Guide for decision makers and civil society organizations to implement Article 19 of the Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities

Persons with disabilities face exclusionary practices on a daily basis that deprive them of or restrict their ability to enjoy and exercise a wide range of civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights, most notably the right to live independently and be included in the community. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has given much consideration to this right in its general principles and detailed provisions, specifically in Article 19, which promotes this right and requires States parties to take corrective action to end institutional and individual practices that impede the exercise of this right on an equal basis with others. 

This guide is intended to provide straightforward information and guidelines to support prompt and effective implementation of Article 19 of the Convention. It does so by reviewing and analysing relevant legal texts and literature as well as examples of best practice from some countries. This guide is primarily aimed at organizations of persons with disabilities and individual activists and seeks to enable them to use the knowledge and practical guidance therein to understand the nature and components of independent living as provided for in the Convention. It also enables them to develop advocacy and awareness-raising tools to ensure the exercise of this right on an equal basis with others, and to work to end restrictive and isolating environments and replace them with inclusive community-based services. This includes the abandonment of institutionalization and the development of alternatives that achieve full community and family inclusion for persons with disabilities. The guide also addresses decision makers by presenting a number of practical policy and procedural guidelines to create a legislative environment that enables the implementation of Article 19 of the Convention.