What is the United Nations on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities? (UNCRPD)
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) is an international human rights treaty. Ireland ratified the UNCRPD in 2018. The Convention promotes Disabled people and Autistic people’s full and equal participation in all aspects of society. It also sets out what countries like Ireland need to do about their laws and policies to make sure that Disabled people and Autistic people can fully and equally exercise their human rights.
How does the UNCRPD affect our community?
The UNCRPD says that Autistic people have full and equal access to human rights, including to live with dignity, to make their own decisions, and have equal access to supports. Under the Convention Governments must ensure their laws and procedures are inclusive to Autistic people and Disabled people by:
- Being actively involved in designing and developing policies affecting them, {}
- Providing information, environments and websites that are accessible, creating an inclusive education in local schools
- Creating accessible employment and social protection systems,
- Establishing environments to support independent living and to be included in the community.
Ireland also ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention in November 2024, which allows Disabled people and Autistic people and their wider communities to fully exercise their rights and to hold the Government to account for breaches to their rights under the Convention.
The roles of DPOs under the UNCRPD
Disabled Persons’ Organisations (DPOs) are organisations led by Disabled people, represent Disabled people and involve Disabled people in their leadership and across their work. Under the UNCRPD, Governments must actively consult DPOs in policymaking, monitoring, and implementing disability rights, including how the UNCRPD becomes national law and policy. DPOs advocate, raise awareness, and make sure that Disabled people’s voices shape the laws, policies and systems that affect their lives.
The work of DPOs in Ireland
DPOs in Ireland campaign for changes to laws and policies which advance the rights of Autistic people and Disabled people, challenge structural barriers that hinder their full inclusion, and support Autistic people and Disabled people’s inclusion in all aspects of society. DPOs believe that Disabled people and Autistic people are disabled by barriers across society, and they work to address these barriers through peer advocacy, developing policies, writing submissions, and educating the public on issues and barriers affecting their community. DPOs can influence Government policy, oversee how Ireland puts the UNCRPD into national law and policy, and monitors whether national laws and policies follow the UNCRPD.
Who are Ireland’s DPOs?
Ireland’s DPOs include:
AsIAm
Independent Living Movement Ireland,
Disabled Women Ireland,
Irish Deaf Society,
National Platform of Self-Advocates,
AsIAm are part of the DPO Network alongside these DPOs, where they collectively advocate on common issues related to the UNCRPD. Other DPOs include Neuro Pride Ireland and Voice of Vision Impairment, and Disabled Artists and Disabled Academics.