
  • Non-discrimination, including refraining from discrimination on the basis of disability, race, colour, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender presentation, language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic, indigenous or social origin, property, birth, age or other status
  • Inclusion of participants reflective of the diversity of the disability community
  • Equality between women and men, girls and boys
  • Accessibility of materials, activities, facilities, information and communication
  • Commitment to professionalism and the best practices in participatory and inclusive human rights education methodologies

VEHICLE

In undertaking its Education and Outreach Programming activities, USICD will utilize:

  • The advice and counsel of members of the USICD Board and in particular the Committee on Education and Outreach
  • The experience and strengths of USICD members
  • Partnerships and strong working relationships with a diversity of relevant actors, including but not limited to disabled people’s organizations, centers for independent living, mainstream human rights organizations, governmental entities, inter-governmental entities, development organizations and academic institutions
  • Accessible ICT and other technologies and methodologies relevant to ensuring the accessibility of Education and Outreach Programming materials and activities

Upcoming Events

Conference: Implementing disability-inclusive development in the Pacific and Asia
Wednesday, September 15, 2010 - Friday, September 17, 2010

Next CRPD Advocates Teleconference Call
Thursday, September 16, 2010
02:00pm - 03:00pm

Resources

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) - PDF version

Download the PDF version of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities here

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Microsoft Word

This is a version of the CRPD and its Optional Protocol in word format.

Easy-Read Version of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

This PDF file summarizes all 50 articles of the CRPD in simple language with pictures. Easier to read than the original CRPD and the "plain language" version.

Index of CRPD article titles

This document provides a listing of the article headings from the CRPD, and can be used as an index to the substantive articles of the treaty.

United Nations (UN) Enable

The official website on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Link to the full text of the Convention and Optional Protocol in multiple languages; find out whether your country has signed or ratified the CRPD and Optional Protocol; or learn about disability throughout the UN system.

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) - PDF version

Download the PDF version of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities here

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Microsoft Word

This is a version of the CRPD and its Optional Protocol in word format.

Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities: its implementation and relevance for the World Bank

Written for World Bank staff to assist them in understanding the relevance of the CRPD to their work and how they can support implementation. Useful for people who work in the field of disability and development generally, but particularly for people focused on reforming laws and legislation. (PDF format, 245 KB)

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Questions and Answers (Word format, 119 Kb)

This 10-page document produced by the United Nations summarizes the purpose of the CRPD and the Optional Protocol and the human rights they are meant to protect. Also describes how the CRPD is meant to be implemented and monitored and how the CRPD was first developed.

CRPD Conference report proceedings

This report was drawn from transcriptions of oral summaries provided in closing each day’s proceedings.

CRPD Tools and Resources

This page within the Disability Rights Fund website provides an extensive collection of tools and resources on understanding the CRPD; explanations focused on individual articles and topics within the CRPD; toolkits for ratifying, implementing, and monitoring the CRPD; human rights resources for professionals and for grassroots advocates; and links to pages sharing news and events related to the CRPD.

Disability Convention: Tips and Strategies for Implementation

Past experience in implementing the Convention on the Rights of the Child is used to inform this list of tips that may be helpful in implementing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities with respect to children with disabilities. This factsheet outlines the obligations of governments and suggestions for how advocates and their organizations can take action.

Disability Rights and Policies—Reference Documents and Resources

This on-line CD Rom from Handicap International provides numerous links and resources for disability-run organizations, public authorities, and service providers promoting inclusive development. These materials are meant for organizations working in development, emergency relief, and human rights.

Disabled Peoples International (DPI) Ratification and Implementation Toolkits

Advocates can use the DPI Ratification Toolkit as a guide to the process of working with their national government to sign and ratify the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The accompanying Implementation Toolkit offers guidance to advocates on how to ensure that their country fully implements the CRPD.

DPI CRPD primers

DPI has produced a series of two page primers about the CRPD, providing information about the issues and obligations addressed in the CRPD.  Versions in French and Spanish can also be accessed through the main DPI portal.

Easy-Read Version of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

This PDF file summarizes all 50 articles of the CRPD in simple language with pictures. Easier to read than the original CRPD and the "plain language" version.

Finding the Gaps: A Comparative Analysis of Disability Laws in the United States to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)

Compares existing laws in the United States against the CRPD and analyzes the gaps in these laws. By the National Council on Disability; 146 pages.

 

Guidance Document: Effective Use of International Human Rights Monitoring Mechanisms to Protect the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Explains the role of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in monitoring implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.  Provides guidance in how disability advocates can influence how governments report on the status of disability rights to the Committee and how they can prepare their own parallel reports.  Published in May 2010; 83 pages.

Handbook for Parliamentarians on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Targeted at parliamentarians around the world, this manual explains the rationale and objectives of the CRPD and how parliamentarians can translate the treaty into action. It is a joint publication of the International Parliamentarian Union, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Human Rights, YES!

People with disabilities can use this manual to train themselves and their peers about their own human rights as protected in the CRPD. The manual is designed for non-experts in human rights, and can be used with as few as two or three participants. (PDF format, 2.6 MB)

Inclusive development and the comprehensive and integral international convention on the protection and promotion of the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities

Discusses the importance of inclusive development and how the CRPD can be used as a tool to help reduce the poverty of people with disabilities. Produced for the 5th Ad Hoc meeting in drafting the CRPD in early 2005 by the International Disability and Development Consortium (IDDC); 20 pages. (Word format, 404 KB)

Plain Language CRPD Introduction

This acessible PDF document provides a plain language introduction to the CRPD's vision, purpose and history.

Plain-Language Version of the CRPD and Optional Protocol

People who have difficulty understanding the legal language used in the official version of the CRPD and Optional Protocol can read this plain-language version instead.  Presents the full text of the CRPD and Optional Protocol, but revised into more accessible language.

See Me, Hear Me - A guide to using the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to promote the rights of children

This 200-page guide from Save the Children UK, published in May 2009, explains how to use the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to improve the protection of the human rights of children with disabilities. Available in English, Arabic, Spanish, and French.

Teaching Kit on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Developed by Handicap International, this collection of materials can be used to educate people about basic concepts of disability; human rights; the content of the CRPD; and the process of implementing and monitoring the CRPD. Includes power point programs and suggested teaching points. Also links to many additional useful resources available elsewhere on the web.

Understanding the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

This manual edited by Handicap International is a tool for explaining the content of the CRPD and provides detailed information on what occurred during the negotiation and drafting process. It gives a comprehensive overview of the CRPD, and the positions taken by the different stakeholders involved (government delegates, UN agencies, human rights institutions and other representatives from civil society, most importantly disabled people’s organizations (DPOs)).

This document also provides information on interpreting the text of the CRPD and providing further information for its implementation at the local, national, regional and international levels.

 

We Have Human Rights: A Human Rights Handbook for People with Developmental Disabilities

This guidebook uses clear, accessible language to explain how the CRPD protects key human rights. Also suggests group activities to help participants understand the concepts presented in the handbook. Targeted at people with intellectual disabilities, but can be used by anyone who wants a version of the CRPD that is easy to understand. (PDF format, 4.5 MB)