Statement - Greece ID with SR on the rights of Persons with Disabilities (HRC res 26/20) Item 3. 11 March 2015

Thank you Mr President.

Greece aligns itself with the statement delivered by the European Union.

We would like to congratulate Mrs Catalina Devandas for her recent appointment as Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and express our appreciation for her first report. Additionally, we would like to express our strong support to this thematic mandate.

We commend the methods of work described in the report as well as the initial steps taken by Ms Devandas towards collaboration with other UN mandate holders and stakeholders for the promotion and protection of rights of persons with disabilities. We fully subscribe to the view that the protection of these rights can be better achieved by promoting the role of persons with disabilities both as agents and beneficiaries of development and by fostering national efforts.

Greece ratified a few years ago, the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as well as the Optional protocol to the Convention and we invite all States to do so.

The Greek Constitution ensures equality of all persons before the law, promotes the participation of persons with disabilities in the social, economic and political life of the country and establishes a framework towards the elimination of any form of discrimination especially against women.

We would like to address the following question to Special Rapporteur :

In your report, you refer to the great importance of the work of Treaty Bodies and their jurisprudence and you express your full support and availability to collaborate with these mechanisms, in particular with the Committee on the Rights of persons with disabilities. Would you be able to elaborate further on how you envisage to promote in practice this collaboration?

We would like to wish to Ms Devandas, success in this challenging mandate.

Thank you Mr President.