Promoting the Rights of Children with Disabilities, UNICEF

“Universal design” means the design of products,environments, programmes and services to beusable by all people, to the greatest extent possible,without the need for adaptation or specialized design.“Universal design” shall not exclude assistivedevices for particular groups of persons withdisabilities where this is needed.Article 3General principlesThe principles of the present Convention shall be:(a) Respect for inherent dignity, individual autonomyincluding the freedom to make one’s own choices,and independence of persons;(b) Non-discrimination;(c) Full and effective participation and inclusion insociety;(d) Respect for difference and acceptance of personswith disabilities as part of human diversity andhumanity;(e) Equality of opportunity;(f) Accessibility;(g) Equality between men and women;(h) Respect for the evolving capacities of childrenwith disabilities and respect for the right of childrenwith disabilities to preserve their identities.Article 4General obligations1. States parties undertake to ensure andpromote the full realization of all human rights andfundamental freedoms for all persons with disabilitieswithout discrimination of any kind on the basis ofdisability. To this end, States parties undertake:(a) To adopt all appropriate legislative, administrativeand other measures for the implementation of therights recognized in the present Convention;(b) To take all appropriate measures, includinglegislation, to modify or abolish existing laws,regulations, customs and practices that constitutediscrimination against persons with disabilities;(c) To take into account the protection and promotionof the human rights of persons with disabilities in allpolicies and programmes;(d) To refrain from engaging in any act or practice thatis inconsistent with the present Convention and toensure that public authorities and institutions act inconformity with the present Convention;(e) To take all appropriate measures to eliminatediscrimination on the basis of disability by anyperson, organization or private enterprise;(f) To undertake or promote research anddevelopment of universally designed goods, services,equipment and facilities, as defined in article 2 ofthe present Convention, which should require theminimum possible adaptation and the least cost tomeet the specific needs of a person with disabilities,to promote their availability and use, and to promoteuniversal design in the development of standards andguidelines;(g) To undertake or promote research anddevelopment of, and to promote the availability anduse of new technologies, including information andcommunications technologies, mobility aids, devicesand assistive technologies, suitable for personswith disabilities, giving priority to technologies at anaffordable cost;(h) To provide accessible information to persons withdisabilities about mobility aids, devices and assistivetechnologies, including new technologies, as wellas other forms of assistance, support services andfacilities;(i) To promote the training of professionals and staffworking with persons with disabilities in the rightsrecognized in this Convention so as to better providethe assistance and services guaranteed by thoserights.2. With regard to economic, social and cultural rights,each State party undertakes to take measures tothe maximum of its available resources and, whereneeded, within the framework of internationalcooperation, with a view to achieving progressivelythe full realization of these rights, without prejudiceto those obligations contained in the presentConvention that are immediately applicable accordingto international law.3. In the development and implementation oflegislation and policies to implement the presentConvention, and in other decision-makingprocesses concerning issues relating to personswith disabilities, States parties shall closely consultwith and actively involve persons with disabilities,including children with disabilities, through theirrepresentative organizations.4. Nothing in the present Convention shall affectany provisions which are more conducive to therealization of the rights of persons with disabilitiesand which may be contained in the law of a Stateparty or international law in force for that State.There shall be no restriction upon or derogation fromany of the human rights and fundamental freedomsrecognized or existing in any State party to thepresent Convention pursuant to law, conventions,53 Promoting the Rights of Children with Disabilities Innocenti Digest No. 13