AG/RES. 1564 (XXVIII-O/98)

DRAFT INTER-AMERICAN CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

(Resolution adopted at the third plenary session, held on June 2, 1998)

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

HAVING SEEN the report of the Permanent Council on the draft Inter-American Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (AG/doc.3718/98);

CONSIDERING that Article 3, subparagraphs (j) and (l), respectively, of the Charter of the Organization of American States affirms that "social justice and social security are bases of lasting peace" and that "the American States proclaim the fundamental rights of the individual without distinction as to race, nationality, creed, or sex";

CONSIDERING also that the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man proclaims that all human beings are born free and equal, in dignity and in rights, and that the rights and freedoms of every person must be respected without distinction of any kind;

RECALLING that the Additional Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights in the area of Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, or "Protocol of San Salvador," recognizes that "everyone affected by a diminution of his physical or mental capacities is entitled to receive special attention designed to help him achieve the greatest possible development of his personality";

RECALLING also that, in the Declaration of Principles of the Summit of the Americas, the Heads of State and Government, meeting in Miami in 1994, declared that "it is...unacceptable that some segments of our populations are marginalized and do not share fully in the benefits of growth," and stated as a goal "to better meet the needs of the population, especially the needs of women and the most vulnerable groups, including indigenous people, the disabled, children, the aged, and minorities";

BEARING IN MIND that, in resolution AG/RES. 1487 (XXVII-O/97), the General Assembly instructed the Permanent Council to convene a special meeting of the Working Group, with the participation of legal or other experts designated by the member states, to reformulate the draft Inter-American Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities, which was to be submitted to the General Assembly for consideration at its twenty-eighth regular session; and

NOTING that the meeting was held in March 1998, at OAS headquarters, and that significant progress has been made in reformulating the draft Convention,

RESOLVES:

1. To reiterate the firm and unwavering commitment of the Organization of American States to promoting and defending the rights of persons with disabilities in the Hemisphere.

2. To acknowledge the important progress made to date in preparing the draft Inter-American Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities by the working group established for that purpose.

3. To renew its instructions to the Permanent Council to complete at the earliest possible date, taking into account the observations of the member states, the draft Inter-American Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities, for presentation to and consideration by the General Assembly at its twenty-ninth regular session, to be held in Guatemala in 1999.

4. To reiterate the importance of adopting an Inter-American Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities and of making every effort necessary to ensure that this legal instrument is adopted and signed at the aforementioned session of the General Assembly.

5. To instruct the Permanent Council that, in keeping with resources allocated in the program-budget that will be adopted at the special session of the General Assembly held after the twenty-eighth regular session, and with other resources, it convene a special meeting of the Working Group at OAS headquarters, in which legal or other experts designated by member states will participate.

6. To urge member states that have not yet done so to consider signing, ratifying, or acceding to the Protocol of San Salvador, as appropriate, so that it may enter into force as soon as possible.