A/79/179
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons
with disabilities, Heba Hagrass
Summary
In the present report, submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution
53/14, the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities, Heba Hagrass,
examines how persons with disabilities have been included and consulted in the
review and follow-up processes to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Meaningful participation is a human rights imperative under the Convention on the
Rights of Persons with disabilities. The Sustainable Development Goals could be a
catalyst for the practical implementation of the Convention, yet with six years left
until 2030, progress has been slow and persons with disabilities are being left behind.
Ensuring that their voices are heard is therefore critical to make good on the
commitment to leave no one behind and to design and review policies and measures
that can effectively accelerate the achievement of the 2030 Agenda. Strong and
inclusive review and follow-up processes are further important as discussions that
will shape future international cooperation and the post-2030 Agenda are taking place
in the next years.
The Special Rapporteur identifies different entry points at the national, regional
and international levels for persons with disabilities and their representative
organizations to share their experiences, challenges and barriers to benefit effectively
from sustainable development. Multiple spaces for consultation and participation
exist but are not always accessible and inclusive of persons with disabilities. The
report includes some of the key obstacles to meaningful participation, on the basis of
inputs received from different stakeholders, as well as conclusions and
recommendations on how to overcome existing barriers.
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