Reaffirming its commitment to human rights, and in particular concerning the most vulnerable segments of society, the Peruvian government today ratified the Inter-American Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities.

            Peru's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Manuel Rodríguez Cuadros, deposited the instruments of ratification with Organization of American States (OAS) Assistant Secretary General Luigi Einaudi.  He explained that by ratifying the convention, adopted in June 1999 at the OAS General Assembly session in Guatemala City, Peru was "formally expressing its human rights policy to protect persons with disabilities as well as all vulnerable groups in society." 

            According to the Peruvian vice-minister, being a disabled person in a developing country is a much more sensitive issue than in a developed country.  "I believe that the problems posed by social structures means disabled people in Latin America tend to be at the same time both disabled and poor, and as a result suffer a double discrimination." 

            "I am very pleased that Peru could take part in this process and thereby reaffirm its commitment to the inter-American system," declared the Assistant Secretary General. He stated as well that "we have almost secured the number of ratifications needed to put together a special follow-up committee to ensure that the provisions of this Convention do not get lost, but, rather, are implemented and invoked." 

The inter-American treaty to outlaw discrimination against the disabled will enter into force next September 14.    Including Peru, a total of seven countries have now ratified: Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama and Uruguay.   

The convention seeks to prevent and eliminate all forms of discrimination against persons with disabilities while creating conditions that are conducive to incorporate them fully into society through legislative, social, educational, labor or other means. A Committee is expected to be set up—within 90 days of the tenth member state ratifying—to evaluate how the commitments adopted under the treaty are being implemented. 

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