Call to Action for Gender Parity within the CRPD Committee

Despite explicit references to the need to consider gender balance within the CRPD Committee elections (Article 34(4), CRPD) and treaty body elections generally (General Assembly Resolution 68/28), within representation at the United Nations (Article 8, UN Charter) and at the international level entirely (Article 8, CEDAW), and calls made by the CRPD Committee and civil society for States Parties to be attentive to gender parity within the nominations and elections processes, these calls went unheeded.

The CRPD Committee now stands as the treaty body with the fewest number of women members, and could represent the worst example of gender parity in treaty body history.  It is all the more deplorable considering that non-discrimination and equality between men and women are enshrined as general principles within the CRPD, and that there is a specific provision concerning women with disabilities which calls on States Parties “to take all appropriate measures to ensure the full development, advancement and empowerment of women, for the purpose of guaranteeing them the exercise and enjoyment of the human rights and fundamental freedoms set out in the present Convention.”  Further, the recently adopted Sustainable Development Goals seek to realise the human rights of all and to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls (Goal 5).

- This article is an excerpt from the International Disability Alliance website -

Read more about this issue on the IDA website.

Sign the call for gender Parity with the CRPD Committee, all treaty bodies, and regional organisations.