General Obligations under the Convention

Following Article 3 on General Principles, Article 4 of the CRPD sets out General Obligations, clearly defining the specific actions governments must take to ensure that the rights of persons with disabilities are respected, protected, and fulfilled

Actions to be taken by State Parties

  • Adopt legislation and administrative measures to promote the human rights of persons with disabilities.
  • Adopt legislative and other measures to abolish discrimination.
  • Protect and promote the rights of persons with disabilities in all policies and programmes.
  • Stop any practice that breaches the rights of persons with disabilities.
  • Ensure that the public sector respects the rights of persons with disabilities.
  • Ensure that the private sector and individuals respect the rights of persons with disabilities.
  • Undertake research and development of universally-designed goods and services and accessible technology for persons with disabilities and encourage others to undertake such research.
  • Provide accessible information on assistive technology to persons with disabilities.
  • Promote training on the rights of the Convention for professionals and staff who work with persons with disabilities.
  • Consult with and involve persons with disabilities in developing and implementing legislation and policies and in decision-making processes that concern them.

Source: UNDESA, OHCHR, IPU, Handbook for Parliamentarians: From Exclusion to Equality: realizing the rights of persons with disabilities (2007)

Many of the general obligations in the CRPD are common to other human rights conventions. However, the general obligations of State parties with respect to the rights of persons with disabilities include certain unique requirements that are not mentioned in other human rights instruments. These include such things as promoting universal design of goods and services and undertaking research on accessible technologies and assistive technologies. It is crucial to understand these principles as foundational, overarching obligations that are applicable to every other subject within the CRPD.

One objective of this comprehensive article on general obligations is to counteract the historic failure of States to truly understand their obligations to persons with disabilities as fundamental human rights obligations. States have tended to view these responsibilities as representing exceptional treatment or special social measures, not as essential requirements under human rights law. Clearly expressing them as general obligations in the Convention is an important step towards reversing this harmful way of thinking.