The Center on Disability Studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa (HI UCEDD) Represents AUCD at the Third United Nations Conference of State Parties in New York

October 8, 2010

Norma Jean Stodden, Robert Stodden, Charmaine Crockett, and Steve Brown

Nation-states reaffirmed their commitment to the advancement of human rights for persons with disabilities at the Third United Nations Conference of State Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) held at the United Nations from August 30-September 3 in New York City. Four Center on Disability Studies (CDS) faculty and staff - Robert Stodden, Steve Brown, Norma Jean Stodden,  and Charmaine  Crockett - traveled to New York City to take part in a global gathering whose raison d'être was to ensure that the rights of the world's 650 million people with disabilities was strengthened and protected. Hundreds of organizations from Civil Society attended to observe, network, build partnerships and lobby.for the rights of persons with disabilities, internationally  "The Conference has an important 'consciousness-raising' value to spur  governments and policymakers to take action to ensure the Convention is implemented on the ground", said Shuaib Chalklen, the UN Special Rapporteur on Disability.

The international community was present to assume its collective responsibility of addressing the inequalities of persons with disabilities, most of whom are poor and lack access to educational, employment, social and health services. While fewer than half the member states have ratified the CRPD, 90 countries were represented, many of whom, over the course of three days,  spoke eloquently   about the situation in their country and their progress in implementing the Convention in national legislation and policy initiatives.

The theme, Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities through implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, was jumpstarted by a pre-conference civil society forum co-organized by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) and the International Disability Alliance. It was a chance for non-governmental organizations to convene for an afternoon of international updates, intellectual and advocacy exchanges and networking. Judy Heuman, special advisor on Disability Rights for the U.S. State Department, remarked that "disability is not a tragedy but rather a normal part of life and that everyone needed to fight to remove barriers. No country was where it should be yet on disability." Everyone was keenly aware that the US, a presence at the conference was a signatory but had yet to ratify.

Removing barriers was front-burner talk after the conference was underway. That is, after a full day of brief introductions and electing new CRPD committee members. In accordance with the Convention, after eighty ratifications, the CRPD is to expand from twelve to eighteen members who are the body of independent experts which monitors implementation of the Convention by the State Parties. The process was daunting but the second day of the Conference proved to be an inspiring mix of structured thematic discussions on Inclusion and Living in the Community, Inclusion and the right to education, and Persons with disabilities and situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies. Presentations by countries, UN agencies, and non-governmental organizations had a 'we can do' approach sprinkled with criticism and a 'we must do' response from some of the delegates including the Thai representative who stated that "The United Nations needed to improved disability-inclusiveness as a whole." On the final day, UN agencies made presentations and reviewed the progress that has been made as well as the challenges ahead.   

Since 2008, the Center on Disability Studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa has been committed to disseminating information, and convening international participants to dialogue and create action plans regarding the Convention. It sponsors an annual Pacific Rim International Forum on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities focusing on the CRPD and actions needed to move from vision to reality. "We have to remain optimistic and idealistic", stated Robert Stodden, Director of the Center on Disability Studies at the University of Hawaii. 'The UN process is slow and there is a lot of talk but we have to persevere because of what the Convention means to the hundreds of millions of people with disabilities."