UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities in Brussels

UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities in Brussels

Gerard Quinn, the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities, was in Brussels on an official visit to the EU from 21 to 31 March 2022. The aim of the visit was to see the concrete steps taken by the EU to address disability rights in its laws and policies and implement the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The Special Rapporteur met with high-level representatives from EU institutions, as well as with experts from organisations representing people with disabilities. He praised the EU’s broad body of legislation on accessibility, as well as the EU Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 and the several funding initiatives addressing disability such as the European Social Fund Plus. Mr. Quinn stated that the EU can become a global leader in this field of action, however he stressed the need to ensure that EU funds are used in accordance with the CRPD and do not promote discrimination of people with disabilities. A detailed report about the visit will be presented at the session of the UN Human Rights Council in March 2023.

>> Find more information about the visit here.

>> Read more about the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities here.