Questionnaire to Candidates for the
Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Pr Lotfi Ben Lallahom-Tunisia
CRPD-Geneva
QUESTION 1
My experience in my country:
In Tunisia, the medical model was adopted for a long time and it was a great injustice for disabled
people
since the promulgation of the new Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, I worked in
a small group of activist in the field of human rights as well as some disability organizations and we
presented a project to the government with a view to introduce the concept of law for persons with
disabilities to enable them to benefit their social rights and other services to which they are entitled.
The project was accepted and was carried out during three years and was published in the official
journal of Tunisia, the main components of the project are:
• Development of a new system for the recognition of people with disabilities based on the principle of
the international classification of functioning of the WHO
• Recognition of the social needs of people with disabilities as rights and not as charitable object
• Organized several seminars to raise awareness of disability rights in many parts of Tunisia
• Conducting awareness programs on TV
• Conducting a series of programs to Tunisian radio
Internationally, I participated in several international conferences in the East African region and the
Middle East to explain the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and to advocate for
the rights of people with disabilities and as an examples:
LEBANON
*International Congress on disability Organized by Rehabilitation International Arab RegionSeptember 2001
MOROCCO
* developing Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities-RABAT 2005 and 2007
ALGERIA
* Pan Arab Congress on Disability in Algiers- December 2006
Algiers, 2007
THAILAND
*Second International Conference on Disability Mental organized under the auspices of the WHOBangkok-2007KUWAIT
*seminar on the management of children with learning disabilities at the Kuwait, 11-15 May 2008
QATAR
* seminar organized for parliamentarians from Arab countries about the new Convention on the Rights
of Persons with Disabilities
Doha-From 14 to 15 January 2009
*Participation as a member of the UN CRPD in the seminar in Doha
Theme: MEDIA AND DISABILITY- 2012
ZAMBIA
*SUB-REGIONAL SEMINAR ON THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
Presentation of a conference on tasks and functions of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities
ZAMBIA-LUSAKA 30-31
QUESTION 2
I had the opportunity to Tunisia to lead two major national institutions specializing in the rights of
disabled people, in fact I was general manager General of Higher Education specialized Institute for 8
years, and director of a center for disabled people , in my work I had the opportunity to work with the
Tunisian disability organizations and has worked in several projects, I had the opportunity to work
with international NGOs as Handicap International, Braillenet, AWIPH, etc. .. as I worked in a project
with North African Algerian and Moroccan NGOs on the issue of accessibility.
Working with NGOs is a source of success, and exchange of ideas, it helps take in consideration about
the reality of the lives of people with disabilities and helps to reach consensus solutions.
QUESTION 3
I think the challenges facing people with disabilities are many and are all important, but if there are
priorities, I think the issue of accessibility, education, legal capacity and awareness of the population
to my priority as they allow people with disabilities to have a minimum of autonomy and knowledge
that will enable them to defend their rights and to be independent, as decision makers in politics, it is
very important to adopt an inclusive policy.
QUESTION 4
I lived many experiences of people with disabilities around, and I have suffered,
I experienced several cases of children deprived of disabled access to the mainstream school
I experienced several times situation of hardship for people to travel by air
I have experienced situations of deaf people can not express themselves in the affairs of justice due to
lack of sign language translator
QUESTION 5
I held several government senior positions and was able to remain independent in my projects for
people with disabilities through dialogue and conviction
To stay independent I think we will work continuously for advocating the rights of persons with
disabilities and promote maximum contribution of NGOs and people with disabilities themselves in all
decisions that affect them
QUESTION 6
For that matter, it is necessary that all the work of the Special Rapporteur systematically access on
respect for the notion of gender
QUESTION 7
I inform you that I end my term with the CRPD in 2014, and I have submitted my application for the
special rapporteur because I have acquired a little experience with the CRPD for two terms and I think
I have time to work as Special Rapporteur.