EU Disability Law and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Seminar series in the framework of the European Commission's REC Programme (2014-2020)
ERA will continue organising in 2019 a series of seminars for legal an policy practitioners on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, in the framework of the European Union’s Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme 2014-2020 (REC), on behalf of the European Commission and with the support of the European Consortium of Foundations on Human Rights and Disability (EFC) and the European Disability Forum (EDF).
The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) is an important legal tool for promoting the human rights of people with disabilities. The Convention elaborates and clarifies existing obligations, providing within a single text the accepted global legal standards on disability rights. It recognises that equality, dignity, autonomy, independence, accessibility and inclusion are key to ensuring that people with disabilities are able to enjoy the same human rights across the world. In doing so, certain paradigm shifts are introduced changing the status of people with disabilities in international human rights law.
The seminars will offer participants the opportunity to understand specific topics and concepts contained in the UNCRPD and will look into the European legal framework on matters governed by it. The correct implementation of the disability provisions in those legal acts in line with the UNCRPD is instrumental for persons with disabilities to enjoy their rights and participate in society on an equal basis with others.
The series consists of six events specifically addressing the training needs of three target groups: members of the judiciary (judges, prosecutors and other judicial staff), legal practitioners (lawyers, as well as NGOs and academics with a legal background), and policy practitioners (national civil servants and NGOs working on policy issues).
Participation is open to all EU Member States and the countries which participate in the REC programme.
UNCRPD seminar 26 - 27 September 2016: video presentations
UNCRPD seminar 13 - 14 November 2017: video presentations
UNCRPD seminar 17 - 18 September 2018: video presentations
This series of seminars has received financial support from the European Union's Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme 2014-2020 (REC). For further information please click 
