Purpose and Significance of the Convention

Purpose

To promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity.

What is unique about the Convention?

• Both a development and a human rights instrument
• A policy instrument which is cross-disability and cross-sectoral
• Legally binding
• It has many provisions that are not there in the current Indian laws.

Significance

• The Convention marks a ‘paradigm shift’ in attitudes and approaches to persons with disabilities.
• Persons with disabilities are not viewed as “objects” of charity, medical treatment and social protection; rather as “subjects” with rights, who are capable of claiming those rights and making decisions for their lives based on their free and informed consent as well as being active members of society.
• The Convention gives universal recognition to the dignity of persons with disabilities.
• Provides absolute guarantee of rights.
• Underscores indivisibility of Human Rights – i.e. civil-political rights and socio-economic rights are inseparable / indivisible.
• It brings about the acceptance of diversity as an integral part of human rights; the concept of interdependence and most importantly, it emphasises on the capability of each individual.

(Source: UN Enable – Convention in Brief; Dr Amita Dhanda, Speech at the National Consultation on 27th & 28th July 2007)