Thomas Hammarberg, commissioner for human rights at the Council of Europe, encourages the member states of the Organisation to sign the UN Convention for the rights of disabled people and the optional protocol once the documents are open to signature and ratification tomorrow March 30th. "Once enforced, the Convention will fill a gap in the international human rights legislation. The Treaty lays down what the governments have to do to make sure such rights are effectively respected", stated the commissioner. The keywords of the Convention regarding the needs of disabled people are "reasonable housing, access, personal independence and social inclusion". These are principles, which "must be guaranteed by establishing factual rights, for instance the right to take decisions on personal and legal issues, the right to an independent life within society, to health care services and social services at communal facilities, the right to education within the ordinary school system and to equal opportunities at work". The protocol will enable individuals or groups, who have brought every possible national legal action to lodge a petition, to contact the United Nations Committee for the rights of disabled people.
