Convention Updates Address Rights of People with Disabilities

The UN Preparatory Committee for the draft Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Humanity will convene from January 19-30, 2026. Global Rights Compliance has joined the Initiative for Disability Inclusion in the Convention on Crimes against Humanity, advocating for the inclusion of disability perspectives in the forthcoming Convention.

Persons with disabilities have faced serious international crimes, including targeted killings, torture, sexual violence, enforced disappearance, forced sterilization, and involuntary medical experimentation. These crimes are often not explicitly recognized or prosecuted as crimes against humanity, leading to a lack of visibility for victims and impunity for perpetrators.

Gaps in the Current Draft

The Initiative for Disability Inclusion in the Convention on Crimes against Humanity has identified gaps in the current draft articles. The draft does not explicitly recognize disability as a protected group for the purposes of persecution, nor does it sufficiently integrate disability inclusion throughout the Convention. This contrasts with existing international legal obligations, including the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, international criminal jurisprudence, and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

Policy Recommendations

Global Rights Compliance has endorsed the Initiative’s Policy Brief, which provides legal recommendations to ensure the explicit recognition and meaningful inclusion of persons with disabilities and their rights in the Convention. The recommendations aim to align the Convention with contemporary human rights standards, ensuring equal recognition before the law, protection, access to justice, and accountability for crimes committed against persons with disabilities.

Proposed Safeguards and Accommodations

The Policy Brief recommends incorporating disability-specific provisions alongside age- and gender-appropriate safeguards, procedural protections, and reasonable accommodations. These measures are intended to address the disproportionate impact of serious crimes on persons with disabilities and to ensure justice for all victims of crimes against humanity.

The Policy Brief is available here.