UNCRPD Expert Seminar

Programme10.30am Welcome

Paul Noonan, Equality Commission for Northern Ireland

10.35am Developing the List of Issues

Paul Noonan

10.45am Current shortfalls in public policies and programmes

QUB research team

11.30am Break

11.45am Breakout groups

12.15pm Feedback on Research

QUB Research Team

12.30pm Feedback on List of Issues

Paul Noonan

12.45pm Lunch

1.30pm How to best influence the UNCRPD Committee

Tony O’Reilly, Equality Commission for Northern Ireland

Colin Caughey, Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission

2.30pm Optional group discussion on UNCRPD reporting:

The room has been booked for an additional hour for those who wish to stay and discuss UNCRPD reporting.

3.30pm Close

• IMNI policy development work and consultation responses

• Our engagement with the Disability Sector

• Disability Action research for IMNI 2010

• QUB research team update of 2010 research

• Your views

Developing IMNI’s list of Issues

• Awareness raising (Art. 8)• Participation in political and public life (Art. 29)• Reliable data and statistics (Art. 31)and access to information

(Arts. 9 and 21)

+• Legal reform (Art. 5: Equality and non-discrimination)• Mental capacity and mental health legislation (Art. 12: Equal

participation before the law)• Special Educational Needs reform (Art. 24: Education)• Access to Healthcare/NHS Reform (Art. 25: Health)• Welfare Reform (Art. 28: Adequate standard of living and

social protection)

IMNI’s provisional list of Issues

Feedback on Research

Feedback on the list of issues

How to best influence the United Nations Committee on

the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Colin Caughey

Tony O’Reilly

Presentation

• Background • State Report • Alternative Report (IM & DPO)• Submission • List of Issues • Examination

What is different about the UNCRPD?

• Rights Holders

• Participation & Involvement

• Independent Living

• Recognition of legal capacity

• Who are the Committee?

Introduction to UNCRPD

• (Now) Preparatory Work – Reporter• (15 July 2014) Submission of Alternative Reports• (October 2014) Pre-Session Task Force – Adopt List of

Issues• (October 2014 – April 2015) State & National Human

Rights Institutions/ DPO’s/ NGO’s Response to List of Issues

• (April 2015) Formal Examination – Dialogue with the State & National Human Rights Institutions/DPO’s/NGO’s

• (May 2015) Publication of Concluding Observations• (May 2015 onwards) Follow up

Key Stages of Examination Process

1. Review of measures/actions taken to fulfil CRPD obligations.

2. Sets out laws, policies and practices that currently exists.

3. Identifies problems, challenges and shortcomings.4. Sets out plans aims and objectives to progress

further the implementation of the Convention including how Government is resolving problems, challenges and shortcomings identified in its report.

Content of State Report

• Response to and informed by state report. • Follow CRPD Treaty Guidelines• DPO representatives’ report should generally

follow the same form and content as the state report.

• Identify the current situation – Article specific.• Make recommendations/questions for Committee

to consider

Alternative Report

• Be clear, concise, accurate and objective – identify relevant article/s.

• Provide a short explanation where laws, policies and practices are specific to Northern Ireland

• Focus can be one or more articles – no requirement to take account of all

General Guidance for Alternative Reports

Make key recommendations to improve or resolve the situation linked to specific articles:• Only one action per recommendation (prioritise)• Identify those responsible e.g. NI Exec, Govt. Dept• Make recommendations measurable if possible• Propose a time frame for implementation• Avoid vague or general recommendations• Identify targeted questions

General Guidance for Alternative Reports (cont’d)

When identifying your concerns/issues, provide supporting evidence:

• Research• Case law• Statistics• Personal experience

*Remember “less is more”

General Guidance for Alternative Reports (cont’d)

• women (Art 6) • children and young people (Art 7) • awareness raising (Art 8) • accessibility (Art 9)

• Link to subject specific articles e.g.

Education (Art 24), Employment (Art 27)

Cross-cutting Articles

• Submit report – list of issues/alternative report - as early as possible.

• Timing of submission should take account of any informal or local arrangements agreed with Disabled Persons Organisations (DPOs)/Alliances/NGOs

• Co-ordinate with relevant organisations

Timing of Submission

• A pre-session working group will develop a ‘List of Issues’ – a series of questions for the State Party

• NHRIs/DPOS/NGOs can make submissions to CRPD Committee to Influence Selection of issues

• On publication you may wish to clarify a point with the Committee or to make a further submission

List of Issues

• Geneva • DPOs/NGOs have an opportunity to brief

the Committee formally or informally • The independent mechanism will also be

present to brief the Committee • Publication of concluding observations • Follow up

Examination

• May 2014: IMNI views on LOI available to sector• 15 July 2014: Submission of Alternative Reports by

DPOs• 15 August 2014: Submission of UKIM report• October 2014:Pre-Session Task Force – Adopt List of

Issues• October 2014 - April 2015: State & National Human

Rights Institutions/ DPO’s/ NGO’s Response to List of Issues

Next Steps

• April 2015: Formal Examination – Dialogue with the State & National Human Rights Institutions/DPO’s/NGO’s

• May 2015: Publication of Concluding Observations

• May 2015 onwards: Follow up

Next Steps (cont.)