United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) is an international human rights treaty, which exists to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all disabled persons. Ireland ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in March 2018 and is developing policies and strategies to ensure full implementation of the Convention.
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) is a multilateral treaty that commits States Parties to respect the civil and political rights of individuals, including the right to life, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, electoral rights and rights to due process and a fair trial.
It was adopted by United National General Assembly Resolution 2200A (XXI) on 16 December 1966 and entered into force on 23 March 1976. As of September 2019, the Covenant has 173 parties. Ireland ratified the ICCPR in December 1989.
Compliance with the ICCPR is monitored by the United Nations Human Rights Committee, which reviews regular reports of States Parties on how the rights are being implemented.
The ICCPR does not specify any particular rights for persons with disabilities, but note in the Preamble the inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of ‘all members of the human family’.
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) is a multilateral treaty that commits its States Parties to work toward the granting of economic, social, and cultural rights to all individuals.
These rights include labour rights, the right to health, the right to education, the right to family life, the right to participation in cultural life and the right to an adequate standard of living. As of July 2020, the Covenant has 171 parties. Ireland ratified the ICESCR in December 1989.
The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights monitors the compliance of States Parties with the Covenant.
The ICESCR does not specify any particular rights for persons with disabilities, but note in the Preamble the inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of ‘all members of the human family’.
Other UN Conventions
Other UN Conventions relate to the rights of disabled persons, especially from an intersectional perspective. These include, but are not limited to:
- UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
- Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
- International Convention of the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD)
Ireland has ratified all three of the Conventions outlined above.