Convention of 13 December 2006 on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Result of the consultation procedure and proposal for adoption
Bern, 19.12.2012 - The Swiss Federal Council has today approved the report on the consultation procedure and, subject to approval by the Federal Assembly, decided to ratify the Convention of 13 December 2006 on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
The Convention is an important international treaty which concretises the existing international human rights guarantees for the living circumstances of persons with disabilities. The Convention is one of the core conventions on the protection of human rights of the United Nations and a pillar of universal human rights protection. It has gained worldwide recognition and, since it was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 13 December 2006, has so far been ratified by 126 States (incl. the EU) and signed by 155 States.
The aim of the Convention is the full enjoyment of fundamental human rights by persons with disabilities and their active participation in political, economic, social and cultural life, together with the promotion of respect for their inherent dignity. The Convention prohibits any discrimination of persons with disabilities in all areas of life and aims to promote their equality of opportunity. It does not establish any special rights, but rather concretises the universal human rights from the perspective of persons with disabilities and against the background of their specific circumstances.
The Convention is a clear commitment to the equality of persons with disabilities and their integration into society. Accession to the Convention thus represents a logical step towards actively promoting the equality and integration of persons with disabilities and concretising the legal framework already in existence in Switzerland and facilitating its implementation.
In a decision taken on 17 December 2010, the Swiss Federal Council authorised the FDFA to carry out the consultation procedure, which lasted until 15 April 2011. In total, 85 submissions were received. It emerged that the vast majority of participants in the consultation procedure welcomed the Federal Council's intention to ratify the Convention.
For further information:
Jean-Marc Crevoisier
Head of FDFA Information
+41 (0)79 763 84 10
Address for enquiries
Information FDFA
+41 (31) 322 31 53
Publisher
The Federal Council
https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start.html
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home.html
