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I have the honour to introduce resolution L25 on the Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities on behalf of Mexico and New Zealand.
Mexico and New Zealand are strong supporters of the rights of persons with disabilities and present this resolution in the hope that the Council will contribute to the enjoyment by persons with disabilities of their human rights on a full and equal basis with others.
The resolution promotes the paradigm shift brought about by the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, namely that persons with disabilities should be seen as rights-holders on an equal basis with others, as opposed to objects of social welfare.
Drawing on the normative standards established by the Convention and the achievements of the former Commission on Human Rights, we reaffirm the need to promote, protect and ensure the full and effective enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity. Accordingly, the resolution asks governments to take active measures to prevent and prohibit discrimination against persons with disabilities and to ensure their participation, inherent dignity, inclusion and independence.
Mexico and New Zealand hope the resolution will be a strong foundation for the Human Rights Council to mainstream the rights of persons with disabilities into its work, including the work of the special procedures, the Council’s working groups and advisory body, and through incorporation in initiatives tabled by States. In addition, through the resolution we urge governments address the rights of persons with disabilities in their treaty body reports.
The resolution aims to raise awareness amongst all stakeholders of the perspective of persons with disabilities, including the importance of their access to and participation in our work. It also recognises the unique and important role that civil society has played and will continue to play in the implementation of the Convention and in the Council’s work.
This resolution complements the General Assembly’s recently adopted resolution on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which calls upon the wider UN system, including specialised agencies, to continue the progressive implementation of standards and guidelines for accessibility of the facilities and services of the UN system.
We look forward to an interactive and inclusive discussion on the rights of person with disabilities in the Council’s March 2009 session, focussing on the legal measures for ratification and effective implementation of the Convention, including with regard to equality and non-discrimination. We hope all stakeholders will contribute their experiences and best practices to the discussion, including through the thematic study on this issue which the resolution requests of the OHCHR.
Mexico and New Zealand hope that our future debates and resolutions on the rights of persons with disabilities are progressive in nature and build upon achievements. Accordingly, we look forward to working with all delegations to ensure our work is focussed, inclusive and progressive. We envisage, for example, that with a strong institutional foundation in place to mainstream the rights of persons with disabilities, our discussions could now focus on specific themes.
We draw attention to a minor oral revision in paragraph 3 of the resolution:
The delegations of Mexico and New Zealand thank all delegations that contributed to the negotiation of the resolution and for the high level of support expressed for the resolution.
We look forward to further cooperating with all delegations in our work on the rights of persons with disabilities, which in the short term could focus on how the Human Rights Council can appropriately celebrate the entry into force of the Convention, which requires only three further ratifications to enter into force.
