Disability and Human Rights

All persons with disabilities face discrimination and barriers that restrict them from participating in society on an equal basis with others every day.  UN Human Rights has a mandate to ensure the protection and promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities, as set out in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and their inclusion across the three pillars of work of the United Nations. The Office also assists the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities in their mandates, and builds capacity of States to implement the Convention.

Our work on Disability and Human Rights

OHCHR and UNESCO Contribution to European Commission’s call for evidence on the European Arctic Policy

Key Takeaways: THE EU RETURN REGULATION: REFORM AND INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS OBLIGATIONS

Safeguarding human rights in simplification - EU’s Omnibus VI Package on Chemicals

OHCHR input to EU Public Consultation - Enhancing the Strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities up to 2030

OHCHR Contribution to the European Commission's call for evidence for the forthcoming European Ocean Act

Key messages a new legally binding instrument on the rights of older persons

OHCHR Europe's Contribution to the European Commission's call for evidence on Public Participation and Better Regulation

Transnational Repression Expert Workshop’s Key Takeaways

Transnational Repression: Mapping Trends and Improving Responses - Expert Workshop Key takeaways

Key Messages: Expert Roundtable on the EU’s Facilitation Directive: An opportunity to rethink EU Counter-smuggling responses

2025-10 UN Human Rights UN-Habitat Joint Submission on the European Affordable Housing Plan

Advocating for a Human Rights-Based EU Anti-Poverty Strategy

An EU Anti-Poverty Strategy grounded in human rights - Input to the EU public consultation

Key messages: Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on Human Rights Defenders Mobility and Protection in the EU

Don't miss our next conference on Racism and Health!

Join the European regional launch of the Second International Decade for People of African Descent!

Key messages: Panel discussion on “safeguarding human rights in simplification: the EU’s proposal to amend the CSDDD” (23 September 2025)

HUMAN RIGHTS AS GUIDING COMPASS FOR EU SOCIAL POLICY

20250910 Input - Consultation EPSR UN Human Rights

EU CONSULTATION ON THE NEXT GENDER EQUALITY STRATEGY

OHCHR Shares Recommendations For The Next EU Anti-Racism Strategy

Recommendations 2026-2030 EU Anti-racism Strategy

OHCHR submits findings to support the upcoming EU LGBTIQ+ strategy

Review of EU Member States by United Nations Human Rights Mechanisms in the Area of LGBTIQ+ Rights

SUMMARY: The state of water and human rights in the EU27: a human rights-based approach to water resilience

The state of water and human rights in the EU27: a human rights-based approach to water resilience

OHCHR Raises Concerns over “Omnibus” Proposal That Risks Undermining EU Corporate Sustainability Directive

OHCHR Commentary on the Omnibus Proposal

European Added Value: The EU Multi-Annual Financial Framework Post-2020. A Tool to Close Human Rights Gaps in Europe?

OHCHR Key Messages for the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development

Ocean and human rights in the European Union

OHCHR’s contribution to the EU Public Procurement Directives evaluation

Response to the European Commission consultation on draft act on researcher access to data under the EU Digital Services Act

JOINING FORCES TO BETTER SUPPORT AND PROTECT ENVIRONMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS (EHRDS) IN EUROPE:

Towards a European Forum for Environmental Human Rights Defenders

Distress at sea: a call for a humanitarian and precautionary approach

« Care and support is about human rights »

2025 UN Human Rights Minorities Fellowship Programme opens for applications

EU receives key consultative report on the right to health for People of African Descent for upcoming action plan

Consultation Report and Recommendations for the post-2025 EU ARAP

The Right to Health of People of African Descent: Addressing Racism and Health Inequities

Joint statement on the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive by OHCHR, UNDP, UNEP, UNFPA, UNICEF and UNOPS

Protecting and expanding civic space in the EU and beyond

Dignity for All: Realizing Social Rights in the EU

OHCHR observations: EU returns proposal

Regional Dialogue on the Right to a Clean, Healthy and Sustainable environment

International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade & its Abolition

Guidance to respect children’s rights in return policies and practices

Ending the immigration detention of children in the EU

Promising local practices for the right to health for migrants

Human Rights of Older Persons in Europe

Advocacy Brief on Roma Inclusion Policies

The role of the United Nations in advancing Roma inclusion

The Rights of Vulnerable Children under the Age of Three - ending their placement in institutional care

Judicial Implementation of Article 3 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in Europe - the case of migrant children including unaccompanied children

Getting a Life - Living Independently and Being Included in the Community

Forgotten Europeans - Forgotten Rights, the human rights of persons placed in institutions

Rights of Migrant Workers in Europe

Rights of Domestic Migrant Workers in Europe

European Platform on Combating Homelessness: The way forward on homelessness in the EU

Protecting safety of journalists, media freedom and pluralism: stakeholders invited to share their views

The EU Multi-Annual Financial Framework Post-2020: A Tool to Close Human Rights Gaps in Europe?

Will the EU Multi-Annual Financial Framework Post-2020 (MFF) be used to close human rights gaps in Europe?

States and UN discuss recommendations concerning rights of migrants

Prague Pride defies homophobic statements of Czech President

Forgotten Europeans – Forgotten Rights: Human Rights of persons in institutional care

Promoting and protecting the rights of persons with disabilities is a long-standing priority of the UN Human Rights EU Office. The EU’s 2010 ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), alongside its Member States, marked a major shift in recognising persons with disabilities as rights‑holders in Europe. It has driven EU action to advance the CRPD’s objectives both internally and externally, making the EU the only regional organisation worldwide to ratify the Convention and a global leader in disability rights. As party to the CRPD party, the EU has committed to actively advance the CRPD’s goals while avoiding actions that could undermine human rights. Drawing from recommendations by the UN Human Rights mechanisms, we engage closely with EU institutions, UN partners, civil society organizations and National Human Rights Institutes to help realize the rights of persons with disabilities.

Our work in this area focuses on the following priorities:

Leveraging EU funds to implement the CRPD.

Promoting independent living and community inclusion.