The rights of persons with disabilities is an important area of work for European National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), both individually and collectively through ENNHRI. Persons with disabilities must enjoy all human rights on an equal basis with others. However, they may face multiple barriers and discrimination. They include a lack of access to inclusive education, discrimination when seeking employment, and being subjected to violence and abuse.

Many European NHRIs have a mandate to promote, protect and monitor the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). When establishing such mechanisms, state parties must take into account the UN Paris Principles.

Even when NHRIs do not have this formal mandate, they make use of their broad human rights mandate to ensure that persons with disabilities can enjoy their rights on an equal basis with others.

European NHRIs’ work in this area can include:

• making recommendations to governments and parliament for reforming legislation and policy affecting persons with disabilities;
• raising awareness and conducting research on the implementation of the rights of persons with disabilities, and reporting to regional and international bodies on the national implementation of the UN CRPD;
• monitoring and reporting on the treatment of persons with disabilities in care institutions; and
• investigating individual complaints.

In addition to all EU Member States, the EU itself is a party to the UN CRPD. To monitor its implementation of the Convention, the EU has designated a Monitoring Framework. The members of this framework comprise the European Parliament; the European Ombudsman; the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights; and the European Disability Forum. These bodies are also observers to our CRPD Working Group. They have worked alongside European NHRIs in the implementation of the UN CRPD both at the EU and national levels. Previously, ENNHRI also participated in the annual CRPD Work Forum on the EU’s CRPD implementation.