UW Courses Web Server
1 of 1 DOCUMENT
Copyright (c) 2007 Syracuse Journal of International Law and Commerce
Syracuse Journal of International Law and Commerce
Spring, 2007
34 Syracuse J. Int'l L. & Com. 621
LENGTH: 14595 words
ARTICLE: GUIDE TO SOURCES IN INTERNATIONAL AND COMPARATIVE DISABILITY LAW
NAME: Wendy Scott*
BIO: * Assistant Director for Faculty & Outreach Services, H. Douglas Barclay Law Library, Syracuse University College of Law. I would like to thank Professor Arlene Kanter for her passion and continuing guidance and support. I would also like to thank Research Assistants Nevhiz Calik and Tarini Arogyaswamy for their dedication and hard work on the Disability Law Web Resource, without which I would not have been able to complete this research guide. In addition, I would also like to thank Michelle Diamantes for her assistance in finalizing this document. Finally, I would like to thank Associate Dean and Director of the Law Library Thomas R. French, who supported the project from its inception.
SUMMARY:
... In addition, the site links to reports and documents of the World Health Organization's mental health initiatives. 1.7.6 Disability and Human Rights: United Nations Commission on Human Rights humanrights.asp? ... See also: European Social Charter (Revised - 1996) Additional Protocol to the European Social Charter Providing for a System of Collective Complaints International and Comparative Disability Law Web Resource Numerical designations are from the database organizational scheme. 2.1 Council of Europe 2.1.5 Conventions Dealing with Disability Rights humanrights.asp? ... European Union Disability Strategy social/disability/ strategy en.html EU (Disability Related) Policies social/disability/ policy en.html Key Documents (Including Resolutions, Directives, Communications and Council Decisions) social/index/7003 en.html Publications social/index/7002 en.html European Parliament Fact Sheet 4.8.8.: "Disabled Persons, the Elderly and the Excluded" 8 8 en.htm This fact sheet offers a useful snapshot of the European Union's and European Parliament's disability initiatives. ... ESCAP Resolution on the Asian and Pacific Decade about.asp#Launching Proclamation and Agenda for Action for the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, 1993-2002 about.asp#Launching A detailed overview of the Agenda for Action overview may be found on the Decade website at agenda/index.asp. ... Human Rights Learning Centre Study Guide on the Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities This online guide by the Human Rights Education Associates offers a concise introduction to, and overview of, international and regional instruments relating to the rights of disabled persons. ... University of Minnesota Human Rights Library: Bibliographies and Guides This expansive resource encompasses electronic bibliographies and research guides on general international human rights as well as specialized resources (e.g., Human Rights in the African Context" and "Human Rights of Women). c. ... The Resource Library contains bibliographic information about subjects relating to international health and disability, including references to books, reports, websites, organizations, newsletters and more. ... The list of global issues does not include disability, but researchers can locate disability related news under a variety of related subjects, including, but not limited to: Children's Rights; Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; International Justice; Labor and Human Rights; Torture and Abuse; United Nations; and Women's Rights.
HIGHLIGHT: Scope
Introduction
I. SOURCES
A. International Law: United Nations
History and Background
The Legal Framework: United Nations Human Rights Instruments
United Nations Disability System: U.N. Enable
United Nations Disability System: Activities by Topic
Additional Sources: United Nations Instruments and Documents
United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
B. Regional Laws
History and Background
Europe
Latin America and the Caribbean
Africa
Asia
C. National Laws
Overview
Sources for National Laws
D. Case Law
Overview
International Case Law
Regional Case Law
Foreign Case Law
Court Web Sites and Human Rights Bodies' Websites
E. Disability Rights from a U.S. Foreign Policy Perspective
F. Non-Governmental Disability/ Human Rights Organizations
Overview
Directories
II. SUPPORTING RESEARCH SOURCES
A. Reference and Background Sources
Terminology
Bibliographies and Research Guides
Disability Statistics
Subject Headings and Suggested Search Terms
B. Selection of Texts and Treatises
General
Children/Families
Education
Employment
Europe
Mental Health
Women
C. Selection of Journals
Journals: International Disability
Journals: Human Rights
D. Internet Databases
E. News and Current Awareness Sources
TEXT:
[*622]
Introduction
When Syracuse University Professor of Law Arlene Kanter approached me several years ago about developing a research guide to sources in international and comparative disability law to support the [*623] work of the new Syracuse University Disability Law and Policy Program, I was confident that I would be able to locate existing compilations on the topic that I could consult as a starting point for my research. After a rigorous investigation of available print and electronic materials, however, I quickly realized that I was dipping my oars into uncharted waters. While there were many excellent guides to research in human rights law, there were no resources focused exclusively on the topic of non-U.S. disability law.
In light of the dearth of existing research support materials and the urgent need for quick access to major source materials for students, Professor Kanter and I decided to temporarily redirect the project away from a printed guide and towards a web-based repository of sources in international and comparative disability law. Professor Kanter, her dedicated research assistants, and I developed the International and Comparative Disability Law Web Resource (hereafter called the Disability Law Web Resource). Housed on the Syracuse University College of Law Library web site, the searchable database is one of the first comprehensive bibliographic resources devoted to international and comparative disability law. The emphasis of the resource to date has been on providing links, with annotations, to the full-text of international, regional and foreign disability instruments available in English on open (i.e., non-subscription) internet sites.
This guide expands upon the Disability Law Web Resource to offer a concise starting point for research in international, regional, and national law relating to disability. It provides extended coverage of the topics addressed in the Disability Law Web Resource and adds a new section on supporting research sources. Because it was originally conceived as an instructional tool to support students' research in courses offered by the Syracuse University College of Law Disability Law and Policy Program and the Syracuse University Center on Human Policy, Law, and Disability Studies, this guide retains the format of a practical outline rather than a formal law review article. With its streamlined format and reliance on authoritative internet sources, I hope the guide will prove useful, not only to scholars from diverse disciplines engaged in disability law and policy research, but to disability advocates, members of inter-governmental and non-profit organizations, policy-makers, and others who have previously found research in this area challenging and labor intensive.
Scope
Because the resources described in this guide were originally [*624] selected to support disability law and policy (and related) courses offered at Syracuse University, resources on topics not emphasized in these courses may be excluded here. Print materials listed in this guide have been selected because of their availability in the H. Douglas Barclay Law Library or the Syracuse University Library at the time of this writing. Emphasis is on open access internet materials, and sources may be available in formats or collections not addressed in the guide; no effort has been made to be exhaustive. With a few exceptions, only English language sources are included.
Part I of the guide is devoted to major documents and research resources in international, regional, and national disability law. Links are provided to sources available on authoritative web sites. A selection of print or electronic historical and background sources appears at the beginning of some sections. Some sources listed in this guide cite to the relevant sections in the Disability Law Web Resource. In these cases, references retain the numerical designations of the web resource's organizational system for the convenience of the researcher.
Part II of the guide encompasses secondary source material to support research in international and comparative disability law. This part addresses print and electronic reference sources and texts, relevant Library of Congress Subject Headings, a selection of journals, specialized databases and indexes, and news and current awareness sources.
I. SOURCES
A. International Law: United Nations
1. History and Background
History of Disability and the United Nations (U.N. Enable)
The first section of this document, "General Overview: The First Fifty Years," offers a useful timeline, with references to relevant documents, of United Nations disability related activities from the post-World War II era to the early 1990s.
2. The Legal Framework: United Nations Human Rights Instruments
Although disability was, for the most part, not explicitly addressed as a protected category in the foundational United Nations human rights [*625] instruments, advocates have interpreted provisions of these documents to encompass protection of the rights of the disabled. Each of the core human rights instruments is monitored by a treaty committee ("treaty monitoring body") of independent experts that monitors and enforces implementation of the treaty. Committees consider the member states' periodic reports and publish their concerns and recommendations. The treaty bodies also publish their own interpretations of provisions of the human rights treaties in the form of general comments and issue communications involving inter-state complaints.
Treaty body documents illuminate how, and to what extent, member states have responded to the rights of the disabled; they reveal continuing concerns as well as positive change.
a. Overviews
Arlene Kanter, Globalization of Disability Rights Law,
30 Syracuse J. Int'l L. & Com. 241, 252 (2003).
Kanter's article provides a thorough discussion of the development of United Nations jurisprudence on protection of rights for the disabled.
Gerard Quinn et al., Human Rights and Disability: The Current Use and Future Potential of United Nations Human Rights Instruments in the Context of Disability (2002).
Quinn offers a detailed analysis of the international human rights conventions as the legal framework for the protection of disability rights.
b. Primary Documents
International and Comparative Disability Law Web Resource
Numerical designations are from the database organizational scheme.
1. International Law
1.5 Core Human Rights Treaties
humanrights.asp?sc=14&d=1
[*626]
1.6 Disability Related Activities of Treaty Monitoring Bodies
humanrights.asp?sc=15&d=1
The Disability Law Web Resource links to the committees' web sites and provides information and links to specific committee documents pertaining to disability.
3. United Nations Disability System
a. Introduction
In the 1970s, the United Nations (U.N.) embraced an evolving international movement towards a fundamental reassessment of the rights and status of persons with disabilities. U.N. policies based on a social welfare model of rights protection were gradually supplanted by new initiatives founded on the principles of full integration and equalization of opportunities for persons with disabilities. The key United Nations instruments and activities that established the shift in emphasis are described below.
b. Major Primary Documents
Declaration on the Rights of Mentally Retarded Persons
mental.htm
In 1971, the General Assembly adopted this ground-breaking declaration which stipulates that mentally retarded persons should have legal recourse to protection from exploitation and be granted fundamental human rights as well as specific medical, social, and educational rights.
Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons
The United Nations General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Rights of the Disabled in December, 1975. This seminal instrument establishes that persons with disabilities are entitled to the same rights as persons without disabilities, enumerates those rights, and calls for national and international action to guarantee those rights. The rights approach evidenced in the declaration provided the impetus for the United Nations Year of Disabled Persons and the United Nations disability programs described below.
[*627] United Nations International Year of Disabled Persons
As stated in the resolution, the theme of the 1981 International Year of Disabled Persons was "full participation and equality." Its call for a plan of action on the national, regional, and international levels defined and concretized the rights of persons with disabilities and emphasized the need for specific measures to guarantee inclusion, rehabilitation, and prevention of disabilities.
The World Programme of Action Concerning Disabled Persons
The development of the World Programme of Action (WPA) was one of the major outcomes of the International Year of Disabled Persons. In addition to setting the goals of prevention, rehabilitation, and equalization of opportunity for persons with disabilities, the WPA drew attention to the need for special protection of disabled women. The WPA is reviewed every five years. Resolutions on the World Programme of Action may be found at the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities web site ( base/instr/ins un.htm).
United Nations Decade of Disabled Persons
As a means of ensuring effective implementation of the World Programme of Action, the U.N. General Assembly proclaimed the Decade of Disabled Persons for the years 1983-1992.
Standard Rules on Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities
The Decade of Disabled Persons resulted in the formulation of the 1993 Standard Rules. The rules consist of twenty-two "rules" or principles that should be considered by governments and organizations when defining policy regarding disabled persons. The rules are organized under four chapters: preconditions for equal participation, [*628] target areas for equal participation, implementation measures, and a monitoring mechanism.
The Standard Rules provide for the appointment of a Special Rapporteur who is mandated to report annually to the U.N. Commission on Social Development on the status of people with disabilities throughout the world.
Documents of the Special Rapporteur
The Special Rapporteur conducts surveys and issues statements and reports that present his findings and recommendations relating to the promotion and monitoring of the Standard Rules.
c. Research Sources
U.N. Enable: Division for Social Policy and Development of the United Nations Secretariat
The focal point of United Nations disability program is U.N. Enable, operating under the auspices of the Secretariat of the Division for Social Policy and Development. The U.N. Enable website covers the history, programs, instruments, documents, and norms that constitute the evolution of disability rights initiatives within the United Nations. The site is organized under the following categories: Disability and the United Nations; Priorities; International Norms and Policy Guidelines; and Resources. Because the site is multi-layered and does not currently offer a search mechanism, researchers may wish to review the site map to gain an understanding of this valuable resource's organization and contents.
Of particular note are the following pages on the site:
Overview of International Legal Frameworks for Disability Legislation
U.N. Enable has prepared this summary, with links to relevant documents, of the international legal framework for disability rights legislation. In addition to legally binding instruments, the website references international instruments; such as declarations, resolutions, principles, guidelines, and rules that are not technically legally binding.
[*629]
International Norms and Standards Relating to Disability
The International Norms and Standards discuss general and specific disability instruments that establish normative standards for the protection of the rights of the disabled. A companion is the Compendium of International and Regional Instruments (), a checklist of links to the documents cited in the International Norms and Standards. Included here are the most significant international and regional instruments specifically related to disability, instruments on subjects of related interest (e.g., education, labor, development), and the core human rights treaties.
United Nations Documents
The United Nations Documents section of the U.N. Enable website links to disability related resolutions, decisions, and recommendations of the General Assembly, Ad Hoc Committee, Economic and Social Council, Commission for Social Development, Commission on Human Rights, and World Health Assembly. In addition, it links to the reports of the Ad Hoc Committee (Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities), the Secretary-General (Implementation on the World Programme of Action), High Commissioner on Human Rights and Secretary-General (Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities), and Special Rapporteur on Disability (Implementation of the Standard Rules).
4. United Nations Disability System: Activities By Topic
A number of United Nations bodies are actively engaged in disability related activities. In addition to the topic specific documents outlined in the Compendium of International and Regional Instruments (discussed above), researchers are directed to the topical listings available at the Disability Law Web Resource.
Numerical designations are from the database's organizational scheme.
1.7.1 Disability and Development
humanrights.asp?sc=138&d=2
In addition to the United Nations Global Programme on Disability, the site links to disability related materials from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and World Bank disability program.
[*630]
1.7.2 Disability and Education
humanrights.asp?sc=139&d=2
This section addresses UNESCO programs regarding education (including special education) and disability. Significant documents include the Convention against Discrimination in Education; the Sundberg Declaration on Actions and Strategies for Education, Prevention, and Integration; Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education; and Dakar Framework for Action.
The page also links to a bibliography of print and media sources from the Enabling Education Network at the University of Manchester, England.
1.7.3 Disability and Employment
humanrights.asp?sc=140&d=2
The focus of this section is the International Labour Organization (ILO) Disability Programme, including links to: ILO Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention; Vocational Rehabilitation (Disabled) Recommendation 1955 (No. 99); and the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Recommendation, 1983 (No. 168).
1.7.4 Disability and Health
humanrights.asp?sc=141&d=2
The emphasis in this section is on World Health Organization (WHO) disability and rehabilitation activities.
1.7.5 Disability and Mental Health
humanrights.asp?sc=142&d=2
The most significant U.N. instruments on disability and the rights of the mentally ill are included here, including: Declaration on the Rights of Mentally Retarded Persons and the Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and for the Improvement of Mental Health, also known as the MI Principles.
In addition, the site links to reports and documents of the World Health Organization's mental health initiatives.
[*631]
1.7.6 Disability and Human Rights: United Nations Commission on Human Rights
humanrights.asp?sc=143&d=2
The United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) adopts a resolution on disability every two years. The role of the Commission is to encourage the monitoring bodies of the six main human rights treaties to consider the rights of the disabled.
In addition to the link to the UNCHR Human Rights and Disability web site, this section links to relevant UNCHR resolutions and reports.
1.7.7 Disability and the Rural Disabled
humanrights.asp?sc=144&d=2
The primary resource is the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Database on the Rural Disabled (). The database provides access to persons, organizations, projects, and publications relating to improving conditions for the rural disabled. The database also provides statistics on the number of disabled persons in FAO member countries.
5. Additional Research Sources
University of Minnesota Human Rights Library: Disabled Persons and Human Rights Links
This list (with citations) also links to a number of important U.N. disability related instruments.
United Nations Official Document System (ODS)
The ODS covers all types of official United Nations documents, including selective documents of the regional commissions: Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA); Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP); Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC); and Economic Commission for Europe (ECE).
Comprehensive coverage starts in 1993. Older U.N. documents are [*632] added to the system on a daily basis. Selective coverage of General Assembly and Security Council documentation currently reaches back to 1985. The ODS also provides access to the resolutions of the General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council and the Trusteeship Council from 1946 onwards.
6. United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
On August 25, 2006, after five years of negotiating, an agreement was reached on a Draft Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. On December 13, 2006, the Convention was adopted. The Convention and its Optional Protocol were opened for signature by all States and by regional integration organizations at United Nations Headquarters in New York on March 30, 2007.
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
This United Nations web page is dedicated to the new United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. In addition to the convention text and current convention news, the site links to background information about the convention, documents of the sessions of the Ad Hoc Committee on a Comprehensive and Integral International Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities, early convention drafts, links to U.N. organizations involved in disability rights related activities, and links to disability NGOs.
Working Group on a Convention
In June 2003, the Ad Hoc Committee established a Working Group to prepare and present a draft text of a convention, which would be the basis for negotiation by Member States. This section of the U.N. Enable website explains the role of the Working Group and links to reports and draft texts as well as the daily summaries of negotiations prepared by the Landmine Survivors Network ().
[*633] See also:
VI. Non-Governmental Disability/Human Rights Organizations for non governmental disability and human rights organizations' participation in the convention process.
B. Regional Laws
1. History and Overview
Arlene Kanter, Globalization of Disability Rights Law,
30 Syracuse J. Int'l L. & Com. 241, 258 (2003).
The article discusses the development of regional as well as United Nations jurisprudence on protection of rights for the disabled.
Disability: Regions and Countries (World Bank)
EXTDISABILITY/0,,contentMDK:20192372menuPK:282725pagePK: 148956piPK:216618theSitePK:282699,00.html
The World Bank has developed brief web guides on disability activities in specific regions. Each region's web page includes an introductory statement, links to publications and reports, a selection of country profiles, and a list of related links.
Compendium of International and Regional Instruments
This checklist includes significant regional instruments related to disability cited in the International Norms and Standards.
1. Europe
a. Overview
Lawrence O. Gostin, Human Rights of Persons with Mental Disabilities: The European Convention on Human Rights, 23 Int'l J.L & Psychiatry 125 (2000).
Gostin provides an historical overview of the European human rights system.
[*634]
b. Council of Europe: Major Primary Documents
Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (also known as the European Convention on Human Rights, or ECHR) with Additional Protocols
Convention+on+Human+Rights+and+its+Protocols/
Originally adopted in 1950, the Convention establishes a judicial enforcement procedure through the European Court of Human Rights. Article 14 does not specifically mention disability, but encompasses the disabled in its inclusive prohibition against discrimination. Protocol 12 extends the prohibition against discrimination to include the exercise of the actions of public authorities.
European Social Charter
The Social Charter of 1961, which was the first human rights treaty to mention disability, addresses social and economic rights.
See also:
European Social Charter (Revised - 1996)
Additional Protocol to the European Social Charter Providing for a System of Collective Complaints
International and Comparative Disability Law Web Resource
Numerical designations are from the database organizational scheme.
2.1 Council of Europe
2.1.5 Conventions Dealing with Disability Rights
humanrights.asp?sc=307&d=2
[*635]
c. Council of Europe: Additional Sources
The Council of Europe Disability Action Plan, 2006-2015 (Word Document)
cohesion/socsp/ Rec(2006)5%20Disability%20Action%20Plan.doc
The Plan addresses all areas of life, including "participation in political and public life, education, health care and awareness-raising, with particular emphasis on dual or multiple discrimination and those people with disabilities requiring a high degree of care, such as the aged." Although the Council has not adopted any treaties specific to persons with disabilities, it created the two fundamental human rights treaties that encompass the rights of the disabled (see above).
Directorate General of Social Cohesion; Integration of People with Disabilities
The objective of the program is to "promote social cohesion in Europe by reconciling the principles of equal rights for all individuals and the concept of special needs." In addition to providing information about the Council's current activities and programs related to the rights of disabled people, the site includes the links below.
Recommendations and Resolutions (Relating to Disability)
cohesion/soc-sp/integration/05 Recommendations and Resolutions/index.asp#TopOfPage
Publications (including conference proceedings, reports and publications on the WHO International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities and Handicaps)
cohesion/soc-sp/integration/ 06 publications/presentation.asp#TopOfPage
Commissioner for Human Rights: Documents
en.asp
The Commissioner for Human Rights is an independent institution within the Council of Europe that promotes the awareness of and respect for human rights. Documents available on the website include thematic reports, recommendations, opinions, ombudspersons [*636] documents, and seminar documents.
Recommendations of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly: Human Rights Education Associates (HREA)
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has adopted several recommendations addressing policy guidelines regarding persons with disabilities.
d. European Union: Research Sources
European Commission Directorate-General Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities: Disability Issues
social/disability/index en.html
The Directorate-General assumes the main responsibility for disabilities issues at the Commission. In addition to an introduction describing the roles and initiatives of the Directorate-General, significant components of the site include the links below.
European Union Disability Strategy
social/disability/ strategy en.html
EU (Disability Related) Policies
social/disability/ policy en.html
Key Documents (Including Resolutions, Directives, Communications and Council Decisions)
social/index/7003 en.html
Publications
social/index/7002 en.html
European Parliament Fact Sheet 4.8.8.: "Disabled Persons, the Elderly and the Excluded"
8 8 en.htm
This fact sheet offers a useful snapshot of the European Union's and European Parliament's disability initiatives.
International and Comparative Disability Law Web Resource
Numerical designation is from the database organizational scheme.
[*637]
2.2.3 European Parliament
humanrights.asp?sc=329&d=1
The Web Resource links to a selection of additional relevant sources from the European Commission and the European Parliament, including the Parliament's annual reports on human rights.
e. Nordic Council/Nordic Council of Ministers: Major Primary Documents
The Nordic Council members include Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Norway, Greenland, and Aland Islands.
Statutes of the Nordic Council on Disability (in Swedish)
International and Comparative Disability Law Web Resource
Numerical designation is from the database organizational scheme.
2.3 Nordic Council/Nordic Council of Ministers
humanrights.asp?sc=390&d=1
This page points to additional disability related documents of the Nordic Council/Nordic Council of Ministers.
f. Nordic Council/Nordic Council of Ministers: Research Sources
Nordic Cooperation on Disability (NSH)
english.htm
The focus of the region's disability related activity is the Nordic Cooperation on Disability, an institution operating under the Nordic Council of Ministers. Formerly known as the Nordic Committee on Disability (NNH), the NSH is also the secretariat for the Nordic Council on Disability Policy.
The Nordic Council on Disability Policy
english/about.htm
The Nordic Council on Disability is the advisory and policymaking body for the Nordic Council of Ministers and its various bodies and institutions. The Council's members include members of Parliament as well as representatives of NGOs and various ministries.
[*638]
2. Latin America and the Caribbean
a. Organization of American States
i. Overview
The Organization of American States (OAS) was formed by the Charter of the Organization of American States in 1948. There are two major bodies that deal with human rights within the Inter-American system: the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
International Norms and Standards, Part III. The Regional Human Rights System, 2, The Americas
The International Norms and Standards present an overview and discussion of the American disability rights system, with reference to relevant documents.
ii. Major Primary Documents
The American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man
The 1948 American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man was the first human rights treaty, predating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Declaration does not include specific references to disability rights, but Articles 1, 2, 11 and 16 have been interpreted to apply to persons with disabilities.
The American Convention on Human Rights
This American Convention on Human Rights, adopted in 1969, authorized the formation of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. It addresses civil and political rights. There is no reference to specific disability rights, but the Convention contains basic human rights provisions (comparable to the European Convention on the Human Rights) that can be applied to the rights of those with disabilities.
[*639] Additional Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights in the Area of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights ("Protocol of San Salvador")
The Additional Protocol of 1988 addresses cultural, economic, and social rights and specifically refers to disability rights in Articles 6, 9, 10 (2) (f), 10 (2) (a) - (e), and 13.
Panama Commitment to Persons with Disabilities in the American Hemisphere
The Panama Commitment, adopted by the OAS General Assembly in June 1996, called for member states to prepare a draft Convention (see below) and improve services and opportunities for people with disabilities in areas such as health, education, and employment.
Inter-American Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities
The Inter-American Convention of 1999 is the first international instrument with the particular aim of eliminating all forms of discrimination against persons with disabilities and promoting full integration of persons with disabilities into society.
iii. Research Sources
Regional Declarations and Mandates: Rights of Persons with Disability
Inter-American Development Bank, Sustainable Development Department
6989 e.htm
The aim of the disability division is to support the development of socially inclusive policies throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. In addition to providing links to regional declarations and mandates, the site lists a selection of international instruments, national legislation on disability, and human rights observers and advocates.
International and Comparative Disability Law Web Resource
Numerical designations are from the database organizational scheme.
[*640]
3.1 Organization of American States.
3.1.2 Major Treaties and Resolutions
humanrights.asp?sc=359&d=1
The Web Resource provides access to the instruments described above and to additional documents relevant to the protection of human rights in the Americas.
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights monitors and reports on the compliance of member states with the human rights protections found in the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man. It also hears complaints from individuals and non-profit organizations that have been legally recognized by the member states and issues country reports.
Materials on the Commission web site include basic documents and annual reports of the Commission (some annual reports in Spanish only), country reports organized by country, press releases, speeches and news.
b. Caribbean Community (Caricom)
i. Major Primary Documents
Kingston Accord
Kingston accord 2004.htm
Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Ministers with responsibility for disability issues in respective territories agreed on the Kingston Accord resolutions at the First Caribbean Ministerial Meeting on Disability convened in Kingston, Jamaica in May, 2004. The Accord mandated the development of a Plan of Action for Persons with Disabilities, recommended the naming of a Special Rapporteur, recommended the naming of special envoys for disability issues in countries within the region, and called for a meeting of CARICOM ministers every two years to address disability issues.
[*641]
ii. Research Sources
International and Comparative Disability Law Web Resource
Numerical designation is from the database organizational scheme.
5.1 Caribbean Community
humanrights.asp?sc=382&d=1
c. Comunidad Andina (Andean Community)
The Andean Community is a sub-regional organization made up of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, and the bodies and institutions comprising the Andean Integration System (AIS). Its primary goals are to promote economic and social development through regional integration.
i. Major Primary Documents
Andean Charter for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights
andean charter.htm
The Andean Charter was adopted in 2002. Article 48 of the Charter commits member states to "fulfill and enforce fulfillment of the rights and obligations set forth in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons, in other international legal instruments and documents." Article 49 details the specific themes that member states must address towards "improving the promotion and protection of the human rights of persons with disabilities in their respective jurisdictions and in the Andean sphere."
3. Africa: Organization of African Unity (African Union)
a. Overview
International Norms and Standards, Part III. The Regional Human Rights System, 3 Africa
This page offers an overview and discussion of the African [*642] disability rights system, with reference to relevant instruments.
b. Major Primary Documents
The African (Banjul) Charter of Human and Peoples' Rights (African Charter) (PDF)
Banjul%20Charter.pdf
The African Charter, adopted in 1981, is the centerpiece of the human rights system in Africa. The Charter guarantees civil and political rights and authorizes the establishment of the African Commission on Human and People's Rights (African Commission) and the African Court of Human Rights.
Article 18 (4) and Article 16 (1) discuss the rights of peoples' with disabilities.
The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child
documents/ Treaties %20Conventions %20Protocols/A.%20C.%20ON%20THE%20RIGHT% 20AND%20WELF%20OF%20CHILD.pdf#search=%22African%20Charter%20on%20the% 20Rights%20and%20Welfare%20of%20the%20Child%22
The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child was adopted in 1990 to protect the special needs of children. Article 13 addresses the rights of disabled children, institutes special measures of protection, and places a duty on member state governments to provide available resources to support the needs of children with disabilities and those responsible for their care.
African Decade of Disabled Persons (2000-2009)
The Africa Decade of Disabled People (ADDP) is a collaborative initiative of non-profit organizations, member states, and governments of the Organization of African Unity. The purpose of the Decade is to raise awareness and implement a plan of action to promote equalization of opportunities for persons with disabilities in the region.
Secretariat of the African Decade
[*643]
The Secretariat of the African Decade is charged with facilitating the implementation of the Continental Plan of Action to address the rights of the disabled in Africa. The Secretariat's web page links to the Plan of Action and related publications and reports and describes current projects and initiatives relevant to the implementation of the plan.
c. Research Sources
The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights
The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights investigates violations of human rights and collects state reports detailing compliance with the African Charter. It receives complaints or petitions from member states or other parties alleging violations. Individuals, groups, and NGOs may file complaints (after exhausting all available local remedies), regardless of their geographical location; the petitioner need not be the victim of the alleged violation. If investigation reveals abuses, the Commission issues recommendations to the violating state.
In addition to press releases and a calendar of events, the site offers the categories of documents listed below.
. Legal Instruments
. Initial/Periodic State Reports
. Resolutions
. Declarations
. Ratifications
. Conferences
. Activities and Instruments of Special Mechanisms (Special Rapporteurs)
. Serial and Other Publications
Some documents are available in PDF format. It is possible to search the entire site by keyword. Note: some documents use the term "handicapped" rather than "disabled."
[*644] International and Comparative Disability Law Web Resource
Numerical designation is from the database organizational scheme.
4.1 The Organization of African Unity (African Union)
humanrights.asp?sc=372&d=1
The web resource provides access to the major treaties, to the African Commission on Human Rights, and to major disability events, including the Pan-African Conference on the African Decade of Persons with Disabilities and the Disability African Regional Consultative Conference.
4. Asia
1. Overview
International Norms and Standards, Part III. The Regional Human Rights System, 4 Asia
The International Norms and Standards present an overview and discussion of the Asian disability rights system, with reference to relevant meetings and events.
2. Major Primary Documents
Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons (1993-2002)
In April, 1992, the [United Nations] Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), declared the period 1993 to 2002 as the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons. The emphasis of Decade action is the full participation of people with disabilities and inclusion of the disabled in local, regional, and national development programs.
Major documents associated with the Decade are linked from the About Decade section of the website. The included documents are listed below.
ESCAP Resolution on the Asian and Pacific Decade
about.asp#Launching
[*645]
Proclamation and Agenda for Action for the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, 1993-2002
about.asp#Launching
A detailed overview of the Agenda for Action overview may be found on the Decade website at agenda/index.asp.
ESCAP Proclamation on the Full Participation and Equality of People with Disabilities in the Asian and Pacific Region
about.asp#Launching
The 2002 Agenda for Action and the Proclamation on Full Participation concretize the goals of the Decade resolution. They call for commitment from the United Nations, other international organizations, ESCAP member government ministries and departments, and individuals to develop and implement effective disability policy and programs for those with disabilities in the region.
ESCAP Resolution Promoting an Inclusive, Barrier-Free and Rights-Based Society for People with Disabilities in the Asian and Pacific Region in the Twenty-First Century
konyvtar/Projektek/ Vocational Rehabilitiation/instr/escap 002.htm
In May 2002, ESCAP adopted the resolution "Promoting an inclusive, barrier-free and rights-based society for people with disabilities in the Asian and Pacific region in the twenty-first century." The resolution also proclaimed the extension of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, 1993-2002, for another decade, 2003-2012.
BIWAKO Millennium Framework for Action Towards an Inclusive, Barrier-free and Rights-based Society for Persons with Disabilities in Asian and the Pacific
In October 2002, governments attending the Intergovernmental Meeting to Conclude the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons 1993-2002, adopted the "Biwako Millennium Framework for Action towards an Inclusive, Barrier-free and Rights-based Society for Persons [*646] with Disabilities in Asian and the Pacific." The framework forms the region's disability policy for the next decade. The website offers summaries and full-text in HTML and PDF (scroll to the bottom of the screen for links).
3. Research Sources
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Population and Social Integration Section (PSIS): Disability Programme
Disability is one of the key programs of the Population and Social Integration Section (PSIS) of ESCAP. The Section provides technical assistance to ESCAP members and associate members, supports existing national disability programs, assists members in the development of new programs, conducts research, and serves as the focal point for information exchange.
Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons (1993-2002)
This web portal encompasses comprehensive information about the activities and documents of the original Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons.
Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Person (2003-2012)
The website of the new Decade is the gateway for information about meetings, conferences, workshops, and activities of the Working Group on disability concerns, activities associated with the new Decade, and; with disability initiatives in the Asian-Pacific region. It also links to important regional non-profit organizations' websites.
C. National Laws
1. Overview
International Disability Rights Compendium 2003
Available from IDEAnet:
[*647] See:
Part III, Chapter 8: Overview and Comparative Analysis: National Laws Protecting People with Disabilities in Select Foreign Countries
Part III, Chapter 9: Reports on Laws Protecting Rights of People with Disabilities
International Disability Rights Monitor Publications: Regional Reports
The International Disability Rights Monitor (IDRM) regional reports address the status of disability rights in countries within a particular region. The reports consider such areas as legal protections, education, employment, accessibility, and health and housing services for people with disabilities. The reports are compiled by local IDRM researchers in each of the countries evaluated. Researchers can order printed copies of IDRM regional reports or download regional and country reports from the website.
Disability: Regions and Countries (World Bank)
EXTDISABILITY/0,,contentMDK:20192372menuPK:282725pagePK: 148956piPK:216618theSitePK:282699,00.html
The World Bank has developed brief web guides on disability activities in specific regions. Each regional web page includes an introductory statement, links to publications and reports, a selection of country profiles, and a list of related links.
2. Sources for National Laws
International and Comparative Disability Law Web Resource
Organized by region, the website links to a selection of national laws in (official or unofficial) English translation. Numerical designations are from the database organizational scheme.
6. National Laws Pertaining To Disability-Africa
7. National Laws Pertaining To Disability-Asia
[*648]
8. National Laws Pertaining To Disability-Australasia
9. National Laws Pertaining To Disability-Europe
Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF): Country Laws Index
DREDF is a national law and policy center that advocates for global civil rights for the disabled. The Country Laws Index offers national human rights and disability laws in alphabetical order (in HTML). Where no complete English translation is available for texts in French and Spanish, short summaries in English are included.
World Health Organization International Digest of Health Legislation
The International Digest of Health Legislation (IDHL) is an online database of selected national and international health legislation. It replaces a print version that covered the years 1948-1999. Summaries of legislation and constitutional provisions, with source information, are given here in English or mentioned by title. Where available, links to sources that contain the full-texts of the legislation (most often in the original language) are provided beneath the summary.
The database may be searched by country, subject, IDHL volume (Vol. No. 49 (1998)-), IDHL issue (Vol. No. 51, Issue 1 (2000)-), and keyword.
Global Legal Information Network (GLIN)
The Law Library of Congress manages this searchable, public database of laws, regulations, judicial decisions, and other legal sources that were contributed to the library by governmental agencies and international organizations. Full text documents are available only to participating jurisdictions; however, bibliographic information and English summaries are available to the public.
[*649]
D. Case Law
1. Overview
At the time of this writing, there was no comprehensive database or index to international, regional, or foreign case law on disability-related matters. References to case law may be found in relevant secondary source material. Of particular note is Michael Perlin et al., International Human Rights and Comparative Mental Disability Law: Cases and Materials (2006).
Note: Access to Westlaw and Lexis databases require valid username and password.
2. International Case Law
International Court of Justice Decisions (INT - ICJ), 1947, Westlaw
International Court of Justice Decisions, Combined, 1948, Lexis
International Court of Justice Web Site (official)
International Court of Justice (Cornell Law Library mirror site)
Resources/icj.htm
3. Regional Case Law
a. Europe
International and Comparative Disability Law Web Resource
Numerical designation is from the database organizational scheme.
2.4 Case Law in Europe Related to Disability
humanrights.asp?sc=23&d=1
European Human Rights Reports (EHR-RPTS) Westlaw
The current database contains a complete collection of full-text decisions from 1979; there is also a selection of earlier decisions dating from 1960.
[*650] Human Rights Cases (HRIGHT)Lexis
The Lexis database encompasses summaries and transcripts of decisions of the European Court of Human Rights from 1960 and Butterworths Human Rights Cases from 1996. The latter covers landmark decisions from international, European and English courts and tribunals.
CELEX European Union Cases (ECJ) Lexis
The CELEX database, predecessor to EUR-Lex described below, offers full-text, English language decisions from the Court of Justice of the European Communities and the Court of First Instance through December 31, 2004. References to decisions in other languages are also included. Note: The CELEX website was no longer updated after January 1, 2005. For more recent cases, see the new EUR-Lex website below.
EUR-Lex
EUR-Lex is now the official portal for European Union law. It merges the former EUR-Lex site with the CELEX database on European law. Relevant contents at the time of this writing include: recent judgments and orders of the European Court of Justice and the Court of First Instance; case law since 1997 (CURIA database); and, case law from the European Court of Human Rights from 1998.
The "simple" search function is a user-friendly template; search options include searching by court, keyword, time frame, type of procedure, subject matter, or digest classification scheme (e.g., "Prohibition of Discrimination" within European Community cases). Some cases are accompanied by Bibliographic Notices that provide additional information about the case, including references to legal periodicals that discuss the case.
European Court of Human Rights (official)
[*651]
b. Latin America and the Caribbean
Inter-American Court of Human Rights (Official English Version)
Inter-American Court of Human Rights (University of Minnesota)
Inter-American Human Rights Database
Academy on Human Rights & Humanitarian Law
American University, Washington College of Law
The collection includes annual reports, reports on sessions, and special reports of the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights. Scroll to the bottom of the page to locate the keyword search function.
c. Africa
African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights Decisions
University of Minnesota Human Rights Library
Decisions are available in English and are organized alphabetically by case name, by country, and by Article (of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights).
The official African Commission web site () has not entered any decisions as of January 23, 2007.
4. Foreign Case Law
Westlaw contains a selection of non-U.S. case law by region and country, especially for English language common law countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.
Lexis foreign law cases may be found in some individual country's libraries (e.g., United Kingdom cases combined in the United Kingdom/British Isles Library).
[*652] Use the online or print directories to determine if case law is available for a specific jurisdiction.
Note: Case law may also be located on countries' court websites or human rights related websites. For example, a selection of current human rights cases in India may be found on the (Indian) National Human Rights Commission website and on the India Supreme Court website.
E. Disability Rights from a U.S. Foreign Policy Perspective
United States Department of State: Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
The Country Reports on Human Rights Practices are submitted annually by the U.S. Department of State to the U.S. Congress. The reports cover internationally recognized individual, civil, political, and worker rights, as set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This is an annual collection organized by region and country.
National Council on Disability (NCD)
The National Council on Disability (NCD) is an independent federal agency composed of fifteen members. The Council submits recommendations to the President and Congress on issues relating to the rights of the disabled and their families.
The NCD Bulletin (under Newsletter) is available on the website from 1997. Other NCD publications, including reports, are listed by year. The site is also searchable by keyword.
F. Non-Governmental Disability / Human Rights Organizations
1. Overview
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) play a vital role as advocates for the disabled worldwide and are vocal participants in the development of international and regional instruments and legislation that address the rights of the disabled. Many significant NGOs have relationships and even official associative status with intergovernmental organizations such as the United Nations. Many of these organizations engage in significant research and may issue studies, reports, position [*653] papers, and statistical surveys. These publications (as well as bulletins, newsletters, and news) may often be found or cited on the organizations' web sites.
NGOs were among the groups invited to make suggestions and recommendations to the Ad Hoc Committee for consideration in proposals for the new disability convention. Twelve representatives of NGOs (especially organizations of persons with disabilities) served on the Working Group established by the Ad Hoc Committee. The twelve NGOs included: Landmine Survivors Network, the Inter-American Institute on Disability, Disabled Peoples' International, the European Disability Forum, the World Federation of the Deaf Blind, the World Federation of the Deaf, Inclusion International, the World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry, Disability Australia Limited, the World Blind Union, and Rehabilitation International. Links to these organizations' web sites may be found under "Directories" below.
Beijing Declaration on the Rights of People with Disabilities in the New Century
declaration on the right.htm
The Beijing Declaration was adopted on March 12, 2000, at the World NGO Summit by Disabled People's International, Inclusion International, Rehabilitation International, the World Blind Union, and the World Federation of the Deaf, as well as national NGOs. This landmark document was instrumental in providing the impetus for the development of a new convention for people with disabilities.
The Declaration text cited here is from the International Center for Disability Resources on the Internet.
U.N. Enable, Working Group on a Convention
Contributions from the NGOs which participated in the convention process may be found on this website or on individual organization's websites.
2. Directories
International and Comparative Disability Law Web Resource
Numerical designations are from the database organizational scheme.
[*654]
1.8 International Disability and Human Rights Organizations
humanrights.asp?sc=17&d=1
2.4 Non-Profit Organizations and Research Centers on Disability in Europe
humanrights.asp?sc=25&d=1
Non-governmental Organizations Research Guide
Duke University, Perkins Library
The guide offers an introduction to NGOs and lists NGOs by issue, geography, and affiliation (e.g., official affiliate status with an inter-governmental organization such as the United Nations or the International Labour Organization). The site also offers an alphabetical list of NGOs that includes title, subject, continent, country, and IGO affiliation, if any.
II. SUPPORTING RESEARCH SOURCES
A. Reference Sources
1. Terminology
International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (ICF)
The primary purpose of the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning and Health is to provide a standardized language and framework for the description of health and health-related states. It examines health status according to a number of "domains," including changes in body function and structure, level of capacity, and level of performance. Disability is viewed in the context of a spectrum of function rather than as a separate state.
The clarity of the ICF structure is apparent in the organizational presentation of the web site. The classification is easy to navigate, and text can be searched by keyword, with delimiters to title, description, inclusions and exclusions. Of particular value is the "Beginner's Guide" (Towards a Common Language for Functioning, Disability and Health, Geneva, 2002). More than a thorough user's guide, it provides insight [*655] into the prevailing models of disability and functioning and explores the ICF's conceptual basis for its social model of disability assessment.
International Index and Dictionary of Rehabilitation and Social Integration (IIDRSI)
&txtetdef=&lg=an&mode=mu
This compendium and dictionary of rehabilitation terms (from the Rehabilitation and Social Integration Terminology and Computer Laboratory of the Quebec Rehabilitation Institute For Physical Disabilities University Institute) currently includes more than 18,000 entries in English, French, and Spanish from more than forty-five disciplines. Terms and phrases may be searched or browsed alphabetically. Results include the term and a brief definition in all three languages, together with the translation source. Readers may contribute comments to entries. Definitions are minimal but authoritative, and useful for quick translations of rehabilitation-related terms.
2. Bibliographies & Research Guides
a. Disability Rights / Law Focus
Bibliography of Law Review Articles on Disability Law, Professor E. Ann Puckett, University of Georgia Law School
disdb/dynddb.pl
The focus of this bibliography is U.S. law and policy; however, there are a number of citations relevant to the topic of this guide listed under the subtopic, International.
Human Rights Learning Centre Study Guide on the Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities
This online guide by the Human Rights Education Associates offers a concise introduction to, and overview of, international and regional instruments relating to the rights of disabled persons. A timeline of significant events in the disability rights movement and links to advocacy, educational, and training materials add value to this basic [*656] guide on the topic.
b. Human Rights Focus
ASIL Guide to Electronic Resources for International Law: Human Rights , Marci Hoffman
Marci Hoffman, Associate Director of the Law Library at the University of California, Berkeley, has compiled a well-organized and comprehensive guide to research sources and methods in human rights research, with links to primary and secondary source material. For researchers in disability law and policy who are looking for an introduction to international human rights research, this guide will prove invaluable. The focus is on electronic sources.
United Nations Documentation: Research Guide on Human Rights
United Nations, Dag Hammarskjld Library
This succinct web resource points researchers to U.N. human rights documentation found on the website of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. It is organized into sources issuing from charter-based bodies (established from provisions of the Charter of the United Nations) and treaty-based bodies (established from provisions of a specific legal instrument).
University of Minnesota Human Rights Library: Bibliographies and Guides
This expansive resource encompasses electronic bibliographies and research guides on general international human rights as well as specialized resources (e.g., Human Rights in the African Context" and "Human Rights of Women).
c. Disability Statistics - General
United Nations Statistics Division: Human Functioning and Disability
[*657] The U.N. World Programme of Action requested that the United Nations develop systems for the regular collection and dissemination of information on disability. A questionnaire on human functioning and disability statistics was developed based on recommendations and decisions by expert group meetings and the United Nations Statistical Commission. In March 2006, the United Nations Statistics Division began collecting basic statistics on disability.
The website provides available data on human functioning and disability as well as a guide to the standards and methods used. Data sets by country reveal the prevalence of disability by age and sex. Data currency varies by country. In addition, a Disability Statistics Compendium, published in 1990, is available in PDF on the website, as is Disabled Persons and Total Population, in Demographic Yearbook Special Issue: Population Ageing and the Situation of Elderly Persons, 1993.
Washington Group on Disability Statistics
Centers for Disease Control, National Center for Health Statistics
The United Nations Statistical Division authorized the establishment of this City Group to consider issues raised in the 2001 United Nations International Seminar on Measurement of Disability, especially the need for international oversight of statistical methodology.
The website provides access to the working documents of the Washington Group's meetings.
World Bank Data and Statistics on Disability
EXTDISABILITY/0,,contentMDK:20196542menuPK:282717pagePK: 148956piPK:216618theSitePK:282699,00.html
The World Bank is engaged in improving the methodology for measuring disability statistics. The Data and Statistics on Disability website provides information about its activities in this area, and links to statistics, statistical reports, and publications containing disability data within the context of development under the topics of education, gender, health, nutrition, and population. The site also links to other [*658] sources for development related statistics, including the excellent "Development Data & Statistics," a web guide from the Development Gateway Foundation to national and international organizations that offer statistical data on their websites.
World Health Organization Statistical Information System (WHOSIS)
The WHOSIS collects and summarizes quantitative health-related data through its country offices, regional offices, and headquarter departments. The site provides statistical tables by Core Health Indicators (a list of indicators, with definitions, is available on the website) on Mortality & Health Status, Disease Statistics, Health System Statistics, Risk Factors, and Inequities in Health.
Disease Statistics include data reports on mental health. The disability statistics cited here refer to the United Nations Disability web page addressed above.
d. Disability Statistics - Specific Regions and Topics
Inter-American Development Bank Data on Disability
6215 e.htm
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) facilitates assessment of disability statistics for countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. The web site provides a summary of disability prevalence in the region (by country) and provides access to presentations and reports from IDB disability seminars (some reports are in Spanish or Portuguese only).
The IDB has also been active in efforts to harmonize disability definitions among countries in the region.
UNICEF Statistics: Child Disability
UNICEF developed the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) measurement system to assist countries in assessing progress on stated goals, particularly in regard to women and children. These household surveys are conducted by government organizations and supported by UNICEF and other partners.
[*659] The statistical tables available on the website are from the second round of the MICS survey (1999-2001), which included an optional module on children's disabilities. Data is available from the following responding countries: Cameroon, Iraq, Jamaica, Lesotho, Madagascar, Suriname, and Sao Tome and Principe. Statistics are organized under the headings of Disability Prevalence, Differentials in Disability, and Disability in Child Development.
In addition to the tables and graphs, the web site describes the MICS methodology, links to the full-text of related UNICEF documents (in PDF), and cites to related articles and papers, some of which are linked to the full-text publications.
e. Library of Congress Subject Headings
The following Library of Congress Subject Headings can be used to search for resources in library catalogs, and may prove helpful when constructing queries on internet search engines, in databases, or in journal indexes.
People with disabilities (add country or region)
Examples:
People with disabilities Asia
People with disabilities Canada
OR add any of the following terms to People with Disabilities
(Terms can be further subdivided by descriptors such as "Case Studies, Digest, History, Statistics, Handbooks, manuals, etc.: e.g., "People with Disabilities Attitudes Case Studies.")
Attitudes
Care
Civil Rights
Classification (with/without country or region)
Congresses (i.e., conferences: with/without country or region)
Developing Countries
Developing Countries Family Relationships
[*660]
Education
Education Cross Cultural Studies
Education Law and Legislation
Employment
Employment Government Policy
Employment Law and Legislation
Family Relationships
Functional Assessment
Government Policy
Institutional Care
Legal Status, Laws, etc.
Legal Status, Laws, etc. (add descriptor, e.g., International Cooperation)
Long Term Care
Medical Care
Mental Health
Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation Developing Countries
Research
Services for
Transportation
Women
Women Attitudes
Women Health and Hygiene
Women Social Conditions
People with disabilities and (add descriptive noun)
Examples:
People with disabilities and computers
[*661]
People with disabilities and architecture
People with mental disabilities
People with social disabilities
People with visual disabilities
Children with disabilities
Children with mental disabilities
Disability studies (add descriptor, region or country, especially "history" and "country", e.g., Disability studies France History)
Discrimination against people with disabilities
See especially:
Discrimination against people with disabilities Government policy (add region or country)
Discrimination against people with disabilities Law and legislation (add region or country)
Sociology of disability
Women with disabilities
B. Selection of Texts and Treatises
1. General
The Discourse of Human Dignity (Regina Ammicht-Quinn et al. eds., SCM-Canterbury Press 2003).
Disability Rights (Peter Blanck ed., Ashgate, 2005).
Disability Rights Law and Policy: International and National Perspectives (Mary Lou Breslin & Silvia Yee eds., Transnational Publishers 2002), available at,
Human Rights and Disabled Persons: Essays and Relevant Human Rights Instruments (Theresia Degener & Yolan Koster-Dreese eds., Martinus Nijhoff 1995).
H. J. M. Desai, Human Rights of the Disabled: Based on the [*662] United Nations Instruments on Human Rights (National Association for the Blind 1990).
Leandro Despouy, Human Rights and Disabled Persons (United Nations, 1993).
Diane Driedger, The Last Civil Rights Movement: Disabled Peoples' International (St. Martin's Press 1989).
Disability, Divers-Ability, and Legal Change (Melinda Jones & Lee Ann Basser Markes eds., Kluwer Law International 1999).
Gerard Quinn et al., Disability Discrimination Law in the United States, Australia, and Canada (Oak Tree Press 1993).
Gerard Quinn et al., Human Rights and Disability: The Current Use and Future Potential of United Nations Human Rights Instruments in the Context of Disability (United Nations, 2002).
2. Children/Families
Alan Gartner et al., Supporting Families with a Child with a Disability: An International Outlook (Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. 1991).
Human Rights - Disability - Children: Towards International Instruments for Disability Rights: The Special Case of Disabled Children, Proceedings of the Conference (Council of Europe 2004).
Families Speak Out: International Perspectives on Families' Experiences of Disability (Helle Mittler ed., Brookline Books 1995).
Geraldine Van Bueren, The International Law on the Rights of the Child (Kluwer 1995).
3. Education
Felicity Armstrong & Len Barton, Disability, Human Rights and Education: Cross Cultural Perspectives (Open University Press 1999).
Education and Disability in Cross-Cultural Perspective (Susan [*663] J. Peters, ed., Garland 1993).
4. Employment
Brian Doyle, Disability, Discrimination, and Equal Opportunities: A Comparative Study of the Employment Rights of Disabled Persons (Cassell Academic 1995).
Achieving Equal Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities through Legislation: Guidelines (International Labour Office 2004).
5. Europe
Disability Rights in Europe: From Theory to Practice (Anna Lawson & Caroline Gooding eds., Hart 2005).
6. Mental Health
Kate Diesfeld & Ian R Freckelton, Involuntary Detention and Therapeutic Jurisprudence: International Perspectives on Civil Commitment (Ashgate 2003).
Aaron A. Dhir, Human Rights Treaty Drafting through the Lens of Mental Disability: the Proposed International Convention on Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities (Cornell Law School LLM Papers Series 2004), available at lps
The Human Rights of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities: Different But Equal (Stanley S. Herr et al. eds., Oxford University Press, 2003).
Human Rights and Mental Health Series (Mental Disability Rights International 2003), available at (last visited Jan. 3, 2007).
Michael L. Perlin et al., International Human Rights and Comparative Mental Disability Law: Cases and Materials (Carolina Academic Press, 2006).
[*664]
7. Women
Gwyneth Ferguson Matthews, Voices from the Shadows: Women with Disabilities Speak Out (Women's Educational Press 1983).
Caroline Sweetman, Women and Rights (Oxfam, 1995).
Women's Health, Women's Rights: Perspectives on Global Health Issues (Vijay Agnew ed., Centre for Feminist Research 2003).
C. Selection of Journals
1. Journals: International Disability
Disability & Society (formerly Disability, Handicap & Society)
7 issues per year
v. 9 (1994-)
Disability and Society is a peer-reviewed, international journal that provides a forum for debate on how society views and manages disability. In addition to the professional articles, the Journal offers consumers of services an opportunity to express their views.
Continued from:
Disability, Handicap & Society
Quarterly
v. 1 (1986) - v. 8 (1993)
Disability Studies Quarterly (Online)
Quarterly
v. 20, no. 4 (Fall 2000-)
Disability Studies Quarterly (DSQ), the Journal for the Society for Disability Studies, is a multi-disciplinary, international journal that incorporates perspectives from a broad spectrum of disciplines, including the arts, humanities, and social sciences. DSQ offers both peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed articles.
The Journal has undergone a number of iterations since its [*665] inception in 1982. For a descriptive history of the DSQ, see the history section of the Journal's web site.
Continued from:
Disability Studies Quarterly
Quarterly
v. 5, no.4 (Fall 1985-) - v. 20, no. 4 (Fall 2000)
Disability and Chronic Disease Quarterly
Quarterly
v. 4, no. 2 (Apr. 1984) - v. 5, no. 3 (Summer 1985)
Disability World
v. 1 (March 2000-)
Bimonthly
Disability World is a bimonthly web-zine of international disability news and views. It is the centerpiece of Ideas for the New Millennium, a five-year project of the World Institute on Disability (WID), which was funded in 1999 by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. The site is searchable.
International Journal of Disability, Development and Education (IJDDE)
v. 36 (1989-)
Quarterly
The IJDDE, published by the University of Queensland Press for the Fred and Eleanor Schonell Special Education Research Centre, is an international, multidisciplinary peer-reviewed journal that focuses on education and development of persons with disabilities. The Journal reflects perspectives about disability in the context of education, special education, psychology, allied health, social work, and psychiatry.
Journal of Disability Policy Studies
v. 1, no. 1 (Spring 1990-)
Quarterly
The Journal, published by the Department of Rehabilitation Education and Research at the University of Arkansas, addresses evolving issues in law, policy, and ethics as they apply to persons with [*666] disabilities. Special journal issues present in-depth analysis and commentary on particular topics of current interest (e.g., end-of-life concerns for individuals with disabilities). Articles deal primarily with U.S. law, but some comparative and international topics are also covered.
Review of Disability Studies (RDS)
v. 1, no. 1 (2004-)
Quarterly
Founded by the Center on Disability Studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, the RDS publishes an eclectic combination of scholarly articles, essays, artistic works, and book reviews on international issues relating to the experience and study of the culture of disability.
2. Journals: Human Rights
University of Minnesota Human Rights Library: Electronic Publications
There are many journals devoted to human rights issues that encompass topics relating to disability. The University of Minnesota provides an extensive list of links to electronic publications in the field.
D. Internet Databases
Database of International Rehabilitation Research
Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and Exchange (CIRRIE)
CIRRIE is a searchable database at the University of Buffalo which indexes more than 5000 sources, some of which include abstracts or links to the full-text. The search function is flexible, and allows users to select broad, narrow or related search terms from a detailed thesaurus, and to specify geographical region, language, or year of publication.
[*667] GLADNET
Cornell University International Labor Relations School
GLADNET, part of the Digital Commons project at Cornell's International Labor Relations School, is a collection of reports, government documents, and descriptions of projects that address employment training for persons with disabilities. Documents date from 1955 to the present. There is a simple keyword and author search function, or researchers may browse by year. For each document entry, GLADNET provides a suggested citation, an abstract, and a link to the full-text of the document.
National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC) Databases
There are currently more than 70,000 items listed in three databases, some addressing international, and national disability related information. Researchers can search all databases concurrently or can search any of the individual databases below.
REHABDATA indexes and abstracts books, reports, articles, and audiovisual materials relating to disability and rehabilitation research. Abstracts include bibliographic information, a 250-word abstract, and information regarding the project that produced the document. The index covers research from 1956 to the present.
NIDRR Project Database collects data on projects funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). Records in the database include institutional and contact information, funding data, and an abstract of project goals and activities. The database includes projects funded from 1993 to the present.
The NARIC Knowledgebase includes agencies and organizations, directories, databases, journals and other periodicals, as well as online resources.
Source Resource Library
International Information Support Centre
library.htm
[*668] Source is a collaborative venture of the Centre for International Child Health (CICH); Healthlink Worldwide, a health and disability NGO; Handicap International, a disability and development NGO; and Exchange, a networking and learning program on health communications for development.
The Resource Library contains bibliographic information about subjects relating to international health and disability, including references to books, reports, websites, organizations, newsletters and more. Researchers can search the entire database or browse by topic.
Global Legal and Policy Resources
International Center for Disability Resources on the Internet (ICDR)
legal resources. htm
ICDR is a public policy center started in 1998 to facilitate access to disability related Internet resources. The Global Legal and Policy Resources section of the site offers a somewhat random collection of links (submissions may be made by outside contributors) to papers, case law, news and laws addressing people with disabilities. Links are organized by country, and the site is searchable. Most links are unannotated. This site is a useful repository of materials, not all of which may be located in the better known academic or government sources.
Electronic Information System for International Law (EISIL): International
Human Rights -Disabled Persons
pages&cat=203
EISIL, a project of the American Society for International Law, is a searchable database of primary source documents and web sites organized by broad subject areas. Entries include authoritative descriptive information for each resource and link.
Human Rights Documents and Materials
University of Minnesota Human Rights Library
[*669] The Human Rights Library is a searchable database of more than 23,000 human rights documents. You can search the entire database or browse under Disabled Persons or related topics. The library provides complete citations for documents indexed.
RAVE
RAVE, published by the Law Faculty of the Heinrich Heine University at Duesseldorf, is a database of citations in English, French, and German to recent decisions and articles on public international law as well as European law since 1995. RAVE provides links to the full-text of articles, where available.
E. News and Current Awareness
In addition to the selection of sources below, researchers are encouraged to consult relevant non-profit organizations' web site for news and updates about disability related activities for a specific country, region or topic.
News Amnesty
Amnesty International (AI)
Amnesty International reports on global human rights issues, including disability. The news section consists of press releases reported by AI staff. The entire news site can be searched, or researchers can browse or search by region. A useful feature of the site is the collection of links to related news stories and documents.
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: News Stories
In addition to updates on the new convention, this source links to recent disability related news stories appearing on the U.N. News Service, U.N. Radio, and official U.N. press releases. News stories are organized in reverse chronological order under each format category.
Disability Law Blog
[*670] The blog offers periodic updates on cases, news, and scholarship dealing with disability law. The focus is on U.S. law, but there are occasional posts on legal developments in other jurisdictions and on global disability issues.
Human Rights Watch
The most current and most requested news releases, which consist of press releases issued by the organization, may be viewed from the Human Rights Watch home page. All news releases appear in chronological order on the News Releases page. In addition, researchers may locate recent news by country, region, or topic. The list of global issues does not include disability, but researchers can locate disability related news under a variety of related subjects, including, but not limited to: Children's Rights; Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; International Justice; Labor and Human Rights; Torture and Abuse; United Nations; and Women's Rights.
International Disability News Ticker
The International Disability News Ticker, sponsored by AbilityInfo, is a clipping service of recent disability related news items from global sources available on the open Internet. Researchers may browse by date or by region, and RSS feeds are available.
European Disability Forum News
The European Disability Forum (EDF) news page offers a chronological collection of EDF press releases beginning in 2000. Content focuses on recent activities of the European Union and its entities.
Journal of Disability Law (SSRN)
issues/915926 CMBO.html
(description)
(login)
[*671] This SSRN journal addresses legal issues, legislation, and policy in the U.S. and in other societies throughout the world. It is sponsored by the Syracuse University College of Law Disability Law and Policy Program of the Syracuse University Center on Human Policy, Law, and Disability Studies.
United Nations Chronicle Online
This online edition of the print journal offers current news and articles on a wide range of U.N. activities. The site is searchable by theme (e.g., Human Rights) or keyword. Search results appear in relevance order and can be sorted by date. An annual archive of selected material from the print journal dates from 1997.
United Nations DESA News
The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs' Communications and Information Management Service produces this bi-monthly newsletter on United Nations activities in the areas of economic and social development policy. In addition to the feature articles written by DESA staff, the newsletter includes sections on: global dialogue on development; trends and analysis; technical cooperation; departmental activities; and a calendar of relevant United Nations events. The archive of previous issues date from 1997. In addition, the Journal's predecessor, Kiosk Online, is available on the website from October/November, 1995.
United Nations News Centre
The News Centre is the United Nations media gateway, offering access to articles, press releases, briefings and statements, multimedia resources, and news magazines. News items can be searched by date, topic, region, or keyword. Researchers should note that the news magazines are not included in the news search results.
Legal Topics:
For related research and practice materials, see the following legal topics:
Environmental LawNatural Resources & Public LandsEndangered Species ActSpecies ListsInternational LawSovereign States & IndividualsHuman RightsGeneral OverviewInternational Trade LawGeneral Overview
................
................
In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.
To fulfill the demand for quickly locating and searching documents.
It is intelligent file search solution for home and business.
Related searches
- office web app server 2016
- office web apps server 2019
- office web apps server download
- uw engineering areas of impact
- uw academic calendar 2018 19
- uw madison academic calendar 2019 20
- uw human resources
- uw hire
- uw madison graduation 2021
- uw academic calendar seattle
- uw madison winter break 2019
- when does uw madison start school