NHRIs and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

NHRIs and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Recent developments and way forward Rebecca Hilsenrath, Chief Legal Officer, Equality and Human Rights Commission (Great Britain)

EHRC - Britain’s independent national monitoring mechanism • Designated as the article 33. 2 Independent Mechanism to ‘promote, protect and monitor’ implementation of the UNCRPD in Great Britain • Works separately and together with UK Independent Mechanism (UKIM) partners • Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and Scottish Human Rights Commission

EHRC – Our Work on UNCRPD Promotion - ‘UNCRPD - What does it mean for you? A guide for disabled people and disabled people’s organisations’ Protection - Using regulatory powers: legal cases and interventions; formal inquiries into deaths in custody of adults with mental health conditions, disabilityrelated harassment, home care of older people Monitoring - List of Issues report: Interim assessment published December 14

Involvement of Disabled People and their Organisations • Awareness raising and capacity building • Events across GB and on-line seminars • Call for evidence - involving disabled people and disabled people’s organisations in List of Issues report • ‘Harder to reach’ groups

ENNHRI’s CRPD Working Group • European Network of NHRIs set up CRPD Working Group in 2010 - chaired by the EHRC • Members: NHRIs appointed, or expected to be appointed, as article 33. 2 Independent Mechanisms • Observers: Equinet-National Equality Bodies, EU Agency for Fundamental Rights, European Disability Forum, European Ombudsman, OHCHR-Europe

ENNHRI CRPD Working Group - Aims • Point of contact on disability rights among NHRIs in Europe • Develop and promote good practice guidance on the role and actions of NHRIs in promoting, protecting and monitoring implementation of the UNCRPD within Europe and internationally • Promote ratification and implementation of the UNCRPD throughout Europe and by the European Union • Influence the interpretation of the Convention by the CRPD Committee and by the European Court of Human Rights and Court of Justice of the European Union • Promote and support the use of the Optional Protocol

Inaugural meeting between NHRIs and the CRPD Committee – Way forward (1) • CRPD WG proposals for guidelines on NHRI participation in the work of the Committee: Participation at all stages of the Committee’s work Independent speaking rights Greater use of remote participation Clarify NHRIs’ role under the simplified reporting procedure • Endorse A status NHRIs as ‘best practice’ model IM • •

Inaugural meeting between NHRIs and the CRPD Committee – Way forward (2) • Priorities for future cooperation and dialogue with the CRPD Committee • Role of States Parties to resource NHRIs appointed as IM • Developing core indicators; data and statistics • Capacity building role of the CRPD Committee • Involvement of Disabled People’s Organisations • General comment on article 33 • Collective action incl. via proposed ICC working group on disability

Thank you for your attention. Contacts: Rebecca Hilsenrath, Chief Legal Officer, Rebecca. Hilsenrath@equalityhumanrights. com For more information about the ENNHRI CRPD Working Group, please contact the chair of the Group: Sara. Brunet@equalityhumanrights. com

Selected Resources EHRC website resources on UNCRPD http: //www. equalityhumanrights. com/about-us/our-work/human-rights/international-framework/un-convention-rights-personsdisabilities Monitoring implementation of the UNCRPD: The UK Independent Mechanism list of issues interim report http: //www. equalityhumanrights. com/about-us/our-work/human-rights/international-framework/un-convention-rights-personsdisabilities/monitoring-implementation-uncrpd Webpages of the ENNHRI CRPD WG (see also ENNHRI website) http: //www. equalityhumanrights. com/about-us/our-work/human-rights/international-framework/un-convention-rights-personsdisabilities/european-network-national-human-rights-institutions Preventing Deaths in Detention of Adults with Mental Heath Conditions – an EHRC Inquiry http: //www. equalityhumanrights. com/legal-and-policy/our-legal-work/inquiries-and-assessments/preventing-deaths-detention-adultsmental-health-conditions Inquiry into Disability-related Harassment http: //www. equalityhumanrights. com/legal-and-policy/our-legal-work/inquiries-and-assessments/inquiry-disability-relatedharassment Inquiry into Home Care of Older People http: //www. equalityhumanrights. com/legal-and-policy/our-legal-work/inquiries-and-assessments/inquiry-home-care-older-people