The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

On December 13, 2006, the United Nations Headquarters in New York adopted the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This new convention will bring about a great change. It will encourage people to view handicaps as humans with the same set of rights as regular people instead of “objects” of medical treatment and help. In short, this United Nations Convention will bring the same rights to disables as those of normal people.

There are eight principles that are the fundamentals of the convention:
1. Disables must be able to have individual autonomy.
2. Handicaps must not be discriminated.
3. Disabled humans must always be included in society.
4. They must be regarded as a unique and vital part of humanity.
5. They must have equal opportunities as regular people.
6. They must have access to the same resources as normal humans.
7. Disabled men and women must have equal rights.
8. Disabled children must have the right to preserve their identities.

The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will make sure that the articles of the convention are being implemented in the United Nations countries. The group will consist of eighteen professionals, recognizing the challenges of disabilities. These experts will be elected by the Conference of State Parties, a large group of signatories of the United Nations Convention.

Every December 3 is the International Day of Persons of Disabilities. The theme for 2010 is the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This International Day will help raise awareness about the United Nations Conventions and the challenges of disabilities to the world.