On the occasion of its 24th session, to be held in virtually from 8 to 26 March 2021, the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will hold a general discussion on the right of persons with disabilities to work and employment. The general discussion is organized by OHCHR.
The purpose of the general discussion is to prepare the elaboration by the Committee of a General Comment on the right of persons with disabilities to work and employment. The aim of the general comment will be to provide guidance to States parties to the Convention on the measures they should adopt to ensure full compliance with their obligations to respect, protect and fulfil the human rights of persons with disabilities with regard to article 27 of the Convention.
Date and Venue
The general discussion will take place online on:
– Monday, 22 March 2021 from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m (GVA time), topic: The Challenges in the implementation of Article 27; and
– Wednesday, 24 March 2021 from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m (GVA time), topic: Best practices and recommendations on the right to work and employment for persons with disabilities.
Participation
The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities invites States parties to the CRPD Convention, United Nations entities and specialized agencies, other United Nations human rights mechanisms, non-governmental organizations, organizations of persons with disabilities, and other interested stakeholders to participate in the general discussion and to provide written submissions.
Written submissions
Written submissions on the theme of the general discussion should be sent electronically in Word format to Ms. Janna Iskakova (email: jiskakova@ohchr.org) and Ms. Margherita Stevoli (email: mstevoli@ohchr.org) indicating «CRPDGeneral discussion on art.27» in the subject and, in the body of the message, whether the submission may be published on the CRPD website on this GeneralComment. Submissions must not exceed 10 pages and must be received by 15 March 2021 at the latest. Written contributions will not be translated and should, therefore, be submitted in English, French or Spanish, which are the working languages of the Committee.
Oral Interventions
During the general discussion, time will be allocated for oral statements. Representatives of States parties to the Convention, United Nations entities and specialized agencies, non-governmental organizations, organizations of persons with disabilities, and other interested stakeholders wishing to make a statement must indicate their intention to do so (indicating the date and the topic of the segment) and must send their statements electronically in Word format to Ms. Janna Iskakova (email: jiskakova@ohchr.org) and Ms. Margherita Stevoli (email: mstevoli@ohchr.org) by 15 March 2021 at the latest. Statements must not exceed 3 minutes. The Committee will try to accommodate all requests for an oral intervention. However, it cannot guarantee that all stakeholders who wish to take the floor will be able to do so due to time constraints and depending upon the number of requests received. The Committee reserves the right to organize the list of speakers at its discretion.
