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COVID-19 and the rights of persons with disabilities: Guidance

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
April 2020

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This guidance aims to:

  • bring awareness of the pandemic’s impact on persons with disabilities and their rights;
  • draw attention to some promising practices already being undertaken around the world;
  • identify key actions for States and other stakeholders;
  • provide resources for further learning about ensuring rights based COVID-19 responses inclusive of persons with disabilities.

Topics are:

1. What is the impact of COVID-19 on the right to health of persons with disabilities

2. What is the impact of COVID-19 on persons with disabilities who are living in institutions

3. What is the impact of COVID-19 on the rights of persons with disabilities to live in the community

4. What is the impact of COVID-19 on work income and livelihood of persons with disabilities

5. What is the impact of COVID-19 on the right to education of persons with disabilities

6. What is the impact of COVID-19 on the right of persons with disabilities to protections from violence

7. What is the impact of COVID-19 on specific population groups in which persons with disabilities are overrepresented

Report of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities (theme: access to rights-based support for persons with disabilities)

DEVANDAS, Catalina
December 2016

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In her report, the Special Rapporteur provides an overview of the activities undertaken in 2016, as well as a thematic study on access to support by persons with disabilities. The study includes guidance for States on how to ensure the provision of different forms of rights-based support and assistance for persons with disabilities, in consultation with them. In preparing the study, the Special Rapporteur convened a regional expert consultation in Addis Ababa in September 2016 and analysed the responses to a questionnaire sent to Member States, national human rights institutions, agencies of the United Nations system, civil society organisations and persons with disabilities and their representative organisations. As at 5 December 2016, she had received 114 responses. 

Right to inclusive education. Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. General comment No. 4 (2016). Article 24

OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONERS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (OHCHR)
September 2016

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"States parties must ensure the realisation of the right of persons with disabilities to education through an inclusive education system at all levels, including pre-schools, primary, secondary and tertiary education, vocational training and lifelong learning, extracurricular and social activities, and for all students, including persons with disabilities, without discrimination and on equal terms with others". "The right to inclusive education encompasses a transformation in culture, policy and practice in all formal and informal educational environments to accommodate the differing requirements and identities of individual students, together with a commitment to remove the barriers that impede that possibility". The difference between exclusion, segregation, integration and inclusion is highlighted. Core features of inclusive education are set out. These general comments take the form of an introduction, normative content, states parties’ obligations, relations with other provisions of the Convention and implementation at national level." 

Human rights training : a manual on human rights training methodology

UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES (UNHCR)

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The purpose of this resource is to provide training for professionals working in the field of human rights. It offers a range of techniques tailored to the specific needs of a given group. The tools include: collegial presentations; training the trainers; interactive pedagogical techniques; audience specificity; and competency-based techniques. This resource would be useful for anyone with an interest in programme development and human rights legislation

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