Speech by Ambassador Hjálmar W. Hannesson, Vice President of the General Assembly
Speech by Ambassador Hjálmar W. Hannesson, Vice President of the General Assembly, on behalf of H.E. Mr. Srgjan Kerim, President of the United nations General Assembly
Mr. Secretary-General,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As one of the Vice Presidents of the General Assembly I have the honour to deliver President Kerim´s speech in his absence:
"It gives me great pleasure to address this important event by which we are marking the entry into force of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
On December 13th, 2006, a major step towards the protection and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all was made. This was when the General Assembly adopted by consensus the landmark Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. All Member States have committed to promoting and protecting the human rights, freedoms and dignity of all persons with disabilities.
For far too long, the international community has been overlooking the unacceptable fact that persons with disabilities live at the margins of too many societies in all parts of the world. An estimated 650 million people live with disabilities and suffer disproportionately from social exclusion and discrimination. The Convention is our response to the need to make the rights of persons with disabilities real, concrete, and incontrovertible.
The entry into force of the Convention on May 3rd is therefore an important step and encouraging signal for persons living with disabilities in the world. On the one hand it is a fitting way to honor the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, while on the other hand it should make us think through and visit our conscience as to why it took 60 years for us to agree on something that is actually part and parcel of basic human rights.
I sincerely hope that this ambiguity, especially in this anniversary year, will trigger swift and unambiguous implementation of our commitments enshrined in the Convention.
The Convention is a step forward in making development and social progress benefit all people. It is an expression of an increasing awareness of how much we depend on each other to solve our common problems. The challenges we face, such as climate change or the global food crisis, affect us all. In dealing with our common problems we need the common effort from all members of society. The Convention is not only an acknowledgement of this fact but it is also designed to enable and facilitate this common effort. The engagement of people with disabilities in those efforts should serve as a major source of inspiration for all of us.
The inherent dignity of persons with disabilities is reaffirmed through participatory processes that allow them to make decisions with a free and informed consent. The treaty itself was negotiated with the active participation of NGOs and of persons with disabilities; they have been deeply involved throughout the process. As a result, the Convention takes into account the specific needs of the disabled, providing measures that allow their equal participation in all aspects of life. It addresses issues from accessibility and inclusion to participation and non-discrimination.
So far the Convention has been signed by two thirds of all Member States of the General Assembly, and ratified by 25. These numbers in themselves show a clear commitment to the principles of human rights, dignity and equality of access to opportunity for disabled persons.
The entry into force of this Convention thus provides great momentum for the implementation of global standards for the rights of persons with disabilities. I hope this momentum pushes the process toward the full implementation of the Convention by all Member States. This is a realizable goal, and I urge all States to make every effort in this regard.
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is a key measure of our civilization. The rights and opportunities that people with disabilities are able to enjoy reflect directly on our common humanity".
I thank you.
