The UN Ad Hoc Committee The process to draft a new human rights treaty for people with disabilities

Origins of the Process 19 Dec 2001 Mandate of AHC GA Res 56/168 introduced by Mexico and supporters established the Ad Hoc Committee (AHC) Mandate of AHC "to consider proposals for a comprehensive and integral international convention to promote and protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities, based on the holistic approach in the work done in the fields of social development, human rights and non-discrimination and taking into account the recommendations of the Commission on Human Rights and the Commission for Social Development."

Who is Involved? Guiding principle of the process Who shows up? Full inclusion of all relevant stakeholders Who shows up? UN member states UN observers Relevant UN bodies and organizations Special Rapporteur on Disability National human rights institutions Non-governmental organizations both ECOSOC and AHC accredited Educational process for all!

AHC Sessions 7 sessions total AHC1 29 July – 9 Aug 2002 Discussed rationale for convention & survived attempts to kill the process AHC2 16-27 June 2003 Decision to proceed with drafting convention Discussions over process to proceed Decision to establish Working Group

AHC Sessions contd. Working Group 5-16 January 2004 27 governments 12 NGOs 1 national human rights institution rep Support from OHCHR Discussions led by Coordinator (Amb. MacKay) Produced Working Group Draft Text to form basis of negotiations

AHC Sessions contd. AHC3 24 May – 4 June 2004 Commenced first reading of WG text & decided to delay consideration of: Definitions Monitoring Final Provisions

AHC Sessions contd. AHC4 23 August – 3 September 2004 AHC5 24 January – 4 February 2005 AHC6 1 – 12 August 2005 First meeting with Amb. MacKay as Chair Chair issued “Chair’s Text” in October 2005, synthesizing amendments made to date AHC7 16 January – 3 February 2006 Revised Working Text issued AHC8 will be held 14 – 25 August 2006 Will not read through text but focus on specific issues

Treaty Content & Issues Comprehensive content Issues of contention: Definition of disability How to address sub-population groups Education Legal capacity – especially balancing supported decision-making models with protections against abuse

Treaty Content & Issues contd. Data & statistics Monitoring International cooperation How to address progressive realization & references to international development

Will it ever end?? Some had hoped to complete in September 2005 Potential to finish in 2006/07 But … “Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.”