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UN Secretary-General Ban hails entry into force of treaty on disability rights

04 April 2008 16:29 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Mahbube Gasimbeyli-APA. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the entry into force of the first international treaty on the human rights of persons with disabilities, after the required twentieth country ratified the landmark convention today.
â€œIt is a historic moment in our quest for realization of the universal human rights for ALL persons, creating a fully inclusive society for all,â€ Mr. Banâ€™s spokesperson Marie Okabe said in a statement celebrating the rapid progress of the Convention on the rights of Persons with Disabilities, which was adopted in December 2006, UN Office in Azerbaijan told APA.
Through todayâ€™s statement, the Secretary-General also congratulated the States that have ratified or acceded to the Convention. Some 126 countries have signed the Convention since 30 March 2007, and 71 have signed the optional protocol. â€œIt is estimated that there are at least 650 million persons with disabilities worldwide, of whom approximately 80 percent live in less developed countries,â€ Ms. Okabe noted.