Implementation of the UN Convention

How to make sure government policies comply with the UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled People

What does implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled People mean for UK government?

UK government departments must consider the Convention when developing new policies and programmes. If policies are being changed or new ones are being developed they must be considered against the Convention. However, departments should realise the Convention is a complex document and legal advice may be needed to interpret parts of it.

Some articles are owned by more than one government department so they will need to work together to coordinate some policy responses.

How can government departments ensure their policies comply with the UN Convention?

Government officials must think about what their policy is trying to achieve and how it may affect disabled people. The best way to do this is to ensure disabled people are involved in this process. If disabled people or others identify a gap or a problem where they think Convention rights are not met, the department must consider the problem and how it might be overcome.

The Office for Disability Issues (ODI) engages with disabled people in a variety of ways, including through the Network of Networks pilot project. This aims to develop a mechanism by which government departments can engage easily with a network of disabled people’s organisations to get their views on issues that may affect disabled people.

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Page last reviewed: 24 November 2011