United Nations Committee heard Armenian organizations
16:36, September 8, 2016 | News, Other news
The UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities had a closed briefing with Armenian organizations. The working group of the Committee heard the concerns and proposals of disability organizations.
Note that the RA Government ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2010, and in 2017 the Committee will consider the Government’s 1st report on its observance. By then, the NGOs mapped out and sent to the Committee a list of issues addressing questions to the Government of the Republic of Armenia. Along with the disability organizations, such lists were also submitted by Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor and the RA Human Rights Defender’s Office.
The closed briefing of September 5 aimed to open another opportunity to talk about the problems of the civil society members to finalize the list of issues and submit it to the Government.
At the briefing, Armenia was represented by Zaruhi Batoyan (‘National Disability Advocacy Coalition’ ULE), Karine Grigoryan (‘Agat’ NGO), Susanna Tadevosyan (‘Bridge of Hope’ NGO), Ani Asatryan (‘Unison’ NGO), Mushegh Hovsepyan (‘Disability Info’ NGO) Marietta Temuryan and Vardine Grigoryan (Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor) and Tatevik Khachatryan (HRD Office).
The participants raised the issues related to women and children with disabilities, education and employment, discrimination against persons with psychosocial disabilities, accessibility and domestic observance of the Convention. The participants also talked about the legislative gaps and various government decrees containing discrimination against persons with disabilities in various areas. After 20-minute presentations, the Committee members addressed questions to NGO representatives. Those questions mostly concerned deinstitutionalization, elimination of poverty among children, accessibility and the social and political participation of persons with disabilities.
This process was launched by the International Union of Persons with Disabilities. The Union experts arrived in Armenia in July to build the capacities of the disability organizations.
In November 2016, 2 months after the Committee submits the list of issues, the RA Government will respond to the questions.