Bengt Lindqvist - UN Special Rapporteur on Disability

Social development

Human rights

Children 
with disabilities

Surveys

Standard rules

line

About 
Bengt Lindqvist

Contact

Panel of experts

How to read the
PDF documents

Copyright & 
document use

 

© Bengt Lindqvist

 

The UN Standard Rules monitoring mechanism

Photo of Bengt LindqvistThe United Nations Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportun ities for Persons with Disabilities were adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1993. In the last chapter of the Rules - Monitoring Mechanism – it is indicated that a monitoring mechanism should be established. "A Special Rapporteur with relevant and extensive experience in disability issues and international organizations shall be appointed".

Mr. Bengt Lindqvist was appointed by the UN Secretary-General, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, in 1994. The mandate for the Special Rapporteur has been renewed in 1997 and in 2000 and is running until the end of 2002.

Background paper on the UN Standard Rules

PDF (29kb) Word97 (66kb)

How the work is done

The purpose of the monitoring is to further the implementation by Member States of the Standard Rules. The Special Rapporteur goes on missions to individual countries and participates in various forms of seminars, work-shops and conferences, promoting the implementation of the Rules. The Special Rapporteur shall seek to establish a direct dialogue not only with States but also with local non-governmental organizations.

The major international disability organizations, involved in elaborating the Rules, were invited to "create among themselves a panel of experts". The panel of experts was established in 1994, composed of 10 representatives (5 men – 5 women), all with personal experience of disability and with different regional background.

The panel of experts is consulted by the Special Rapporteur at special panel meetings, but also between meetings.