The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is an international human rights instrument of the United Nations which protects the rights and promotes equality of persons with disabilities. The CRPD also sets a framework for Deaf people’s rights, filling an important gap in international human rights legislation. The Convention mentions sign language seven times in five different articles.

These articles are:

  • Article 2 – Definition
  • Article 9 – Accessibility
  • Article 21 – Freedom of expression and opinion, and access to information
  • Article 24 – Education
  • Article 30 – Participation in cultural life, recreation, leisure and sport

What does the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (United Nations) mean to you?

There is an excellent resource in ASL and LSQ. This resource is made possible by ARCH, A Legal Resource Centre for Persons with Disabilities in Ontario. It has both ASL and LSQ, and a typed-up script that follows the information in the video, for the option of reading it instead. This is a brief overview of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and what it means for Canadians.

Please click on the link here: https://archdisabilitylaw.ca/resource/factsheet-the-crpd-and-the-optional-protocol/

What is the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)? The CRPD was passed by the United Nations in 2006. It is an international law that aims to remove barriers within each member country, as the CRPD cannot apply within a country unless that country’s government votes to incorporate the CRPD into its national law. Canada adopted the CRPD in 2010. This video informs you of how the CRPD ensures that Canadians can expect to see Canadian laws be consistent with the principles of CRPD and also to submit complaints to the United Nations if all legal avenues within Canada have been exhausted.

For more information on CRPD, visit: