"Breaking the Rules by Signmark"

Ambassador Himanen,
Ladies and Gentlemen:

It is a pleasure to welcome you all for this performance – the first of its kind at the Palais des Nations. I would especially like to thank the Permanent Mission of Finland for its organization of this special event. This evening, we mark not only the first week of the 19th session of the Human Rights Council, but also its Interactive Debate on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, held this afternoon.

Over 650 million people - close to 10 per cent of the world’s population - live with disabilities. It is unfortunate that in every region in the world, in every country in the world, persons with disabilities often live on the margins of society. They encounter obstacles which prevent them from having access to education, employment, healthcare, having their own home, enjoying a social life or voting. Aspects of daily life we may take for granted - shops, public facilities and transport, and even information - are largely out of reach. Persons with disabilities make up the world’s largest and most disadvantaged minority. The numbers speak for themselves: persons with disabilities account for an estimated 20 per cent of the world’s poorest; 98 per cent of children with disabilities in developing countries do not attend school; and the literacy rate for adults with disabilities is as low as 3 per cent.

However, this is not the reality faced by persons with disabilities everywhere. In the few countries that have passed comprehensive legislation aimed at promoting and protecting the basic rights of persons with disabilities, those individuals live fulfilling and independent lives. They are able to fully participate in society because the physical and cultural barriers that had previously hindered their participation have been removed. The adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2006 represented decades of work by the United Nations to change attitudes and approaches to persons with disabilities. It also showed the unity of the international community in reaffirming that all persons with all types of disabilities must enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms.

It is through the Convention, that States parties are obliged to ensure and promote the full realization of all civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights of persons with disabilities. And it is through the Human Rights Council, among other entities, that the Convention is implemented and monitored.

Dear Colleagues:
I began my remarks by mentioning the stark reality faced by the vast majority of persons with disabilities around the world. This evening we will see a very different reality in the performance by Signmark. His achievements are a testimony to the human rights goals promoted by the United Nations. He is an example of how one can, with the access needed to fully participate in society, not only excel, but exceed all expectations. I look forward to this performance and this promotion of both linguistic and cultural diversity.

Thank you for your attention.