Report of the Committee on the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to be presented to Foreign Minister Tuomioja

Press release 9/2014
15 January 2014


The report of the Committee on the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol will be presented to Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja on Friday, 17 January.

Finland signed the Convention and its Optional Protocol, adopted by the United Nations on 13 December 2006, on 30 March 2007.

The aim of this Convention 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. The aim of the Optional Protocol is to strengthen the protection of human rights recognized in the Convention through the establishment of an individual complaints mechanism as well as by enabling the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to conduct investigation procedures at its own initiative.

In order to expedite the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Persons and its Optional Protocol, in May 2011 the Ministry for Foreign Affairs appointed a Committee charged with preparing and determining the measures necessary for ratifying the Convention and its Optional Protocol. The term of the Committee expired on 31 December 2013. The Committee included broad representation of the central government, the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities and civil society organizations, in particular organizations of persons with disabilities.

The intention is for the Convention and its Optional Protocol to be ratified during the term of the present Government.

Additional information: Legal Officer Katja Fokin, tel. +358 295 351 175, Unit for Human Rights Courts and Conventions, [email protected]







UN