2013 Presentation: Children and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Overview of Presentation Introduction: the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) The Rights of Children with Disabilities Why Support the CRPD How the CRPD helps children How you can support the CRPD on Universal Children’s Day

Introduction: The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is an instrument to promote the inclusion and dignity of people with disabilities, including children with disabilities. Established in 2008 and already ratified by 138 countries Article 1: “Persons with disabilities include those who have long- term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.” 3

“The Committee on the Rights of the Child strongly welcomes the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which emphasizes that the barriers to the enjoyment of rights lie not in the disability itself, but in the social, physical, economic, cultural and attitudinal barriers faced by people, including children, with disabilities. “It will serve as a powerful and complementary tool to the Convention on the Rights of the Child: while the latter establishes the human rights of children, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities provides the detailed elaboration of the measures needed for their realization.” -Yanghee Lee [former] Chair of the Committee on the Rights of the Child Save the Children International’s See me, hear me: A Guide to using the CRPD to promote the rights of children (2009) can be accessed online through CRIN at 4

The United States and the CRPD The CRPD was inspired by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); the ADA’s values of independence and respect, and the concepts of reasonable accommodation and non- discrimination, are echoed throughout the treaty. 5

The United States and the CRPD 2009: signed by President Obama 2012: Hearings in the United States Senate, culminating in a vote by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in favor of ratification; but the treaty fell short of a 2/3 majority in the full Senate 2013: Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Menendez intends to move forward with efforts to gain Senate approval of the CRPD! 6

Invitation to children’s advocates to promote the CRPD Please join the U.S. International Council on Disabilities and partner organizations to advocate for inclusion, equality and dignity of all persons, including : more than 93 million children worldwide under the age of 14 who are living with a moderate to severe disability – as many as 1 in 20 children UNICEF, The State of the World's Children 2013: Children with Disabilities, May 2013, p. 3. For more information visit: 7

Effective advocacy: One treaty at a time! As advocates, we recognize that the process forward with the Senate is for one treaty at a time. This means advocates and allies must take up the CRPD separately! Last December, the CRPD lost by only 5 Senate votes. Let’s make 2013 the year that we take action for children with disabilities, in the US and all over the world, and push forward the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities! 8

CRPD Hearing in the US Senate November 5 th !!! WE NEED YOUR HELP! Now is the time to have our voices be heard! Chairman Menendez has scheduled the first of two Hearings on the CRPD on Nov 5 th ! A new citizen action portal has been launched for you to reach your Senator with the calls, letters, s, petitions and social media we need Go to: From the USICD 9

The Rights of Children with Disabilities The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities includes articles on the rights of children with disabilities. The CRPD and the CRC together promotes great progress for children, their families and communities. 10

CRC Article 23: Children with Disabilities Children with disabilities are entitled to a life in conditions which enable them to become independent and participate actively in their community. They are entitled to special care which should be free of charge, wherever possible, and which ensures access to education, training, healthcare, rehabilitation, and preparation for employment and recreation. These services should be provided in a way which enables the child to achieve the fullest possible integration and development. States should also promote international co-operation to enable developing countries to improve their capacities and experience. 11

CRPD Article 7: Children with Disabilities States Parties shall take all necessary measures to ensure the full enjoyment by children with disabilities of all human rights and fundamental freedoms on an equal basis with other children. In all actions concerning children with disabilities, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration. States Parties shall ensure that children with disabilities have the right to express their views freely on all matters affecting them, their views being given due weight in accordance with their age and maturity, on an equal basis with other children, and to be provided with disability and age-appropriate assistance to realize that right. 12

CRPD builds on CRC Article 23 The CRPD promotes social inclusion and independence of people with disabilities, including children with disabilities: Article 3 – establishes a general principle that people, including children with disabilities, have the right to full and effective participation and inclusion in society Article 9 – requires physical environment, transport, information and communications to be made accessible to people with disabilities Article 19 – promotes the right to live in the community, and to access to community-based services and facilities to support their community living 13

CRPD Article 24: Education Promotes inclusive education Outlines supports and reasonable measures needed to ensure children with disabilities have access to free primary and secondary education on an equal basis with other children in their community 14

CRPD Article 26: Early Intervention Provides comprehensive habilitation and rehabilitation services which begin at the earliest possible age Supports participation and inclusion in the community and all aspects of society 15

CRPD Article 28: Adequate Standard of Living States the right of people, including children, with disabilities to an adequate standard of living including: – Food – Clothing – Housing – Living conditions 16

CRPD Article 30: Right to Play Affirms that children with disabilities have equal access with other children to play, recreation and leisure Ensures both mainstream and disability- specific sporting activities, including in the school system 17

Why Support the CRPD The CRPD commits governments to respect the rights of people with disabilities; provides a framework for guaranteeing those rights; and gives tools to help to include persons and children with disabilities in decision-making processes. 18

The Committee on the Rights of the Child has noted that: Children with disabilities are disproportionately likely to: Live in poverty Experience violence or sexual abuse Suffer child protection violations, including removal from their families and forced institutionalization 19

The Committee on the Rights of the Child has further noted that: Children with disabilities are disproportionately likely to: Suffer higher infant and young child mortality rates, particularly in developing countries Experience discrimination in relation to life saving treatments, to health care, to child care services and education Be denied access to justice, because they are not considered credible witnesses 20

How the CRPD helps children 500 schools in Iraq have made changes to ensure access to education for children with disabilities Rwanda is promoting inclusion of children with disabilities in mainstream school settings In South Sudan, children marked the 2012 Day of the African Child by calling for the rights and inclusion of children with disabilities See UNICEF’s full story online at 21

Children and young people with disabilities as agents of change: Groups of young people with disabilities from 18 countries have been actively promoting the CRPD through an effort called the Young Voices: Sri Lanka signed the CRPD after Young Voices members met with their Prime Minister; the Young voices members are now advocating for ratification and implementation In Swaziland, group members are using theater to let the community and others know about various articles and provisions of the CRPD Young Voices members have been conducting disability equality training for government officials in Malaysia, and have been advocating for increasing the accessibility of public buildings, especially educational institutions The Young Voices is an initiative of the Leonard Cheshire Disability Global Alliance; story posted on CRIN (1081) May

Child-friendly version of CRPD 'It’s About Ability: An explanation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities’ is available online: Published by UNICEF and the Victor Pineda Foundation. 23

How you can support the CRPD for Universal Children’s Day 2013 Be informed! Learn more about the CRPD at disabilitytreaty.org Sign up for the USICD listserv (see website above) 24

Take action Tell your Senators to ratify the CRPD! Send a message to your Senator online at: cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=227 cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=227 Remember elections for some of your Senators are coming up in 2014! 25

Celebrate Universal Children’s Day Use the 2013 Universal Children’s Day toolkit to mark Wednesday November 20 th Plan actions, events and briefings Highlight themes on inclusion and fairness that benefit all children 26

“Nothing about us without us!” Involve children and youth with disabilities in planning events and activities Partner with advocacy groups on the rights of children with disabilities, faith based organizations, and civil rights groups to highlight key issues in education, health and child protection 27

Keep it up Plan advocacy activities and events to span from November 20 th Universal Children’s Day through December 3 rd International Day of Persons with Disabilities 28

Highlight local issues Support policies and programs that help families of children with disabilities afford quality health care, education, therapeutic services and care needs. Raise awareness of screenings and assessments available for early identification of special needs. Advocate for better data to be collected on children with disabilities. 29

Share information Spread the word using: Websites Listservs Newsletters Social media (Facebook, Twitter) 30

Keep us posted Share your successes with the U.S. Campaign for Ratification of the CRC! 31