International legal standards

In addition to the core international human rights conventions, the rights of persons with disabilities are set out in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The Optional Protocol on the Convention came into force at the same time as the Convention.

The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), a group of 18 independent experts (currently, most of them persons with disabilities), oversees promotion and implementation of the Convention.

The Committee is responsible for interpreting the Convention, and to that purpose issues General Comments, which offer clarification and guidance on specific articles.

The Human Rights Council, by its resolution 26/20 created the Special Procedure of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities. The Council further renewed the mandate in 2017 with resolution 35/6. The Special Rapporteur has the mandate to, among others, research and gather information on violations of the rights of persons with disabilities, recommend on how to better promote and protect their rights, and to provide technical assistance to that purpose. The Special Rapporteur reports to the Human Rights Council, and cooperates with the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Commission for Social Development.