Promoting Equality and Non-Discrimination for Persons with Disabilities

Ensuring equal opportunities for persons with disabilities is an importantfacilitator of participation and inclusion in society. Both the United NationsConvention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and the Council of Europe Disability Strategy 2017-2023 address equality and equalisation of opportunities for persons with disabilities. Article 5 of the UNCPRD requires States to adopt positive measures aimed at ensuring equality across the substantive rights in the Convention. The Council of Europe Disability Strategy aims at guiding and supporting the activities of Council of Europe member States in their implementation of the UNCRPD and Council of Europe standards regarding disability, and similarly addresses equality and non-discrimination.The overall goal of this study is to analyse the obligations contained in theUNCRPD regarding equality and non-discrimination, and to provide examples of good national practices regarding equality and non-discrimination. The report pays particular attention to non-discrimination legislation and initiatives in the context of employment and education. As noted by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), enjoyment of the rights to work and employment and to inclusive education are key factors in promoting equality of persons with disabilities on the whole. The study also provides a checklist for implementing Article 5 of the UNCRPD in light of the Council of Europe Disability Strategy, 2017-2023