The following letter was sent to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton by APHA Executive Director Georges Benjamin supporting the signing and ratifying of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of persons with Disabilities (CRPD) initiative. The APHA Disability and International Health Sections Advocacy Committee was extremely appreciative of the leadership and collaborative advocacy effort between APHA’s Disability Section led by Suzanne McDermott and the International Health Section’s advocacy committee led by Jirair Ratevosian combined with the facilitative work of the Association’s governmental relations staff member Nicky Bassford. The Disability and International Health Section Advocacy Committee also appreciated the efforts of Don Lollar of the CDC, past chair of the Disability section, for sharing in their vision to bring this policy issue forward for APHA's action as well as acknowledge Jeff Rosen who provided us with consultation as he works diligently in the CRPD advocacy effort both in the United States and internationally.
March 31, 2009
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520
Dear Secretary Clinton:
On behalf of the American Public Health Association (APHA), I write in support of signing and ratifying the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and clearly stating our commitment to the 54 million Americans and 650 million persons globally who have disabilities affecting their full societal inclusion in education, health care, employment, and public and private life. Founded in 1872, APHA is the oldest and most diverse organization of public health professionals and advocates in the world dedicated to promoting and protecting the health of the public and our communities.
The Convention is the first human rights treaty of the 21st century and the U.N. opened the Convention for signatures on March 30, 2007. Since then, 137 nations have signed the treaty indicating their intent to ratify and 50 nations have ratified the treaty. The United Nations estimates that when broadly implemented, the Convention will help one quarter of the world’s population because its benefits will flow to both children and adults with disabilities—the ‘poorest of the poor’— as well as to their families.
A recent study commissioned by the National Council on Disability found that the aims of the CRPD are consistent with U.S. disability law and several segments of the treaty were inspired by our substantive disability rights movement. Ratification of the CRPD would reaffirm our commitment to fully implementing U.S. disability law and ensuring that children and adults with disabilities receive the health care, education and training, transportation, and other social services needed to live independently in integrated communities and participate fully in all aspects of life. Additionally, signing and ratifying the CRPD is an opportunity for the U.S. to share best practices with the other nations and identify legal frameworks, capacity building, and reforms that could better address the quality of life, supported decision‐making and high unemployment rate among persons with disabilities nationally and globally.
We strongly urge the U.S. to join the 50 developed and developing nations that have already ratified the CRPD and demonstrate our clear support for the principles of this landmark civil rights treaty. We look forward to working with you on this and other important public health issues this year.
Sincerely,
Georges C. Benjamin, MD, FACP, FACEP (Emeritus)
Executive Director