About the UNCRPD
This page provides information on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (the UNCRPD). It also outlines how New Zealand was involved in developing the UNCRPD, and when the Government agreed to it.
Overview of the UNCRPD
New Zealand signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (the UNCRPD) at the United Nations on 30 March 2007. It ratified the UNCRPD on 26 September 2008, which means it formally agreed to be bound by it.
The UNCRPD is an international human rights treaty. Its purpose is “to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity” (Article 1).
The UNCRPD does not create new rights for disabled people. Instead, it sets out what countries need to do so disabled people can enjoy their rights and participate on an equal basis with others.
The UNCRPD aims to change attitudes and approaches to disabled people in all countries that have signed it. It is guided by 8 principles set out in Article 3:
- Respect for inherent dignity, individual autonomy including the freedom to make one’s own choices, and independence of persons with disabilities
- Non-discrimination
- Full and effective participation and inclusion in society
- respect for difference and acceptance of persons with disabilities as part of human diversity and humanity
- Equality of opportunity
- Accessibility
- Equality between men and women
- Respect for the evolving capacities of children with disabilities and respect for the right of children with disabilities to preserve their identities.
The UNCRPD includes a definition of disability in its Preamble. It reflects the social model of disability, which recognises that people are disabled by barriers in society, rather than by their impairment alone. These barriers can be physical, attitudinal, communication or social barriers.
United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities external URL
How New Zealand helped develop the UNCRPD
New Zealand was a leader in negotiating the UNCRPD. Disabled people were involved throughout the process, including as members of New Zealand's delegations to the United Nations. Experience from the first New Zealand Disability Strategy, published in 2001, also helped shape New Zealand's contribution to the negotiations.
New Zealand representation on the UNCRPD Committee
The late New Zealander Sir Robert Martin was elected to the UNCRPD Committee on 15 June 2016 and was re-elected in November 2020.
As one of 18 Committee members, he monitored State Parties' implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Robert's election to the Committee acknowledges a lifetime of advocacy on behalf of disabled people and in particular people with learning disabilities, both in New Zealand and around the world.
Implementing, monitoring and reporting on the UNCRPD
Countries that agree to the UNCRPD are expected to work towards making its rights a reality. They are not expected to do everything at once. Instead, countries can work towards these rights over time, making steady improvements as resources allow.
Countries that have agreed to the UNCRPD, including New Zealand, must monitor and report on the progress they are making. The UNCRPD Committee regularly reviews how well countries are putting the Convention into practice.
In 2022, the Committee made 63 recommendations to New Zealand about how we can better implement the UNCRPD.
Response to the UNCRPD Committee’s recommendations
The response is also published on the Human Rights Monitor external URL .
Read the UNCRPD
English
Māori
Pacific languages
- UNCRPD - Cook Islands Māori (PDF 210KB)
- UNCRPD - Fijian (PDF 151KB)
- UNCRPD - Samoan (PDF 138KB)
- UNCRPD - Tongan (PDF 230KB)
- UNCRPD - Tuvaluan (PDF 338KB)
Alternate formats
Audio
Braille
Easy Read
UNCRPD - Easy Read (PDF 2.1MB)
UNCRPD - Easy Read - te reo Māori (DOC 180KB)