Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Agenzia Fides) - 'Nothing about us, without us' is the motto of a United Nations Convention on the Rights of people with a disability. A slogan to promote social inclusion, for the drafting of a convention finally concluded in New York after four years of labour.
The document is the first agreement on human rights of the 21st century. It is due to be adopted by undersigning countries during the next general assembly of the United Nations Organisation in mid September. The convention includes adoption of laws and other measures to improve respect for the rights of people with a disability and to ban all discriminatory practices and customs in their regard.
At the moment only 45 countries have specific legislation to protect the disabled persons estimated to be about 650 million in the world. The World Health Organisation expects this number to rise as a result of medical progress and ageing population.
Countries signing the Convention are committed to guarantee persons with a disability equality and same dignity as other persons, improve access to public and private buildings, transport, information. It will be years before the minimum standards set by the Convention are applied considering the present state of people with a disability in many countries today. The drafting of the Disability Rights Convention was delayed by cultural differences of the Commission members assigned to the job who often disagreed on questions such as abortion, conception, AIDS prevention and sexual education. (AP) (5/9/2006 Agenzia Fides; Righe:24; Parole:272)
