UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD Committee) is composed of 18 members and half of them will be elected in 2016. National governments can make nominations for the elections that will be held at the Conference of States Parties to the CRPD (COSP) in New York, USA, in 2016.

A majority of members of the CRPD Committee are persons with disabilities but so far there has been no deaf member. The WFD would like to see deaf experts as members of the CRPD Committee.

The CRPD Committee reviews state reports on the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), holds interactive dialogues with governments and consults organisations of persons with disabilities before making recommendations for states parties to ensure the implementation of the CRPD at the national level. The CRPD Committee reviews individual communications according to the Optional Protocol of the CRPD and makes general comments on the interpretation and the meaning of the CRPD. The CRPD Committee meets twice a year in Geneva, Switzerland, for sessions of a couple of weeks.

As the COSP and the elections in 2016 is approaching, the WFD would like to request you to identify suitable deaf candidates in your countries and start lobbying for her or his nomination at the national level.
A good candidate is familiar with the CRPD, deaf and disability issues. She or he should have experience and expertise in disability issues.

If you know a suitable person who could become a candidate to the elections in 2016, please start advocating for her or his nomination in your country.

The WFD would like to know about possible deaf candidates. If you have such information or any question about candidacy, please contact WFD Human Rights Officer Ms Elena Down at elena.down@wfd.fi