Organization of American States must work to reduce disability related discrimination, says RIADIS
By Luis Fernando Astorga Gatjens, IID (lferag@racsa.co.cr)
Once the eleventh Member State of the Organization of American States deposits the instrument of ratification for the Inter-American on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Convención Interamericana para la Eliminación de Todas las Formas de Discriminación contra las Personas con Discapacidad), this international body must appoint a Special Committee Against Discrimination.
As the Report on the Situation of Persons with Disabilities (Informe sobre la situación de las personas con discapacidad), prepared by the First Conference to Constitute the Ibero-American Network of Non Govermental Organizations of Persons with Disabilities and Their Families (I Conferencia Constitutiva de la Red Iberoamericana de Organizaciones No Gubernamentales de Personas con Discapacidad y sus Familias, RIADIS), indicated last October, in Caracas: "It is pertinent to call upon the attention of governments with respect to the mechanism that is activated once the eleventh ratification instrument is deposited. This mechanism is the appointment of a Committee for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination by Reasons of Disabilities, pursuant to Section 1 of Article 6. The representatives to this Committee should be appointed by each party state (Art. VI of the Inter-American Convention). Once the eleventh ratification instrument is deposited, this Article VI indicates on Section 2): "The Committee shall hold its first meeting within 90 days..."
The Report of the Ibero-American Network also noted: "Ten countries have already ratified the Convention, which came into force after the sixth ratification instrument was deposited last August 15, 2001
The instruments of ratification were deposited in the following order:
- Costa Rica (February 8, 2000).
- Argentina (January10, 2001).
- Mexico (January 25, 2001).
- Panama (February 16, 2001).
- Uruguay (July 20, 2001).
- Brazil (August 15, 2001).
- Paraguay (August 30, 2001).
- Chile (February 26, 2002).
- El Salvador (March 8, 2002).
- Colombia (June 25, 2002).
The Ibero-American Network (RIADIS ) calls upon the social movement of persons with disabilities in the countries which have not yet ratified this Ibero-American Convention to: "make efforts toward the ratification of this legal instrument of the Organization of American States.
The Report prepared by the Ibero-American Network also indicates: "It is important to comply with the Section 1, Article V of the Ibero-American Convention:
'To the extent that it is consistent with their respective internal laws,
the states parties shall promote participation by representatives of
organizations of persons with disabilities... in the development, execution,
and evaluation of measures and policies to implement this Convention.'
"The Ibero-American Network could become a platform for the associative movement to demand compliance with this Convention. Besides achieving full ratification, we must make efforts so that the representatives appointed be party states will be persons committed with the cause of human rights of persons with disabilities."
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