- A report entitled "Monitoring of the Rights of Blind and Partially-Sighted People in Europe: An Analysis of the European Blind Union CRPD Database Article 33: National Implementation and Monitoring" (pdf file) is now available, this comes as a complement to the previous report (below) and it takes into account replies to an updated questionnaire. Some of the older country replies above have been updated to take into account additional information found by the author of the new report, Sarah Woodin. (Oct 2019)
- From 2014, the report summarising most of the replies above, by Philippe Chazal (word document)
1. Convention Text
1. States Parties, in accordance with their system of organization, shall designate one or more focal points within government for matters relating to the implementation of the present Convention, and shall give due consideration to the establishment or designation of a coordination mechanism within government to facilitate related action in different sectors and at different levels.
2. States Parties shall, in accordance with their legal and administrative systems, maintain, strengthen, designate or establish within the State Party, a framework, including one or more independent mechanisms, as appropriate, to promote, protect and monitor implementation of the present Convention. When designating or establishing such a mechanism, States Parties shall take into account the principles relating to the status and functioning of national institutions for protection and promotion of human rights.
3. Civil society, in particular persons with disabilities and their representative organizations, shall be involved and participate fully in the monitoring process.
2. Important information
35 of the European Blind Union's 41 member countries have now ratified the UN's Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which is also the first international convention to obtain the European Union's seal of approval.
While the European Blind Union has already created a database to monitor the implementation of certain articles particularly relevant to the blind or visually impaired, it now appears necessary to consider the various mechanisms implemented by each country in order for the CRPD to be genuinely applied in its entirety.
At the national level, these mechanisms are set out in article 33 of the CRPD, while article 35 requires each State to submit a comprehensive report on the measures taken to give effect to its obligations under the CRPD and on the progress made in this respect.
Although these mechanisms and the reports do not specifically concern the visually impaired, it is important to consider them for at least two reasons:
- they are absolutely necessary in order for the CRPD in its entirety, and each of its articles in particular, to produce the results expected by the United Nations;
- associations for the visually impaired, like all associations for people with disabilities, must be fully involved in the CRPD's follow-up mechanisms, and must participate in drafting the reports submitted by civil society in response to the reports by the States.