A/RES/56/115 Reaffirming the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and summits and their respective follow-up reviews, Noting with appreciation the assessment by the Secretary-General of the implementation of the outcomes of major United Nations conferences and summits to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities, ensuring their full participation and equality, as well as the measures undertaken by the United Nations system aimed at preventing disabling conditions, 5 Noting the invitation made to the General Assembly by the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, held at Durban, South Africa, from 31 August to 8 September 2001, to consider elaborating an integral and comprehensive international convention to protect and promote the rights and dignity of disabled people, including, in particular, provisions that address the discriminatory practices and treatment affecting them, Acknowledging the important role of non-governmental organizations in the promotion and protection of the human rights of persons with disabilities, and noting in this regard their work in promoting the elaboration of an international convention on the rights of disabled persons, Noting with appreciation the valuable work of the United Nations Voluntary Fund on Disability in supporting the building of national capacities to promote the Standard Rules in order to create opportunities for sustainable livelihoods by, for and with persons with disabilities, Noting with appreciation also the important contributions of subregional, regional and international seminars and conferences related to persons with disabilities, Mindful of the need to adopt and implement effective policies and strategies to promote the rights and the full and effective participation of persons with disabilities in economic, social, cultural and political life, on the basis of equality, to achieve a society for all, Welcoming initiatives to hold international conferences relating to persons with disabilities, including the Sixth World Assembly of Disabled Peoples’ International, to be held in Japan in 2002, Concerned that improvement of awareness of and sensitivity to disability issues and respect for the human rights of disabled persons has not been significant enough to improve the quality of life of persons with disabilities worldwide, Expressing grave concern that situations of armed conflict continue to have especially devastating consequences for the human rights of persons with disabilities, Recognizing the importance of timely and reliable data on disability-sensitive topics, programme planning and evaluation and the need for further development of practical statistical methodology for the collection and compilation of data on populations with disabilities, Reiterating that technology, in particular information and communications technology, provides new possibilities for improving accessibility and employment for persons with disabilities and for facilitating their full and effective participation _______________ 5 2 See A/56/169 and Corr.1, paras. 25 and 26.