International Monitoring Requirements under the CRPD

In addition to national level monitoring, Article 34 of the CRPD requires monitoring at the international level through the creation of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (hereinafter CRPD Committee). The CRPD Committee, which is comprised of 18 independent experts, meets twice a year in

Geneva and performs the following functions:

• Examination of periodic reports submitted by State parties;
• Drawing up of lists of questions in response to reports submitted by State parties;
• Drafting concluding observations on reports submitted by State parties;
• Formulation of general comments regarding the interpretation and meaning of CRPD provision
• Reviewing of individual communications as set forth in the Optional Protocol to the CRPD; and
• Undertaking of inquiries as set forth in the Optional Protocol to the CRPD.

Although general comments and concluding observations issued by the CRPD Committee are not legally binding, they carry weight and can often lead to changes in law and policy. General comments and concluding observations also provide useful guidance for the interpretation of CRPD provisions. Moreover, they offer an important basis on which NGOs located in a particular country can advocate for human rights implementation.