SFA-AGR-285-08

PHILIPPINES TO MARK ENTRY INTO FORCE

OF THE UN CONVENTION ON DISABILITIES

24 April 2008—Sectoral representatives of persons with disabilities, along with government agencies, are organizing a celebration on 12 May to mark the entry into force of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 

Members of NGOs and the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) led by its Chairperson, Mrs. Rosie Lovely T. Romulo, (3^rd L in photo) met Tuesday at the DFA to plan out activities to commemorate the momentous event.

A massive “unity walk” and program is scheduled in the morning to demonstrate the strong support for the pact by those most affected. The walk is intended to draw attention to the existence of persons who have physical, mental, intellectual, sensory and developmental impairments, in order to create awareness that they have the same rights normally enjoyed and often taken for granted by the non-impaired.

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol were adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2006.  The Philippines became a signatory to the Convention on 25 September 2007 and ratified it on 15 April 2008, thus becoming the 23^rd country to acknowledge the legal obligation to be bound by the provisions of the pact and enact appropriate legislation as needed.

The pact is a major step toward changing the perception of disability and ensures that societies recognize that all people must be provided with the opportunities to live life to its fullest potential, whatever that may be.

The Convention takes effect on 03 May but the local celebration is meant to coincide with the commemorative event on 12 May at the UN Headquarters in New York in the presence of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and other distinguished guests. END

wingret