PRESS RELEASE Embargoed for: Thursday 25th September 2013 PNG DEPOSITS CRPD INSTRUMENT OF RATIFICATION TO THE UN HQ IN NY Photo opportunity: [TBA] The O’Neil-Dion Government of Papua New Guinea represented by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon Rimbink Pato, MP and Minister for Religion, Youth and Community Development Hon Loujaya Kouza, MP officially deposited the UN CRPD Instrument of Ratification to the UN Legal Council on Thursday 25th September 2013 at the UN Headquarter in New York during the 68th UN General Assembly Session. The Instrument of Ratification was unanimously endorsed by the floor of PNG Parliament early 2012 and the Instrument of Ratification was signed by Minister Pato on 28 August 2013. The depositing of this instrument thereby formally announces to the other UN Member states that it accedes to the convention to promote, and protect the rights of its citizen who are persons with disability. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol was adopted on 13 December 2006 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, and was opened for signature on 30 March 2007. The Convention entered into force on 3 May 2008. This move by the O’Neil-Dion Government takes a bold stance to a new height of movement from viewing persons with disabilities in PNG as "objects" of charity, medical treatment and welfare cases towards viewing persons with disabilities as "subjects" with rights, who are capable of claiming those rights and making decisions for their lives based on their free and informed consent as well as being active members of society. The Depositing of the Instrument of Ratification cements PNG’s signing of the convention on the 2 June 2011. It adopts a broad categorization of persons with disabilities and reaffirms that all persons with all types of disabilities must enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms. It clarifies and qualifies how all categories of rights apply to persons with disabilities and identifies areas where adaptations have to be made for persons with disabilities to effectively exercise their rights and areas where their rights have been violated, and where protection of rights must be reinforced. The O’Neila-Dion Government now acceding to the Convention brings with it a firm stand on citizens, organisations both public and private to begin to factor the needs of persons with disabilities in every aspects of development right from planning to completion. This commitment made by the Government fulfils a journey embarked on by advocates of and for persons with disabilities, non-governmental and faith-based organisations and demonstrates its commitments to ensuring that persons with disabilities have equal rights of access to basic services such as health, education and adequate standard of living. Ends Contact: For further information contact the following persons Convention and processes: Name: H.E Mr Robert G Aisi Tel: 212-6431497 Name: Fred Sarufa Tel: 917-9718442 Permanent Mission of the Independent State of PNG to the UN Telephone 212-557 5001 Fax 212-557 5009 Email [email protected] Substantive Matters on Disability: Department For Community Development & Religion Tel: +675 3010250 Fax: +675 3254270 Email: [email protected]
Posted on: Thu, 26 Sep 2013 17:38:31 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015