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Challenges and improvements in the rights of persons with disabilities: A global perspective

Authors

  • María Soledad Cisternas Reyes Presidenta del Comité de los Derechos de las Personas con Discapacidad de Naciones Unidas

Abstract

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Persons with Disabilities is the first human rights treaty of the 21st century, which established the human rights model for this part of the population. The Convention is structured around two main pillars: equality and non discrimination, and diversified rights for this group. This Convention raises a number of legal innovations among which we highlight the accessibility, rehabilitation, the right to independent living, and the right to inclusion in the community, aspects that invite to explore its nature. In addition to these principles, the work of the treaty body, the Committee of Experts of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, will be analyzed. The Committee has competence to examine individual complaints, and has adopted General Comments on critical issues such as equal recognition before the law and accessibility. Finally, this paper studies the link between the human rights of people with disabilities and the Sustainable Development Goals for the Post-2015 Development Agenda, which has predominated the contemporary debate within the United Nations.

Keywords:

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, disability, human rights, treaty bodies, challenges

Author Biography

María Soledad Cisternas Reyes, Presidenta del Comité de los Derechos de las Personas con Discapacidad de Naciones Unidas

Abogada. Licenciada en Derecho con distinción máxima, y Magíster en Ciencia Política. Profesora de Derecho e investigadora. Directora de distintos proyectos, entre los que se incluye capacitación a diversos actores estatales y grupos de la sociedad civil, y autora de diversas publicaciones. Entre los roles que ha desempeñado para las Naciones Unidas se destacan: Presidencia de un órgano de tratado, Relatora para denuncias individuales / Protocolo Facultativo CDPD, experta ante el Comité Ad hoc que elaboró la CDPD, integrante de diversos grupos de trabajo, invitada por UNICEF, UNESCO y OMS en distintas actividades, discurso ante la Asamblea General del High Level Meeting on Disability and Development año 2013, variadas presentaciones públicas, conferencias de prensa, organización de side event, entre otras. Entre los premios recibidos se encuentran: Premio Nacional de Derechos Humanos 2014, Estrella La Esperanza Latinoamericana, Premio por la Igualdad y No Discriminación de México, distinciones de la Cámara de Diputados y del Senado de Chile, y Elena Caffarena en el Día Internacional de la Mujer.