Commission for Social Development approves draft resolutions related to improving the lives of persons with disabilities
25 February 2005 - The Commission for Social Development of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) approved two draft resolutions related to persons with disabilities. The first, Further promotion of equalization of opportunities by, for and with persons with disabilities and protection of their human rights (E/CN.5/2005/L.3), requests that ECOSOC renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Disability through 31 December 2008 to ensure a more wide-spread promotion of the use of the UN Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities. It also requests the UN Secretary-General to strengthen information exchange and the active participation of relevant UN bodies and other organizations. The second, Comprehensive and integral international convention to protect and promote the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities (E/CN.5/2005/L.4), requests ECOSOC to welcome the important progress achieved so far in the negotiation of a draft convention and invite Member States to participate actively and constructively in finalizing the draft convention as a matter of priority. Once finalized the draft will be presented to the UN General Assembly for adoption.