UNRIC Library Backgrounder: Disability

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UN Entities

• UN Programme on Disability: https://social.desa.un.org/issues/disability
• United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy: https://www.un.org/en/content/disabilitystrategy/
• Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Disability and Accessibility: https://social.desa.un.org/issues/disability/special-envoy-of-the-secretary-general-on-disability-and-accessibility
• Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities:  https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CRPD/Pages/CRPDIndex.aspx
• Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights – Human Rights of persons with disabilities: https://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Disability/Pages/DisabilityIndex.aspx
• Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities: https://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Disability/SRDisabilities/Pages/SRDisabilitiesIndex.aspx
• International Labour Organization (ILO) – Disability and work: https://www.ilo.org/topics-and-sectors/disability-and-work
• United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
  • Inclusion in Education: https://www.unesco.org/en/inclusion-education
  • Disability equality in the media: https://www.unesco.org/en/media-pluralism-diversity/media-diversity/disability-equality-media
• United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) – Disabilities: https://www.unicef.org/disabilities/
• World Bank – Disability Inclusion: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/disability
• World Health Organization (WHO) – Disabilities: https://www.who.int/health-topics/disability

UN Treaties, Declarations and Major Documents

• Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Optional Protocol (2006): https://social.desa.un.org/issues/disability/crpd/convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities-crpd
• Standard Rules on Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (1993): https://docs.un.org/A/RES/48/96
• World Programme of Action Concerning Disabled Persons (1982): https://docs.un.org/A/37/351/Add.1 and https://docs.un.org/A/37/351/Add.1/Corr.1
• Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons (1975): https://docs.un.org/A/RES/3447(XXX)
• OHCHR Studies, reports & papers: https://www.ohchr.org/en/disabilities/reports
• Towards the full realization of an inclusive and accessible United Nations for persons with disabilities: report of the Secretary-General (A/71/344, 19 August 2016): https://docs.un.org/A/71/344
• Mainstreaming disability in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: report of the Secretary-General (E/CN.5/2017/4, 22 November 2016): https://docs.un.org/E/CN.5/2017/4
• Accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by, for and with persons with disabilities: report of the Secretary-General (E/CN.5/2019/4, 21 November 2018): https://docs.un.org/E/CN.5/2019/4
• 2018 Flagship Report on Disability and Development: https://docs.un.org/A/73/220, https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/publication-disability-sdgs.html
• Further documents – click here

Selected Statements and Speeches of UN Officials

• Marking International Day, Secretary-General says persons with disabilities essential in shaping inclusive, sustainable future for all people (SG/SM/22480, 26 November 2024): https://press.un.org/en/2024/sgsm22480.doc.htm
• Paralympic Games ‘shine spotlight on possibilities, potential of more than 1 billion persons with disabilities’, Secretary-General tells Conference (SG/SM/22344, 27 August 2024): https://press.un.org/en/2024/sgsm22344.doc.htm
• Deputy Secretary-General urges more efforts to provide people with disabilities access to assistive technologies, decent work, at Conference of States Parties’ Session (DSG/SM/1912, 11 June 2024): https://press.un.org/en/2024/dsgsm1912.doc.htm
• Truly sustainable development for persons with disabilities means ensuring equal rights, ending discrimination, Secretary-General tells Commemorative Event (SG/SM/22062, 1 December 2023): https://press.un.org/en/2023/sgsm22062.doc.htm
• Marking International Day, Secretary-General urges world to work side by side with persons with disabilities, deliver solutions based on equal rights (SG/SM/22045, 22 November 2023): https://press.un.org/en/2023/sgsm22045.doc.htm
• Stressing United Nations commitment to inclusion, Secretary-General tells State Parties Conference on Disabilities Convention ‘We must pick up the pace’ (SG/SM/21835, 13 June 2023): https://press.un.org/en/2023/sgsm21835.doc.htm
• Stressing need to safeguard human rights in digital space, Secretary-General Observance Message urges full inclusion, accessibility for persons with disabilities (SG/SM/21601, 25 November 2022): https://press.un.org/en/2022/sgsm21601.doc.htm
• ‘We need the leadership of persons with disabilities’, Secretary-General tells States Parties to Convention, calling for inclusion on all fronts (SG/SM/21321, 14 June 2022): https://press.un.org/en/2022/sgsm21321.doc.htm
• Secretary-General stresses need to ensure all members of human family have chance at living full lives, in Message for Global Disability Summit (SG/SM/21143, 16 February 2022): https://press.un.org/en/2022/sgsm21143.doc.htm
• Assistive technology ‘not only a right, but a practical pathway to inclusion’, Deputy Secretary-General tells Global Disability Summit (DSG/SM/1678, 15 January 2022): https://press.un.org/en/2022/dsgsm1678.doc.htm
• Involving persons with disabilities in COVID-19 Pandemic Response key for building more inclusive, accessible world, Secretary-General Observance Message stresses (SG/SM/21040, 24 November 2021): https://press.un.org/en/2021/sgsm21040.doc.htm
• Recover better, build back accessible, Secretary-General tells Convention States Parties, stressing ‘persons with disabilities must no longer be left behind’ (SG/SM/20778, 15 June 2021): https://press.un.org/en/2021/sgsm20778.doc.htm

Selected Publications available online

• WHO Publications on Disabilities and rehabilitation: https://bit.ly/45StZ2n
• ILO Publications on Disability and work:
  https://www.ilo.org/topics-and-sectors/disability-and-work#publications
• Disability and Development Report 2024: Accelerating the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals by, for and with persons with disabilities (UN DESA): https://social.desa.un.org/publications/un-flagship-report-on-disability-and-development-2024
• Implementing the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – the Role of Independent Monitoring Frameworks: Practical Guide (OHCHR, 2024): https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/publications/professional-training/CRPD-Practical-Guide-web-compressed.pdf
• Businesses leading the way on disability inclusion: A compilation of good corporate practices (ILO, 2023): https://www.ilo.org/publications/businesses-leading-way-disability-inclusion
• 2023 Global Survey Report on Persons with Disabilities and Disasters (UNDRR): https://www.undrr.org/report/2023-gobal-survey-report-on-persons-with-disabilities-and-disasters
• Toolkit: ratifying the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (OHCHR, 2023): https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/2023-06/En-CRPD-Ratification-Toolkit.pdf
• Toolkit: ratifying the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (OHCHR, 2023): https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/2023-06/En-OP-CRPD-Ratification-Toolkit.pdf
• Included, Every Step of the Way: Upholding the rights of migrant and displaced children with disabilities (UNICEF, 2023) https://data.unicef.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Included_Every_Step_of_the_Way.pdf
• UN DESA Policy Brief No. 147: Old age inequality begins at birth: life course influences on late-life disability (4 January 2023): https://bit.ly/45Rt9CM
• Global report on health equity for persons with disabilities (WHO, December 2022): https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240063600
• Policy Brief: A Disability-Inclusive Response to COVID-19 (May 2020): https://bit.ly/45rMXgg
  • Easy to read MS Word document: https://bit.ly/3L3MDfH
  • EPUB file: https://bit.ly/3RinQZl
• OHCHR Guidelines on COVID-19 and the rights of persons with disabilities (OHCHR, 2020): https://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/tools-and-resources/ohchr-guidelines-covid-19-and-rights-persons-disabilities
• International Principles and Guidelines on Access to Justice for Persons with Disabilities (2020): https://social.desa.un.org/sites/default/files/migrated/15/2020/10/Access-to-Justice-EN.pdf
• Pivoting to Inclusion: Leveraging Lessons from the COVID-19 Crisis for Learners with Disabilities (World Bank, 2020): https://bit.ly/3g9P52D
• UN Disability and Development Report 2018 – Realizing the SDGs by, for and with persons with disabilities: https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/publication-disability-sdgs.html
• Report on the World Social Situation 2018 – Promoting Inclusion Through Social Protection: https://desapublications.un.org/publications/report-world-social-situation-2018-promoting-inclusion-through-social-protection
• Reporting on Disability: Guidelines for the media (ILO, 2nd ed. 2015): https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—ed_emp/—ifp_skills/documents/publication/wcms_127002.pdf
• The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Training Guide (OHCHR, 2014): https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Publications/CRPD_TrainingGuide_
  PTS19_EN%20Accessible.pdf
• Monitoring the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Guidance for Human Rights Monitors (April 2010): https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Publications/Disabilities_training_17EN.pdf
• It’s About Ability: Learning Guide on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNICEF, 2009): https://www.unicef.org/media/85751/file/Its_About_Ability_Learning_Guide_EN.pdf
• It’s About Ability: An explanation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNICEF, 2008): https://www.unicef.org/reports/its-about-ability
• From Exclusion to Equality: Realizing the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; Handbook for Parliamentarians on the Convention (October 2007): https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Publications/training14en.pdf

Further Information

• Audiovisual Library of International Law – Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (New York, 13 December 2006): https://legal.un.org/avl/ha/crpd/crpd.html
• ILO Library Research Guide – Disability: https://libguides.ilo.org/disability-en
• UNOG Library Research Guide – Disability Inclusion: https://libraryresources.unog.ch/disability

UN Observances & Events

• International Day of Persons with Disabilities – 3 December
  https://www.un.org/en/observances/day-of-persons-with-disabilities
  https://social.desa.un.org/issues/disability/international-day-of-persons-with-disabilities-3-december
• High-level Meeting of the General Assembly on “The way forward: a disability inclusive development agenda towards 2015 and beyond” (23 September 2013)
  https://www.un.org/en/ga/68/meetings/disability/
  https://un-library.tumblr.com/post/52635382314/un-general-assembly-first-high-level-meeting-for

March 2025
not an official document – for information only
https://unric.org/en/unric-library-backgrounder-disability/