United Nations Convention on the Right and Dignity of People with Disabilities - Change to Resolution

Jessica Anderson, a representative from the United Nations Convention on the Right and Dignity of People with Disabilities contacted us recently because a change was made in a resolution regarding the right for individuals to sport that eliminates the protection of women and girls. The Women's Sports Foundation has already given our initial support for the efforts that Jessica has underway. Below is a detailed explanation from Jessica of the change and the strategy. We would greatly appreciate if you could join us in signing on the initial support of your organizations. I apologize for the short notice. We would greatly appreciate any support.

Please e-mail me with your response at advocacy@womenssportsfoundation.org

United Nations Women's Caucus Special Hearing, Article 30

Below I have pasted an overview that includes basic history of both the Convention and Article 30, as well as the first of many lobbying steps in the coming weeks. For more information, visit the United Nations website, Enable (http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/), which is devoted to providing public information regarding the development of the Treaty.

United Nations Convention on the Right and Dignity of People with Disabilities
6th Ad Hoc Committee Session

I. The Convention in Brief

The United Nations General Assembly resolution 56/168 of 19 December 2001 established an Ad Hoc Committee "to consider proposals for a comprehensive and integral international Convention to promote and protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities, based on the holistic approach in the work done in the fields of social development, human rights and non-discrimination and taking into account the recommendations of the Commission on Human Rights and the Commission for Social Development."

The resolution invites States, relevant bodies and organizations of the United Nations system, including relevant human rights treaty bodies, the regional commissions, the Special Rapporteur on Disability of the Commission for Social Development, as well as intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations with an interest in the matter to make contributions to the work entrusted to the Ad Hoc Committee, based on the practice of the United Nations.

Because of the scale of the Convention document, and with regard to the diverse human rights of people with disabilities, the United Nations Special Rapporteur has called upon professionals in varying fields to represent the interests of people with disabilities before State Delegations. Northeastern University’s Center for the Study of Sport in Society, Landmine Survivors Network, Right To Play, UNICEF, the IPC, Special Olympics and Deaf Olympics formed an alliance to streamline advocacy and lobbying initiatives for Article 30, Participation in Cultural Life, Recreation, Leisure and Sport.

II. Article 30, Participation in Cultural Life, Recreation, Leisure and Sport

As the Special Representative to the Ad Hoc Committee for Article 30, two of my key responsibilities are to represent the interests of the organizations stated above who participate in the Ad Hoc hearings and ensure that the language of this text appropriately reflects the human rights of special populations, or dual-minority status individuals, i.e. women with disabilities. Of particular concern is women’s right to sport, where frequently, in all countries, at all levels of development, we find polices marginal and frequently completely insufficient.

During our 6th Session it was suggested that the special protections my colleagues and I had designed into the text for women and children in sport, be scaled back to just children. We have now been alerted that this suggestion, with support from a very small number of State Delegations, has passed into the formal revision of Article 30. With the permissions of the United Nations Women’s Caucus Chair, I will proceed with a formal advocacy campaign to State Delegations for the inclusion of women in a newly revised draft. Our next Convention hearing takes place in New York, January 25 2006, where I will present before the U.N. floor of State Delegations our argument for the inclusion of ‘women’ in the text of Article 30.

III. Lobbying Strategy

I am currently seeking non-profits and governmental agencies engaged in advocacy, education and development for women and girls in sport to support our Caucus' efforts to re-insert the specific mention and protection of women into Article 30. With your permission, your organization will be presented before the U.N. Women’s Caucus (7 p.m. EST, 1-13-2006) in a ‘roll-call’ fashion, as one that will support the argument for the extension of special protection for women with disabilities in sport. No further initiatives in your name, including the development and presentation of said argument, will be taken without your consent. Having personally requested this initiative, our Chair is confident that with the proper support we will be successful. It is important to state that this is not strictly a disability issue, but one that will affect women across the world from all walks of life, with varying abilities, and a great love of sport.

More information will become available and organized for you in the coming three days, including a list of organizations giving their initial go-ahead. We will continue to garner the support of organizations up to January 25th 10 a.m. EST. I look forward to answering your questions and thank you for your input.

Best Regards,

Jessica L. Anderson

Special Representative to the Ad Hoc, Article 30
United Nations Convention on Disability
New York, New YorK

WomenSport International
P.O. Box 743
Vashon, WA
USA