Activists are celebrating the legal adoption of a landmark Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities by 15 African Union member states.
African countries have taken a major step towards protecting the rights of people with disabilities after the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) announced on June 7, 2024 that the African Protocol on Persons with Disabilities (ADP) had officially entered into force.
This milestone will also be celebrated with activists attending the fifth session of the African Union’s Expert Technical Committee on Social Development, Labour and Employment in Addis Ababa, starting 29 July 2024.
This effort towards ratification is the culmination of years of campaigning led by Sightsavers’ Equal World campaign in partnership with local disability organisations.
The Protocol is the first pan-African human rights treaty to specifically address harmful practices, beliefs, superstitions and other forms of discrimination affecting people with disabilities on the continent.
The protocol was adopted by the African Union in 2018, but only became a political reality after receiving the necessary ratification from the 15 member states required to make it legally binding. The Republic of Congo is the 15th country to ratify the protocol, joining Cameroon, Malawi, Nigeria, Uganda and Mali, among others.
“This is a historic moment for people with disabilities across Africa. This protocol will make a world of difference in tackling discrimination and inequality and improving the lives of millions of people with disabilities,” said Lefuhoko Kesaman, Senior Social Welfare Officer at the African Union Commission.
“The adoption of this Protocol demonstrates the determination of African countries to promote the rights of persons with disabilities so that they can enjoy these rights on an equal basis with others.”
The ADP is built on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), the first comprehensive human rights treaty of this century. However, unlike the UNCRPD, the ADP addresses specific forms of discrimination that affect over 80 million people with disabilities living in African countries.
Notably, the Charter is the only international human rights charter that explicitly recognises and outlines the discrimination and attacks faced by people with albinism.
The Protocol ensures that African Union member states are obligated to enact and implement disability-specific laws and policies in line with the Convention, and it also allows citizens to hold their governments accountable.
Grace Antwi Atsu, Senior Advocacy Leader at Sightsavers, said: “We are pleased to see this important human rights charter finally come into force. It has been a long journey but this is an important step towards building a more inclusive society where people with disabilities are protected by specific laws that respond to their needs.”
“By adopting the ADP, governments are truly recognising the rights of people with disabilities and we applaud them.”
Sightsavers’ Equal World campaign works in partnership with disability advocates in 13 countries, including the African Union Commission, African Forum of Disabled People, African Disabled People’s Union, and African Blind Union. These organizations are calling on governments to ratify the ADP to protect the rights of people with disabilities across the continent. Sightsavers is playing a supporting role, providing technical expertise, resources, creative assets, and additional media guidance.
For more information about the Equal World campaign and the call to ratify the ADP, visit www.ratify-the-adp.org