UN Special Rapporteur: Rights of people with disability into the mainstream

UN Special Rapporteur on Disability Shuaib Chalklen visited Finland to promote mainstreaming of disability issues. At a seminar held by the coordination group on disability policy, Chalklen regretted the invisibility of disability issues in the Millennium Development Goals.

Shuaib Chalklen of South Africa was appointed the UN Special Rapporteur on Disability in August 2009. His work background includes a long history of efforts to promote the rights of people with disability in Southern Africa.

During his visit to Finland, Chalklen described his field of work and his views on which issues are fundamental for the future.

“We already have a rich base of information, built up over the years. In my view, in the future there is a need, above all, to concentrate on rights and legislation so that the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities would come into force throughout the world.”

Chalklen voiced the hope that Finland, too, would ratify the Convention speedily. Finland was among the first states to sign the Convention four years ago, but the ratification process is still incomplete, as promulgation of the Convention requires amendments to national legislation.

Shuaib Chalklen also expressed his staunch support for the Millennium Development Goals – despite the fact that disability issues feature poorly in measuring their progress:

“The Millennium Development Goals are a strong instrument for eradication of poverty and, with that, also for improving the position of people with disability, but the problem is that the goals make virtually no reference to disability. In my opinion, it is important that the UN Member States, Finland included, express their concern over the invisibility of a segment of the population.”

People with disability in Finland’s development cooperation

The seminar on the rights of people with disability in development cooperation was opened by Under-Secretary of State Ritva Koukku-Ronde, responsible for development policy. She outlined the role of disability issues in Finland’s development policy:

“Poverty and indifference concerning the human rights of any population group are a threat to unity, peace and security locally as well as globally,” Koukku-Ronde said.

She continued that the way a society treats its most vulnerable members is a strong indicator of that society’s development. Finland is committed to the principle that human rights are everyone’s right, nor should human rights be highlighted merely in speech; rather, the main thing is to convert principles into living practices.

In Finland’s development cooperation, disability issues have had an important role particularly in cooperation with civil society organisations. According to Koukku-Ronde, mainstreaming is also clear in multilateral cooperation. As to bilateral cooperation, there is still room for improvement:

“In all our activities, it is important to continue efforts on behalf of genuine mainstreaming.”