EUD has produced a DVD titled 'Guide to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities' 

The DVD will explain the reason for the Disability Convention and highlights the articles that covered Sign Language.

The DVD will also clarify the difference between Signing and Ratification of the Disability Convention. And also advise you how to be an effective advocate for the ratification of the Disability Convention including moblising support with various partners. The DVD will also clarify the meaning of ‘Entering into Force’.

The DVD is in International Sign and English.

DVD will cost 10€ plus postal costs. To order the DVD, please fill in the form below:

Email will be sent to you with instructions for payment.

The DVD covered the following Articles which contained or relevant to sign language:

Article 1 (Purpose)

- the purpose of the CRPD is to "promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity." The article also includes a brief but broad list of the types of persons with disabilities who are covered by the Convention. This is a ‘non-exhaustive' list, meaning that there are no restrictions on the Convention being applied to additional persons with disabilities, e.g. those with temporary or intermittent disabilities.

Article 2 (Definitions)

- provides definitions for the following terms: "communication," "language," "discrimination on the basis of disability," "reasonable accommodation," and "universal design." "Communication" includes spoken and signed languages, display of text, and Braille, and tactile communication, large print, written, audio, accessible multimedia, plain language, human reader and augmentative and alternative modes, means and formats of communication, including accessible information and communication technology; "Language" includes spoken and signed languages and other forms of non-spoken languages.

Article 3 (General Principles)

- sets forth eight important principles that should be applied in the interpretation and implementation of all the other articles. They are:
a) Respect for inherent dignity, individual autonomy including the freedom to make one's own choices, and independence of persons.
b) Non-discrimination;
c) Full and effective participation and inclusion in society;
d) Respect for difference and acceptance of persons with disabilities as part of human diversity and humanity;
e) Equality of opportunity;
f) Accessibility;
g) Equality between men and women;
h) Respect for evolving capacities of children with disabilities and respect for the right of children with disabilities to preserve their identities.

Article 9 (Accessibility)

- obligates States Parties to take appropriate measures to ensure access to persons with disabilities, on an equal basis with others, to the physical environment, transportation, information and communications, and "other facilities and services open or provided to the public, both in urban and in rural areas." Specifically, it provides forms of live assistance and intermediaries, including guides, readers, and professional sign language interpreters, to facilitate accessibility to builds and other facilities open to the public.
9E - it is an equal privilege for person with disability to acknowledge the rights to access to public services such as transportation, schools, hospital, housing, employment, request for sign language interpreter and to advocate person to new information, communication and to maintain participations in all aspect of life.

Article 21 (Freedom of expression and opinion, and access to information)

- States Parties must take all appropriate measures to ensure that persons with disabilities can exercise the right to freedom of expression and opinion on an equal basis with others and "through all forms of communication of their choice." Measures identified include, amongst others, the provision of information to the general public in accessible formats and technologies; urging private entities and the mass media to provide information and services in accessible formats; and 21e("recognizing and promoting the use of sign languages."

Article 24 (Education)

- States Parties must recognize the right of persons with disabilities to education, without discrimination and on the basis of equal opportunity. States Parties "ensure an inclusive education system at all levels and life long learning." The remainder of the Article addresses how States Parties must do this, including through, amongst other things, provision of reasonable accommodation, and ensuring that persons with disabilities are not excluded from education on the basis of disability. (b) Facilitating the learning of sign language and the promotion of the linguistic identity of the deaf community; (4) In order to help ensure the realization of this right, States Parties shall take appropriate measures to employ teachers, including those with disabilities, who are qualified in sign language and Braille, and to train professionals and staff who work at all levels of education. Such training shall incorporate disability awareness and the use of appropriate augmentative and alternative modes, means and formats of communication, educational techniques and materials to support persons with disabilities. (5) States parties shall ensure that person with disabilities are able to access general tertiary education, vocational training, adult education and life long learning without discrimination and on an equal basis with others. To this end, States Parties shall ensure that reasonable accommodation is provided to persons with disabilities. The use of sign language is mandatory including deaf teachers.

Article 30 (Participation in cultural life, recreation, leisure and sport)

- obligates States Parties to recognise the right of persons with disabilities to "take part on an equal basis with others in cultural life." States Parties must take all appropriate measures to ensure enjoyment of this right, including amongst others, providing access to television and cultural materials in accessible formats; providing access to places for cultural performances or services; and recognizing the specific cultural and linguistic identity of persons with disabilities including sign languages and deaf culture. States Parties must also enable participation of persons with disabilities, on an equal basis with others "in recreational, leisure and sporting activities," and must take appropriate measures to ensure this.

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