Monitoring and Reporting on the Convention

Making sure the Convention works

Implementing the Convention

For the first time in an international human rights treaty, the Convention requires countries to put a framework in place to promote, protect and monitor its implementation.

ODI is the focal point within the UK government for co-ordinating its implementation. However, it is the responsibility of individual departments to take appropriate action in their policy areas. ODI provides support to policy.

In addition, each of the Devolved Administrations in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland coordinates its own work on the Convention. ODI liaises with each Administration’s team.

The Convention also requires the framework to contain one or more independent monitoring mechanisms. The UKâ€™s existing Equality and Human Rights Commissions have agreed to independently monitor how the UK is implementing the Convention. The Commission’s will also work to raise awareness of the Convention amongst disabled people and others.

The commissions are:

Reporting on the Convention

Every country that has ratified the Convention is required to report to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities about what it has done to implement the Convention. This enables the UN and people in the UK and elsewhere to see how well the UK is doing.

The Committee members are nominated and elected by countries that have ratified the Convention. They serve in their personal capacity as experts on disability issues covered by the Convention. Find out more about the committee on the UN Enable website.

The reports are considered by this Committee who then make suggestions and recommendations to the reporting country.

Countries are required to submit their first report within two years of the Convention coming into force in their country. Countries then have to submit subsequent reports at least every four years.

The UK’s first report is due for submitted to the UN Committee by July 2011. When it is sent to the UN it will be made available on this website.

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