Preparation of parallel reports

DPOs are encouraged to prepare parallel reports on the implementation of the CRPD at national level in order for the Committee to effectively monitor the implementation of the CRPD in a country. DPOs are encouraged to establish or strengthen national CRPD coalitions and to produce a parallel report on the basis of consultations and input received from members of the coalition.

A comprehensive parallel report should cover all the articles of the CRPD, identify gaps, highlight key areas of concern and make concrete recommendations for change.

State Parties often provide a legalistic picture as to the situation in the country and it is often up to civil society and other independent monitoring bodies to provide information on the actual implementation of this legislation. DPO reports should complement, not repeat the information provided in the State Party report.

Coalitions: The national CRPD coalition should be led by a wide range of disability constituencies. The submission of a parallel report by a DPO-led coalition of civil society organizations allows for a more effective monitoring of the CRPD due to specialist knowledge of the organizations, the variety of points of view provided and the ability to present a comprehensive picture of the situation.

The parallel report should also be circulated widely at national level in order to raise the awareness of the general public and the media about the rights of persons with disabilities.

Covering comprehensive reports: While DPOs might choose to write a parallel report which only focuses on a number of key elements, it is preferable to produce a parallel report which covers the whole spectrum of the CRPD. When writing the parallel report, the articles in the CRPD should be read in combination with each other as they are interrelated. In particular, Articles 1-9 apply transversally to all the articles that relate to specific rights (articles 10-30).

Reporting guidelines: States are supposed to follow the Reporting Guidelines adopted by the CRPD Committee when preparing their reports. Often, States will answer only some of the issues included in the Reporting Guidelines, mainly focusing on what the State has done and ignoring what has not been done. The Reporting Guidelines are therefore a useful checklist for parallel reports as a means of identifying for the CRPD Committee the main shortcomings in the implementation of the CRPD.