HRC62 - EU General Comment - Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of persons with disabilities
UN Human Rights Council
62th session – Item 3
L.4 – General Comment
Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of persons with disabilities
EU General Comment
Mr. President,
I have the honor to speak on behalf of the EU Member States that are members of this Council. This general comment has been agreed by the EU as a whole.
The EU and its Member States, as Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), remain dedicated to ensuring the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by persons with disabilities.
In this context, the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities has played a key role in highlighting persistent and emerging challenges, and in supporting States, civil society and persons with disabilities in advancing the implementation of the CRPD.
We thank New Zealand and Mexico for presenting L.4 aimed at the renewal of this mandate and for leading open, transparent and inclusive negotiations. We further commend the core group for its streamlining and rationalization efforts undertaken in accordance with GA resolution 80/251, as well as for its innovative approach to identifying synergies.
Mr. President,
While progress has been achieved, persons with disabilities continue to face significant and persistent barriers in their daily lives that hinder the full enjoyment of their human rights, including access to and full enjoyment of cultural heritage. These include barriers to accessibility, autonomy and independent living, participation in public and political life, education, employment, healthcare, social protection and equal access to services, as well as exposure to multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination. The rights of persons with disabilities are also disproportionately affected by conflict and humanitarian crisis.
The European Union stresses the importance of ensuring the full, effective and meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in decision-making processes, and remains firmly committed to addressing intersectional discrimination, particularly affecting women and girls with disabilities. We also recognize the critical role of civil society, including organizations representing persons with disabilities in our responses to these challenges.
Mr. President,
The renewal of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur for a further three-year period is essential to sustaining international attention on the rights of persons with disabilities and to ensuring continued progress in their effective realization.
Within the framework of this Council’s work, we wish to underscore the need to preserve accessibility, and we reiterate the importance of international sign language and simultaneous captioning in mandated activities. Budgetary or liquidity constraints cannot be an excuse for undermining fundamental inclusivity across the UN.
The European Union is pleased to support L.4 as presented by New Zealand and Mexico and we call on this Council to adopt this resolution by consensus.
I thank you.