1. International Telecommunication Union Geneva, 2 November 2009 Introduction to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill Pechey Rapporteur for Question 26/16 ITU-T Workshop "The impact of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on the work of the ITU-T" Geneva, 2 November 2009

2. International Telecommunication Union ITU-T Workshop on Accessibility Geneva, 2 November 2009 2 The Convention The Convention was adopted in December 2006. It provides rights for disabled people across a wide range of aspects of life. The text is available at: www.un.org/disabilities/ Currently 143 countries have signed the Convention and 71 have ratified it.

3. International Telecommunication Union ITU-T Workshop on Accessibility Geneva, 2 November 2009 3 Important Articles for the Workshop Article 4 – General Obligations. Sets the scene and spells out the principles of equality and non- discrimination. Article 9 – Accessibility. Article 30 - Participation in cultural life, recreation, leisure and sport

4. International Telecommunication Union ITU-T Workshop on Accessibility Geneva, 2 November 2009 4 Extract from a part of Article 9 To enable persons with disabilities to live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life, States Parties shall take appropriate measures to ensure to persons with disabilities access, on an equal basis with others, … to information and communications, including information and communications technologies and systems, … both in urban and in rural areas.

5. International Telecommunication Union ITU-T Workshop on Accessibility Geneva, 2 November 2009 5 Extract from part of Article 30 States Parties recognize the right of persons with disabilities to take part on an equal basis with others in cultural life, and shall take all appropriate measures to ensure that persons with disabilities … enjoy access to television programmes, films, theatre and other cultural activities, in accessible formats.

6. International Telecommunication Union ITU-T Workshop on Accessibility Geneva, 2 November 2009 6 Effect on the Work of ITU-T This workshop will make clear that standards are needed to help with the implementation of the Convention. We must consider the Convention in almost all that we do.