RES/26/20 Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities

GE.14-08211 (E)

*1408211*

Human Rights Council Twenty-sixth session Agenda item 3 Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development

Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council

26/20 Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities

The Human Rights Council,

Guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,

Guided also by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and other relevant human rights instruments,

Recalling the universality, indivisibility, interdependence and interrelatedness of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and the need for persons with disabilities to be guaranteed the full enjoyment of their rights and freedoms without discrimination,

Deeply concerned that, in all parts of the world, persons with disabilities continue to face barriers in their participation as equal members of society and violations of their human rights, and conscious that greater attention is needed to these challenges,

Recognizing the work of the Special Rapporteur on Disability of the Commission for Social Development, whose mandate will expire on 31 December 2014,

Recalling its resolutions 5/1, on institution-building of the Human Rights Council, and 5/2, on the Code of Conduct for Special Procedures Mandate Holders of the Council, of 18 June 2007, and stressing that the mandate holder shall discharge his or her duties in accordance with those resolutions and the annexes thereto,

1. Reaffirms the obligation of States to take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against persons with disabilities and to promote, protect and respect their human rights;

2. Decides to appoint, for a period of three years, a Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities, with the following mandate:

(a) To develop a regular dialogue and to consult with States and other relevant stakeholders, including United Nations agencies, programmes and funds, regional human rights mechanisms, national human rights institutions, national independent monitoring frameworks designated under article 33, paragraph 2 of the Convention on the Rights of

Persons with Disabilities, persons with disabilities and their representative organizations, and other civil society organizations to identify, exchange and promote good practices relating to the realization of the rights of persons with disabilities and their participation as equal members of society;

(b) To gather, request, receive and exchange information and communications from and with States and other relevant sources, including persons with disabilities and their representative organizations and other civil society organizations, on violations of the rights of persons with disabilities;

(c) To make concrete recommendations on how to better promote and protect the rights of persons with disabilities, including on how to contribute to the realization of internationally agreed development goals for persons with disabilities, including the Millennium Development Goals, how to promote development that is inclusive of and accessible to persons with disabilities, and how to promote their role as both agents for and beneficiaries of development;

(d) To conduct, facilitate and support the provision of advisory services, technical assistance, capacity-building and international cooperation in support of national efforts for the effective realization of the rights of persons with disabilities;

(e) To raise awareness of the rights of persons with disabilities, to combat stereotypes, prejudices and harmful practices that hinder their opportunity to participate in society on an equal basis with others, to promote awareness of their positive contributions and to inform persons with disabilities about their rights;

(f) To work closely with the special procedures and other human rights mechanisms of the Human Rights Council, the treaty bodies, in particular the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and other relevant United Nations agencies, programmes and funds, including the United Nations Partnership to Promote the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Disability and Accessibility, within their respective mandates, with a view to avoiding unnecessary duplication;

(g) To cooperate closely with the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Commission for Social Development, including by participating in their annual sessions upon request;

(h) To integrate a gender perspective throughout the work of the mandate and to address multiple, intersecting and aggravated forms of discrimination faced by persons with disabilities;

(i) To report annually to the Human Rights Council, starting from its twenty- eighth session, and to the General Assembly, in accessible formats and according to their respective programmes of work;

3. Calls upon all States to cooperate with the Special Rapporteur in the performance of his or her mandate, including by providing all necessary information requested, and to give serious consideration to responding favourably to his or her requests to visit their countries and to consider implementing the recommendations made by the mandate holder in his or her reports;

4. Encourages all relevant stakeholders, including United Nations agencies, programmes and funds, regional human rights mechanisms, national human rights institutions, national independent monitoring frameworks, the private sector, donors and development agencies to cooperate fully with the Special Rapporteur to enable the mandate holder to fulfil his or her mandate;

5. Requests the Secretary-General to bring the reports of the Special Rapporteur to the attention of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Conference of States Parties and the Commission for Social Development for their information and to avoid unnecessary duplication;

6. Requests the Secretary-General and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to provide the Special Rapporteur with all the human, technical and financial resources necessary for the effective fulfilment of his or her mandate.

39th meeting 27 June 2014

[Adopted without a vote.]