Monitoring and Reporting
Implementing the Convention
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities specifies that states must put a National Framework in place to promote, protect and monitor the implementation of the Convention.
The Office for Disability Issues (ODI) is the Focal Point at UK level for coordinating the implementation of the Convention. In Northern Ireland, the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister is responsible for this. At departmental level, all departments need to consider what the Convention says when developing a policy or programme that affects disabled people. The best way to do this is to ensure disabled people are involved in this process. If disabled people or others identify a gap or a problem where they think Convention rights are not met, the department must consider the problem and how it might be overcome.
Reporting to the UN Committee
The UK will be held to account and must submit a report to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on what it has done to implement the Convention by July 2011.
The Convention also requires states to establish an independent mechanism to promote, protect and monitor its implementation, reporting directly to the UN Committee. In Northern Ireland, that role is fulfilled by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.
The Convention also says disabled people and their representative disability organisations should be involved in the implementation and reporting process. Disability Action’s Centre on Human Rights will develop a shadow report on the UK’s submission, which with also be sent to the UN Committee. Click here to find out how you can have your say on how the UN Convention is bring implemented in Northern Ireland
The Optional Protocol to the UN Convention
The UK has also ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention, which allows disabled people to bring complaints to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, if they believe their rights have been breached.This can only be done after all other domestic routes have been exhausted. The Committee can also undertake enquiries into alleged violations of the Convention.
