{"id":49909,"date":"2018-06-12T12:35:31","date_gmt":"2018-06-12T16:35:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/sustainabledevelopment\/?p=49909"},"modified":"2019-02-10T11:30:04","modified_gmt":"2019-02-10T16:30:04","slug":"un-secretary-general-protecting-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities-a-moral-imperative","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/sustainabledevelopment\/blog\/2018\/06\/un-secretary-general-protecting-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities-a-moral-imperative\/","title":{"rendered":"Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Secretary-General: Protecting the rights of persons with disabilities ‘a moral imperative’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cementing and protecting the rights of around 1.5 billion people around the world in accordance with the\u00a0Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities<\/a>\u00a0is a \u201cmoral imperative\u201d said\u00a0United Nations Secretary-General Ant\u00f3nio Guterres<\/a>\u00a0on Tuesday.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

He was addressing a conference of signatories to the Convention at Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Headquarters in New York, describing it as one of the most widely-ratified international human rights treaties, which reaffirms that people with disabilities are entitled to the same treatment as everybody else.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut signing and ratifying the Convention is not enough. Implementation is essential,\u201d Mr. Guterres said. \u201cSocieties must be organized so that all people, including those with disabilities, can exercise their rights freely.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Secretary-General underscored that countries apply the Convention to their development policies, investments and legal systems, which is an important step \u201cif we are to fulfil the central pledge of the\u00a02030 Agenda<\/a>\u00a0for Sustainable Development: to leave no one behind.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe cannot afford to ignore or marginalize the contributions of 1.5 billion people,\u201d he stated, pointing out that more had to be done for people with disabilities to fully participate in society.<\/p>\n

People with disabilities still often face overt discrimination, stereotyping and lack of respect for their basic human rights \u2013 with women and girls disproportionately affected.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery minute, more than 30 women are seriously injured or disabled during childbirth,\u201d elaborated the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ chief.<\/p>\n

Moreover, women and girls with disabilities face multiple barriers to accessing education, health services and jobs.<\/p>\n

\u201cWithout women\u2019s empowerment and gender equality, millions of women will continue to suffer from double discrimination based on both their gender and their disability,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

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