Published on: 2026-06-09
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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More than 90 percent of countries have adopted laws guaranteeing the observance of the rights of persons with disabilities. This was announced by Secretary-General António Guterres at the opening of the 19th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at the UN headquarters in New York. The UN chief noted the progress achieved in 20 years of the Convention’s implementation but warned that there is still much to be done.
“The Convention helped change the paradigm of the approach to disability: instead of the medical and charitable model, a model came that puts human rights at the forefront,” he emphasizedAntónio Guterres.
Over two decades, the Convention has been ratified by 192 countries. Almost 80 percent of countries have prohibited discrimination in employment, 75 percent have enshrined the right of children with disabilities to integration into the education system. This, the Secretary-General noted, means that millions of children have gained access to school, and millions of adults — the possibility to work and live more independently.
At the same time, the latest UN report on the situation of persons with disabilities in the world shows that almost all indicators related to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals lag behind the targets. The Secretary-General warned that the world risks losing already achieved results amid multiple crises – from climate change and conflicts to rising living costs.
“When conflicts or disasters erupt, people with disabilities are among the first to lose their jobs, access [to services], and [a normal] life,” said the head of the UN.
The Secretary-General presented alarming data: one-third of children with disabilities face violence or neglect. The risks begin in early childhood and continue into adulthood, especially for women and people with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities. Guterres called for the creation of effective mechanisms to detect cases of exploitation and ensure access to justice.
The UN Secretary-General paid special attention to the need for a large-scale expansion of services that allow people with disabilities to participate in economic, social, and political life. Improving the system of support, according to him, can simultaneously advance inclusiveness and gender equality, especially in countries with a low level of support, where almost half of the people with disabilities are effectively excluded from social life.
Concluding his speech, the Secretary-General reminded that people with disabilities are still insufficiently represented in politics and public life, and in developing countries about 30 percent of them face obstacles when voting. António Guterres emphasized that governments are obliged to remove barriers and ensure the full participation of people with disabilities in decision-making.
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