UNCRPD Expert Seminar
Programme
10.30am
Welcome
Paul Noonan, Equality Commission for Northern Ireland
10.35am Developing the List of Issues
Paul Noonan
10.45am Current shortfalls in public policies and programmes
QUB research team
11.30am Break
11.45am Breakout groups
12.15pm Feedback on Research
QUB Research Team
12.30pm Feedback on List of Issues
Paul Noonan
12.45pm Lunch
1.30pm
How to best influence the UNCRPD Committee
Tony O’Reilly, Equality Commission for Northern Ireland
Colin Caughey, Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission
2.30pm
Optional group discussion on UNCRPD reporting:
The room has been booked for an additional hour for those who
wish to stay and discuss UNCRPD reporting.
3.30pm
Close
Developing IMNI’s list of Issues
• IMNI policy development work and
consultation responses
• Our engagement with the Disability Sector
• Disability Action research for IMNI 2010
• QUB research team update of 2010 research
• Your views
IMNI’s provisional list of Issues
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Awareness raising (Art. 8)
Participation in political and public life (Art. 29)
Reliable data and statistics (Art. 31)and access to information
(Arts. 9 and 21)
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Legal reform (Art. 5: Equality and non-discrimination)
Mental capacity and mental health legislation (Art. 12: Equal
participation before the law)
Special Educational Needs reform (Art. 24: Education)
Access to Healthcare/NHS Reform (Art. 25: Health)
Welfare Reform (Art. 28: Adequate standard of living and social
protection)
Feedback on Research
Feedback on the list of issues
How to best influence the
United Nations Committee on
the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities
Colin Caughey
Tony O’Reilly
Presentation
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Background
State Report
Alternative Report (IM & DPO)
Submission
List of Issues
Examination
Introduction to UNCRPD
What is different about the UNCRPD?
• Rights Holders
• Participation & Involvement
• Independent Living
• Recognition of legal capacity
• Who are the Committee?
Key Stages of Examination Process
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(Now) Preparatory Work – Reporter
(15 July 2014) Submission of Alternative Reports
(October 2014) Pre-Session Task Force – Adopt List of
Issues
(October 2014 – April 2015) State & National Human
Rights Institutions/ DPO’s/ NGO’s Response to List of
Issues
(April 2015) Formal Examination – Dialogue with the
State & National Human Rights
Institutions/DPO’s/NGO’s
(May 2015) Publication of Concluding Observations
(May 2015 onwards) Follow up
Content of State Report
1. Review of measures/actions taken to fulfil CRPD
obligations.
2. Sets out laws, policies and practices that currently
exists.
3. Identifies problems, challenges and shortcomings.
4. Sets out plans aims and objectives to progress
further the implementation of the Convention
including how Government is resolving problems,
challenges and shortcomings identified in its
report.
Alternative Report
• Response to and informed by state report.
• Follow CRPD Treaty Guidelines
• DPO representatives’ report should generally
follow the same form and content as the state
report.
• Identify the current situation – Article specific.
• Make recommendations/questions for Committee
to consider
General Guidance for Alternative Reports
• Be clear, concise, accurate and objective –
identify relevant article/s.
• Provide a short explanation where laws,
policies and practices are specific to
Northern Ireland
• Focus can be one or more articles – no
requirement to take account of all
General Guidance for Alternative Reports
(cont’d)
Make key recommendations to improve or resolve
the situation linked to specific articles:
• Only one action per recommendation (prioritise)
• Identify those responsible e.g. NI Exec, Govt. Dept
• Make recommendations measurable if possible
• Propose a time frame for implementation
• Avoid vague or general recommendations
• Identify targeted questions
General Guidance for Alternative Reports
(cont’d)
When identifying your concerns/issues,
provide supporting evidence:
• Research
• Case law
• Statistics
• Personal experience
*Remember “less is more”
Cross-cutting Articles
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women (Art 6)
children and young people (Art 7)
awareness raising (Art 8)
accessibility (Art 9)
• Link to subject specific articles e.g.
Education (Art 24), Employment (Art 27)
Timing of Submission
• Submit report – list of issues/alternative
report - as early as possible.
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Timing of submission should take account of
any informal or local arrangements agreed
with Disabled Persons Organisations
(DPOs)/Alliances/NGOs
• Co-ordinate with relevant organisations
List of Issues
• A pre-session working group will develop a
‘List of Issues’ – a series of questions for the
State Party
• NHRIs/DPOS/NGOs can make submissions
to CRPD Committee to Influence Selection of
issues
• On publication you may wish to clarify a point
with the Committee or to make a further
submission
Examination
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Geneva
DPOs/NGOs have an opportunity to brief
the Committee formally or informally
• The independent mechanism will also be
present to brief the Committee
• Publication of concluding observations
• Follow up
Next Steps
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May 2014: IMNI views on LOI available to sector
15 July 2014: Submission of Alternative Reports by
DPOs
15 August 2014: Submission of UKIM report
October 2014:Pre-Session Task Force – Adopt List of
Issues
October 2014 - April 2015: State & National Human
Rights Institutions/ DPO’s/ NGO’s Response to List of
Issues
Next Steps (cont.)
• April 2015: Formal Examination –
Dialogue with the State & National Human
Rights Institutions/DPO’s/NGO’s
• May 2015: Publication of Concluding
Observations
• May 2015 onwards: Follow up