The COVID-19 pandemic has “starkly exposed” the heightened vulnerability and risks to persons with disabilities, a major meeting convened to discuss the international treaty that supports persons with disabilities, heard on Monday. In the first online session for the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Ibrahim Salama, head of the Human Rights Treaties Branch in the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) lauded the treaty body, which, despite significant challenges posed by the virus, have done “extraordinary work” to implement their mandate.
Mr. Salama updated the meeting that the mandates of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities and on the Elimination of discrimination against persons affected by leprosy, had been extended for a period of three years. Moreover, nine UN entities had been working collaboratively to support disability inclusiveness on COVID-19 response and recovery at the national level.
The OHCHR representative also informed the committee that the 2020 review of the treaty body system was launched on 2 June, where UN High Commissioner Michele Bachelet highlighted the need for “better digital tools” to strengthen treaty bodies’ accessibility, including for persons with disabilities, said Mr. Salama. The Director of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), Ricardo Mena, acknowledged, “we are very much aware that much more needs to be done to ensure that persons with disabilities are included in disaster planning and that their inclusion and participation is monitored and well supported”.
Source: The UN
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