By — Jaclyn Diaz Jaclyn Diaz Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/twitter-chat-constitutions-around-world-address-fundamental-rights-persons-disabilities Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Twitter Chat: How do constitutions address the fundamental rights of persons with disabilities? World Nov 30, 2016 5:32 PM EDT Next month marks the ten-year anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), a watershed treaty adopted by the United Nations in 2006. Since then, the CRPD has been ratified by more than 168 countries and territories worldwide in an effort to protect the fundamental rights of all persons with disabilities. There are over 1 billion people across the world living with some form of disability — that’s 15 percent of the global population. But a new study shows that, one decade after the milestone human rights treaty was adopted, many nations have significant work to do in fulfilling their commitments to the treaty. The analysis, by the WORLD Policy Analysis Center at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, found that just 24 percent of countries in the world have constitutions that specifically prohibit discrimination or guarantee equal rights for persons living with a disability. The report, to be released on Friday, takes a far-reaching look at global efforts to enact constitutional provisions based on education, employment, healthcare and overall equal rights for people living with a disability. At 1 p.m. EST on Friday, December 2, PBS NewsHour will host a Twitter chat to discuss the report, the treaty’s 10th anniversary, and the barriers that remain for protecting the rights of persons with disabilities around the world. Joining us for this discussion will be Dr. Jody Heymann of the WORLD Policy Analysis Center team (@WPolicyCenter), Shantha Rau Barriga of Human Rights Watch (@ShanthaHRW), Jeff Meer of Handicap International (@Jeff_HIUS), and disability rights journalist David M. Perry (@Lollardfish). Join in using the hashtag #NewsHourChats. By — Jaclyn Diaz Jaclyn Diaz
Next month marks the ten-year anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), a watershed treaty adopted by the United Nations in 2006. Since then, the CRPD has been ratified by more than 168 countries and territories worldwide in an effort to protect the fundamental rights of all persons with disabilities. There are over 1 billion people across the world living with some form of disability — that’s 15 percent of the global population. But a new study shows that, one decade after the milestone human rights treaty was adopted, many nations have significant work to do in fulfilling their commitments to the treaty. The analysis, by the WORLD Policy Analysis Center at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, found that just 24 percent of countries in the world have constitutions that specifically prohibit discrimination or guarantee equal rights for persons living with a disability. The report, to be released on Friday, takes a far-reaching look at global efforts to enact constitutional provisions based on education, employment, healthcare and overall equal rights for people living with a disability. At 1 p.m. EST on Friday, December 2, PBS NewsHour will host a Twitter chat to discuss the report, the treaty’s 10th anniversary, and the barriers that remain for protecting the rights of persons with disabilities around the world. Joining us for this discussion will be Dr. Jody Heymann of the WORLD Policy Analysis Center team (@WPolicyCenter), Shantha Rau Barriga of Human Rights Watch (@ShanthaHRW), Jeff Meer of Handicap International (@Jeff_HIUS), and disability rights journalist David M. Perry (@Lollardfish). Join in using the hashtag #NewsHourChats.