Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
CRPD is an international human rights treaty adopted in 2006. The UK ratified (agreed to follow) CRPD in 2009.
By ratifying CRPD, the UK agrees to protect and promote the human rights of disabled people, including:
- eliminating disability discrimination
- enabling disabled people to live independently in the community
- ensuring an inclusive education system
- ensuring disabled people are protected from all forms of exploitation, violence and abuse
How the treaty is monitored
The implementation of CRPD is monitored by the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Around every five years the Committee reviews how well each state is putting the rights in CRPD into practice. Find out more about the previous review cycles.
There are six stages in the treaty cycle. Civil society organisations can engage throughout this process. We have produced a guide for civil society with information on how to participate. The UN’s website also has information on how to participate.
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) treaty cycle
The CRPD review cycle is currently at stage 1: Stakeholders report on progress.
Please note that some of the timings given below are estimates,particularly as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, which prompted the UN to cancel a number of Geneva sessions. This will be updated when the UN publishes further information on the timetable for the UK’s review.
1. Stakeholders report on progress
- The UK has accepted the simplified reporting procedure for the next CRPD review.
- Stakeholders should plan to submit their reports 4 months before the UN draws up its List of Issues (see stage 2 below).
2. UN publishes list of issues
- The UN was due to adopt its List of Issues at a Pre-Sessional Working Group in 2022. This is now estimated to take place in September 2025. There may be continued delays due to UN backlogs.
3. Stakeholders respond to list of issues
- The UK will be expected to submit its state report within one year of the List of Issues being published.
- Other stakeholders who want to respond to the List of Issues should plan to submit their reports around the same time.
4. UN examines the government
- The UN has not yet confirmed the date of the UK’s next review. There may be delays due to UN backlogs.
5. UN publishes recommendations
- UN published recommendations to the UK (August 2017).
- UN recommended the UK produce a follow-up report each September, until 2023, focusing on progress made on independent living, work and employment, living standards and social protection.
6. Government implements recommendations
- UK state follow-up report on independent living, employment, living standards and social protection (submitted October 2021).
- UK state follow-up report on independent living, employment, living standards and social protection (submitted September 2018).
- UK state follow-up report (submitted September 2019).
- search the human rights tracker for CRPD recommendations.
Optional protocols
CRPD has one Optional Protocol. This is an additional treaty that allows people to complain directly to the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities if they believe their rights have been violated. It can only be used when all domestic channels have been exhausted. It has been ratified by the UK.
The Optional Protocol also allows the Committee to undertake its own inquiries, where reliable information is received into allegations of grave or systematic violations of treaty rights. Read about the inquiry on independent living, living standards and employment for disabled people in the UK, published in 2016.
General comments
The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has issued a number of General Comments on CRPD. These provide further detail on how it should be interpreted, covering issues such as accessibility, the right to independent living and equality and non-discrimination.