Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Concluding observations on the initial report of Viet Nam*
I.Introduction
1.The Committee considered the initial report of Viet Nam at its 764th and 765th meetings, held on 6 and 7 March 2025. It adopted the present concluding observations at its 778th meeting, held on 17 March 2025.
2.The Committee welcomes the initial report of Viet Nam, which was prepared in accordance with the Committee’s reporting guidelines and in response to its list of issues prior to reporting, and the additional information submitted by the State Party.
3.The Committee appreciates the constructive dialogue held with the large delegation, which included representatives of the relevant government ministries.
II.Positive aspects
4.The Committee notes with appreciation the measures taken by the State Party to implement the Convention since its accession thereto in 2015, which include:
(a)The issuance of circular 06/2024/TT-BXD promulgating the national technical regulation on the accessibility of constructions in Viet Nam (QCVN 10:2024/BXD), in 2024;
(b)The ratification of the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled, in 2022;
(c)The adoption of the national plan for implementation of the Convention, in 2016;
(d)The establishment of the National Committee on Disability, in 2015;
(e)The adoption of the National Action Plan on Disability for 2021–2030.
III.Principal areas of concern and recommendations
A.General principles and obligations (arts. 1–4)
5.The Committee is concerned that:
(a)National legislation and policies do not fully incorporate the human rights model of disability and instead continue to reflect a medical and charity-based approach, which perpetuates systemic discrimination against persons with disabilities;
(b)The implementation of the Convention is fragmented, relying on sector‑specific legal provisions that lack coherence and do not ensure comprehensive protection of the rights of persons with disabilities across all areas of life;
(c)Key concepts of the Convention, such as “communication”, “language”, “reasonable accommodation” and “universal design”, are not clearly defined in national legislation, leading to inconsistent application and enforcement;
(d)While the Law on the Promulgation of Legal Documents mandates consultation with affected groups, there are no formal mechanisms that ensure the structured and continuous participation of organizations of persons with disabilities in the development, implementation and monitoring of disability-related laws and policies;
(e)Monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the Convention lacks transparency, with little public information available on progress and accountability mechanisms;
(f)The Prime Minister’s decision of 2020 on international conferences and seminars has made it impossible for civil society organizations and organizations of persons with disabilities not affiliated with the State’s mass organizations to establish themselves and follow the relevant procedures;
(g)Some organizations of persons with disabilities face repression, imprisonment or expulsion from the country.
6. Recalling its general comment No. 7 (2018) on the participation of persons with disabilities, including children with disabilities, through their representative organizations, in the implementation and monitoring of the Convention, the Committee recommends that the State party:
(a) Conduct a comprehensive review of all disability-related legislation and policies to eliminate elements of the medical model and ensure full alignment with the human rights model of disability;
(b) Enact overarching legislation that guarantees the rights of persons with disabilities in a coherent and comprehensive manner, ensuring consistency with the principles and obligations under the Convention, and develop a comprehensive strategy for its implementation;
(c) Introduce clear legal definitions of key concepts of the Convention, including “communication”, “language”, “reasonable accommodation” and “universal design”, to strengthen their application in all relevant laws and policies;
(d) Establish formal and institutionalized mechanisms to ensure that persons with disabilities, including persons with intellectual and/or psychosocial disabilities, in particular persons with autism, Indigenous persons with disabilities, and children with disabilities, along with their representative organizations, are meaningfully consulted and actively involved in the development, implementation and monitoring of all disability-related legislation and policies;
(e) Ensure that monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the Convention includes the participation of persons with disabilities and their representative organizations, that the results are made public in accessible ways and with accessible methods, and that persons with disabilities and their representative organizations are included in accountability processes;
(f) Remove any legal or quasi-legal obstacles to the establishment of organizations of persons with disabilities, regardless of whether or not they are affiliated with the mass organizations of the State;
(g) Ensure that organizations of persons with disabilities, including religious organizations, are treated with respect and dignity, and ensure that persons with disabilities working in such organizations are not subjected to imprisonment or expulsion for defending the rights of their community.
7.The Committee is concerned that the State Party has not yet ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention.
8. The Committee recommends that the State Party ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention without delay.
B.Specific rights (arts. 5–30)
Equality and non-discrimination (art. 5)
9.The Committee is concerned that:
(a)While the legal framework prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities, enforcement remains inconsistent, limiting the effectiveness of protections against discrimination;
(b)Penalties for discriminatory actions against persons with disabilities are insufficient to serve as an effective deterrent;
(c)Discrimination persists against minority populations, such as Indigenous persons with disabilities, persons who acquired a disability after the war, and persons with intellectual and/or psychosocial disabilities, as well as persons with autism;
10. The Committee recalls its general comment No. 6 (2018), and targets 10.2 and 10.3 of the Sustainable Development Goals, and recommends that the State Party:
(a) Strengthen the enforcement of non-discrimination laws by ensuring effective mechanisms for the reporting, investigation and redress of discrimination cases;
(b) Increase penalties for acts of discrimination against persons with disabilities to provide a stronger deterrent and to ensure effective remedies for victims;
(c) Modify legislation to explicitly include actions to eliminate discrimination and empower persons with intellectual and/or psychosocial disabilities, in particular persons with autism, Indigenous persons with disabilities, and persons who acquired disabilities after the war, applying measures of access to restorative justice.
Women and girls with disabilities (art. 6)
11.The Committee is concerned that:
(a)Despite legal frameworks on gender equality, women and girls with disabilities continue to experience multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination in areas such as employment, healthcare, education and family life;
(b)There are insufficient gender-disaggregated data on the participation of women with disabilities in political, economic and social decision-making processes, particularly in leadership, employment, and access to public services;
(c)Cultural norms on gender and disabilities discourage discussions on sexual and reproductive health and rights, especially for single women, deterring them from seeking information;
(d)Opportunities for the economic empowerment of women with disabilities remain limited, particularly in terms of entrepreneurship, vocational training and employment opportunities.
12. The Committee, recalling its general comment No. 3 (2016) on women and girls with disabilities, and targets 5.1, 5.2 and 5.5 of the Sustainable Development Goals, recommends that the State Party:
(a) Take targeted measures to address the unique barriers faced by women and girls with disabilities in accessing education, employment, independent living, and other services, ensuring their full participation in all aspects of life on an equal basis with others;
(b) Improve data collection on women and girls with disabilities, with a focus on their participation in leadership, their employment and their access to public services, ensuring that gender-disaggregated data feeds into policy and programme development;
(c) Guarantee, through public policies, the promotion of the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls with disabilities, married or not, enabling them to exercise these rights without impediments due to cultural norms;
(d) Develop programmes and policies to support the economic empowerment of women with disabilities, including through entrepreneurship, vocational training, and employment opportunities that are inclusive and accessible.
Children with disabilities (art. 7)
13.The Committee is concerned that:
(a)Despite the State Party’s legal framework protecting children with disabilities, significant barriers remain in ensuring their access to inclusive education, early intervention programmes and individualized support services;
(b)Children with disabilities are at a higher risk of abuse, neglect and exploitation, but there is a lack of comprehensive data on the issue and there are limited systems to ensure effective intervention and protection;
(c)Many children with disabilities are placed in institutional care, which hinders their inclusion into family and community life, contrary to the principles of the Convention;
(d)The lack of accessible information and communication tools prevents children with disabilities from fully participating in decision-making processes that affect their lives, including at home, in school and within the community;
(e)Children with disabilities, especially those living in rural or remote areas, often lack access to healthcare services.
14. Recalling the joint statement of the Committee on the Rights of the Child and the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on the rights of children with disabilities, of 2022, the Committee recommends that the State Party:
(a) Take steps to ensure that all children with disabilities have equal access to inclusive education, early intervention programmes and individualized support services, and improve the quality of such services to address their diverse needs;
(b) Enhance data collection on violence against children with disabilities and abuse and neglect of children with disabilities, ensuring that comprehensive and disaggregated data are used to strengthen protective mechanisms and to support effective intervention programmes;
(c) Promote family-based care and community inclusion over institutionalization by developing policies that provide adequate support for children with disabilities and their families, ensuring their rights to live and grow within their communities;
(d) Ensure that children with disabilities, including Indigenous children with disabilities, have access to accessible information and communication tools that enable them to participate in decision-making at the home, school and community levels, in accordance with their evolving capacities;
(e) Improve access to healthcare services for children with disabilities, particularly in rural and remote areas, by enhancing the availability of specialized healthcare, rehabilitation services and assistive devices, and making them affordable and accessible to all children with disabilities.
Awareness-raising (art. 8)
15.The Committee is concerned that:
(a)Although public awareness-raising campaigns on disability rights are conducted, there is limited evaluation of their effectiveness in reducing stigma and discrimination against persons with disabilities;
(b)Awareness-raising campaigns are often conducted through traditional media such as television, radio, newspapers or posters, which may not be accessible to all persons with disabilities, particularly those with sensory or cognitive impairments, and Indigenous persons with disabilities;
(c)Disability rights awareness is largely promoted on national disability days, with insufficient integration into mainstream media and educational curricula on a regular basis;
(d)Despite efforts to promote awareness of the Convention through the national plan for implementation of the Convention, many persons with disabilities, particularly those in rural and remote areas, and Indigenous persons with disabilities, remain unaware of their rights under the Convention;
(e)Although the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs organizes awareness-raising events in collaboration with organizations of persons with disabilities, the limited funding and resources available to organizations of persons with disabilities hinders their ability to effectively lead outreach campaigns;
(f)Although 112 disability-related publications have been produced, it is unclear whether they are accessible to persons with visual, intellectual or auditory disabilities and to Indigenous persons with disabilities.
16. The Committee recommends that the State Party, in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities, through their representative organizations, including organizations of children with disabilities and of women and girls with disabilities :
(a) Establish a clear and systematic mechanism to evaluate the effectiveness of public awareness-raising campaigns on disability rights, particularly in terms of their impact on reducing stigma and discrimination, and use the findings to improve future campaigns;
(b) Ensure that all public awareness-raising materials are accessible to persons with disabilities, by providing sign language interpretation, Braille, Easy Read format and translation into Indigenous languages such as Khmer, and ensuring digital accessibility for all campaigns;
(c) Integrate disability awareness into mainstream media and educational curricula on a year-round basis, beyond national disability days, to foster an inclusive and informed society;
(d) Implement comprehensive measures to ensure that all persons with disabilities, particularly those in rural and remote areas and Indigenous persons with disabilities, are well informed of their rights under the Convention, including through community-based initiatives, local organizations and digital platforms;
(e) Provide financial and logistical support to organizations of persons with disabilities to enhance their capacity to effectively lead public awareness-raising campaigns and outreach efforts, ensuring that they can reach all persons with disabilities and their families;
(f) Ensure that all disability-related publications, including those produced by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, are available in accessible formats for persons with visual, intellectual and auditory disabilities and for Indigenous persons with disabilities, and expand the distribution of accessible resources to reach a wider audience.
Accessibility (art. 9)
17.The Committee is concerned that:
(a)A significant percentage of public buildings, including healthcare facilities, educational establishments, justice service locations and supermarkets, do not meet accessibility standards, hindering the full participation of persons with disabilities in these areas;
(b)The availability of accessible public transport is minimal, with only a few buses nationwide being accessible and some cities having regulations on the ratio of accessible vehicles;
(c)Only one accessible train carriage exists in Viet Nam, and only certain major train stations have ramps to waiting rooms, limiting access to rail travel for persons with disabilities;
(d)Although airports have improved accessibility, smaller local airports still lack the necessary accessible facilities, affecting air travel for persons with disabilities;
(e)Although Viet Nam is a country with much shipping, there is no consideration of accessibility to both transport and tourist boats;
(f)While the Law on Persons with Disabilities and the Law on Information Technology recognize information and communications technology (ICT) accessibility, implementation remains inconsistent, and many government websites and digital services do not fully comply with accessibility standards;
(g)Viet Nam Television provides limited programming with sign language interpretation and subtitles, and other media services provide no accessibility for persons with disabilities;
(h)Many libraries provide only limited accessibility services, with some offering Braille and alternative text materials but lacking full accessibility to reading materials, including for Indigenous persons with disabilities;
(i)The enforcement of accessibility standards remains unclear, with few penalties issued for non-compliance with regulations, and there is no transparency in the allocation of funds collected from penalties for accessibility violations.
18. Recalling its general comment No. 2 (2014) on accessibility and Goal 9 and targets 11.2 and 11.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Committee recommends that the State Party, in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities, through their representative organizations :
(a) Take immediate steps to increase the percentage of public buildings, including healthcare facilities, educational establishments, justice service locations and supermarkets, that meet accessibility standards, with clear timelines and mechanisms for implementation;
(b) Accelerate the introduction of accessible public transport across all provinces by increasing the number of accessible buses, trains and other vehicles in line with a nationwide strategy;
(c) Expand accessibility features across the entire railway system, ensuring that all stations and train carriages are fully accessible to persons with disabilities;
(d) Establish a clear timeline for ensuring full accessibility in all Vietnamese airports, focusing particularly on smaller local airports, to ensure equal access to air travel for persons with disabilities;
(e) Expand physical accessibility and support for boarding and disembarking from both transport and tourist boats;
(f) Implement mechanisms to enforce accessibility requirements and strengthen monitoring systems to ensure that all government and public sector websites, digital services and online platforms comply with accessibility standards, including by conducting regular audits and establishing enforcement protocols;
(g) Increase the number of television programmes with sign language interpretation and closed captions on national and regional channels, ensuring equal access to information for all persons with disabilities;
(h) Implement a strategy to increase the availability of accessible books and digital reading materials in libraries, including expanding Braille and alternative formats for persons with disabilities, including for Indigenous persons with disabilities;
(i) Improve the enforcement of accessibility legislation by issuing penalties for non-compliance, tracking the number of violations, and publishing annual reports on how the funds from penalties are used to support social assistance activities for persons with disabilities.
Right to life (art. 10)
19.The Committee is concerned about the legality and practice of the death penalty in the State Party, as being also applicable to persons with disabilities, disregarding the limits recognized under international law.
20. The Committee urgently recommends that the State Party abolish the death penalty for persons with intellectual disabilities, persons with psychosocial disabilities and autistic persons, and immediately cease imposing and carrying out the death penalty in regard to persons with disabilities, in accordance with the limits established under international law. It encourages the State Party to ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Second Optional Protocol thereto aiming at the abolition of the death penalty.
Situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies (art. 11)
21.The Committee takes note of the establishment of provincial steering committees for disaster prevention and control and of provincial search and rescue committees. However, it is concerned that:
(a)Certain regulatory and implementation gaps remain as regards the prevention and management of natural disasters, as well as the reduction of disaster risk for persons with disabilities, and persons with disabilities and their representative organizations have not been adequately included in these processes;
(b)The languages to be used for communication and information during risk situations remain undefined, and targeted groups, including individuals with hearing and visual disabilities, have not received adequate information and warnings;
(c)From the central to the local level, no awareness-raising has been conducted on the planning and execution of disaster risk reduction and early warning activities, and on the prevention and management of situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies;
(d)The absence of disaggregated data on persons with disabilities by type of impairment, age and sex hinders the assessment of their situations and the identification of their backgrounds, making it challenging to develop suitable support plans in risk and humanitarian emergency scenarios.
22. Recalling the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, the Inter-Agency Standing Committee Guidelines on the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action, and its guidelines on deinstitutionalization, including in emergencies, the Committee recommends that the State Party, in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities, through their representative organizations, ensure the protection and safety of persons with disabilities in situations of risk, including by:
(a) Implementing measures to ensure that persons with disabilities, through their representative organizations, collaborate closely with provincial steering committees to identify and address the specific support needs of persons with disabilities during risk situations and humanitarian emergencies, tailored to each type of disability, and to ensure their active and adequate inclusion in these discussions;
(b) Defining and implementing clear communication and information protocols for risk situations, ensuring that targeted groups, including individuals with hearing and visual disabilities, receive adequate information and warnings;
(c) Establishing cooperation with international organizations to ensure that, in close collaboration with persons with disabilities, awareness-raising on disaster risk reduction is conducted and documents on the prevention and management of risk situations and humanitarian emergencies for persons with disabilities are improved;
(d) Developing statistics disaggregated by age, sex and type of disability for individuals most vulnerable to harm during situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies.
Equal recognition before the law (art. 12)
23.The Committee is concerned that:
(a)The Civil Code of 2015 (Law No. 91/2015/QH13), which stipulates that persons with mental or physical disabilities who are incapable of exercising their rights may do so through their legal representatives or guardians or legal aid organizations, has not been amended;
(b)The Penal Code includes provisions on mitigating circumstances in regard to the criminal responsibility of persons with disabilities who commit crimes, which prevent them from receiving due process, procedural adjustments, safeguards, and support when facing charges;
(c)No actions have been taken to replace the guardianship regime and other systems of substituted decision-making with decision-support mechanisms for persons with psychosocial and/or intellectual disabilities, as well as for persons with autism.
24. Recalling its general comment No. 1 (2014) on equal recognition before the law, the Committee recommends that the State Party, in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities, through their representative organizations:
(a) Review and reform the Civil Code to align it with the Convention and ensure full recognition of the legal capacity of persons with disabilities, include relevant safeguards and access to the support necessary to exercise that capacity, and take steps to introduce provisions to provide decision-making support for persons with disabilities;
(b) Ensure due process, procedural accommodations, and support for persons with disabilities when facing criminal charges;
(c) Reform legislation to abolish guardianship for individuals with psychosocial, intellectual and autistic disabilities, and establish mechanisms to support their decision-making.
Access to justice (art. 13)
25.The Committee is concerned about:
(a)The lack of disaggregated data on the number of persons with disabilities who have received legal advice, the physical accessibility of public prosecutor’s offices, the availability of information and communication, and whether justice providers have been trained in disability rights;
(b)The absence of information on whether persons with disabilities are employed in the area of access to justice, and if they are, whether the courts are physically accessible, and they have access to information and communication, and whether current workers have been trained in disability issues;
(c)The failure to apply procedural adjustments with a gender and age approach when persons with disabilities face trial;
(d)The lack of consideration about providing support and procedural accommodations to persons with disabilities in their roles as witnesses, plaintiffs and defendants, as well as the lack of accessibility in law school entrance examinations and lack of provision of reasonable accommodations to enable persons with disabilities to pursue legal careers;
(e)The barriers faced by persons with disabilities in accessing legal and administrative representation, legal aid, and disability-inclusive legal services, which limit their ability to seek redress for discrimination.
26. The Committee recalls the International Principles and Guidelines on Access to Justice for Persons with Disabilities, prepared in 2020 by the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities and the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Disability and Accessibility, and endorsed by the Committee, and target 16.3 of the Sustainable Development Goals, and recommends that the State Party :
(a) Establish a mechanism for collecting data disaggregated by sex, age, and type of disability for persons with disabilities who have required support during judicial processes, detailing the types of support provided and the follow-up provided;
(b) Identify and provide data on the number of persons with disabilities employed in the area of access to justice, ensure that courts are physically accessible, provide access to information and communication, and train justice providers in disability rights;
(c) Analyse and document cases involving persons with disabilities where gender, Indigenous and age approaches, as well as procedural adjustments, have been applied;
(d) Ensure adequate measures to provide support and procedural accommodations for persons with disabilities in their roles as witnesses, plaintiffs and defendants, and introduce accessibility in pre-career law examinations and provide reasonable accommodations, enabling persons with disabilities to pursue legal careers;
(e) Guarantee access to adequate legal and administrative representation for persons with disabilities, taking into account gender and age considerations, to enable them to have access to justice when facing discrimination.
Liberty and security of person (art. 14)
27.The Committee is concerned:
(a)About the enactment of the Mental Health Plan 2016–2025 and its alignment with the principles of the Convention;
(b)Whether the conditions for persons with disabilities in their homes, especially persons with intellectual and/or psychosocial disabilities as well as persons with autism, ensure that they are not forcibly confined, and promote family coexistence;
(c)Whether persons with disabilities in prisons or detention centres receive all guarantees of due process and the reasonable accommodations they require, particularly women and Indigenous persons with disabilities.
28. Recalling its guidelines on the right to liberty and security of persons with disabilities, and its guidelines on deinstitutionalization, including in emergencies, the Committee recommends that the State Party :
(a) T ake all legislative, administrative, policy and judicial measures necessary to ensure that the Mental Health Plan 2016–2025 aligns with article 14 of the Convention and its respective guidelines;
(b) Review national standards, policies and practices to guarantee that persons with disabilities, especially those with intellectual and/or psychosocial disabilities, as well as persons with autism, are not forcibly confined to their homes or to prisons without due process;
(c) Adopt regulations to provide reasonable accommodations for all persons with disabilities held in prisons or detention centres, and ensure that women and Indigenous persons with disabilities in such facilities receive appropriate support.
Freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (art. 15)
29.The Committee is concerned:
(a)That despite recommendations from treaty bodies such as the Committee against Torture, which has expressed grave concern over allegations of widespread use of torture and other ill-treatment, particularly during pretrial detention, these practices continue, causing death or disability to those affected;
(b)That there is a lack of mechanisms for submitting complaints of torture or other ill-treatment against persons with disabilities, especially women and girls, as well as Indigenous persons with disabilities, despite the State Party’s ratification of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment;
(c)About the absence of disaggregated data on torture and other ill-treatment of persons with disabilities, especially women with disabilities and children with disabilities.
30. Recalling its guidelines on deinstitutionalization, including in emergencies, the Committee recommends that the State Party, in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities, through their representative organizations :
(a) Ensure compliance with the recommendations of the Committee against Torture by establishing a strict evaluation mechanism to prevent all acts of torture or other ill-treatment, particularly towards individuals in prison, and implement restorative justice actions for them;
(b) Ensure the wide dissemination of laws among the general population and persons with disabilities and their organizations, raising awareness about the mandatory nature of laws against ill-treatment and torture, and about the penalties for non-compliance.
(c) Collect disaggregated data on torture and other ill-treatment of persons with disabilities, especially women with disabilities and children with disabilities.
Freedom from exploitation, violence and abuse (art. 16)
31.The Committee notes with concern:
(a)That women and girls with disabilities face higher risks of gender-based violence and have limited access to protective services, shelters, and legal recourse to address violence and discrimination;
(b)Information indicating that the risk of abuse, especially sexual abuse, for children with disabilities is three to four times higher than for children without disabilities, and even higher for children with hearing and visual impairments and those with psychosocial and/or intellectual disabilities, and that there is a lack of timely detection of cases of violence and abuse against, and exploitation of, children with disabilities, which is addressed in the Children’s Act of 2016, along with poor monitoring and evaluation, and insufficient mechanisms for reporting those violations;
(c)That the absence of specific data on violence, neglect and abuse against persons with disabilities makes it impossible to fully understand the magnitude of the problem and the measures that are required to prevent and punish this and to apply restorative justice;
(d)That while article 14 of the Law on Persons with Disabilities prohibits neglect and abuse, there are no clear mechanisms for monitoring compliance or holding caregivers accountable;
(e)That limitations in both legislation and enforcement practices, as well as in specific regulations, fail to adequately address gender-based violence against women and girls with disabilities, and that there are insufficient communication methods to educate and raise awareness about prevention and protection;
(f)That while women with disabilities receive timely support from local authorities when gender-based violence occurs, they often do not know where to go or which support agency is responsible;
(g)That social work centres in the country lack physical accessibility, access to information and communication, including through digital means, and personnel trained to attend to persons with disabilities.
32. Recalling its statement of 24 November 2021 on the elimination of gender-based violence against women and girls with disabilities, and targets 5.1, 5.2 and 5.5 of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Committee recommends that the State Party:
(a) Ensure that the national strategy against gender-based violence includes specific policies to prevent and combat gender-based violence against women and girls with disabilities, including accessible mechanisms for the submission of complaints, implementation across local and central levels, the provision of accessible support services and shelters, and legal assistance for victims/survivors;
(b) Reform the Children ’ s Act of 2016 to specifically include preventative measures for violence against children with disabilities, including Indigenous children with disabilities, as well as case detection, mechanisms for the submission of complaints and for follow-up, sanctions, and justice for the victims;
(c) Establish actions for the collection of data disaggregated by age, sex and type of disability on violence faced by persons with disabilities, especially women and children with disabilities;
(d) Amend article 14 of the Law on Persons with Disabilities to include supervision and monitoring mechanisms for the abuse and abandonment of persons with disabilities, hold those responsible accountable, and establish restorative actions for the victims;
(e) Guarantee the establishment of education and awareness-raising programmes on violence prevention for all women and girls with disabilities, in accessible formats, modes and media;
(f) Strengthen training for local authorities to learn about and detect gender-based violence early, and strengthen local support agencies to ensure that they offer physical accessibility, and effective communication and information;
(g) Ensure that social work centres are established nationwide, providing physical, informational and communication accessibility, including by digital means, along with personnel trained to serve persons with disabilities;
Protecting the integrity of the person (art. 17)
33.The Committee is concerned that:
(a)Vietnamese law requires consent for medical procedures, but it is unclear how this applies to persons with disabilities, especially those under guardianship, as there is no clear legal framework to ensure that persons with disabilities can make their own medical decisions;
(b)There is no explicit mention of supported decision-making mechanisms in medical settings, leaving persons with disabilities vulnerable to substitute decision-making (guardianship) rather than enabling them to exercise their autonomy;
(c)Women and girls with disabilities remain vulnerable to sexual and reproductive health and rights violations, including forced sterilization and abortion, despite penalties for these practices;
(d)Persons with disabilities, especially those with psychosocial and/or intellectual disabilities, are at risk of involuntary detention or forced medication in psychiatric settings, with no clear safeguards in place to protect their rights and bodily integrity;
(e)While there are penalties for forced sterilization and abortion, these may not be sufficient deterrents, and there is no clear independent oversight mechanism to monitor medical procedures involving persons with disabilities;
(f)There is no independent mechanism for evaluating segregation centres in order to prevent cases of coercion, forced treatment, forced sterilization, and abortion without consent, nor mechanisms for the submission of complaints, follow-up, the punishment of perpetrators, or restitution for victims.
34. The Committee recommends that the State Party:
(a) Strengthen safeguards to ensure that persons with disabilities, especially those under guardianship, can exercise their right to informed consent for medical treatments, including by providing accessible information and support for them to make decisions about their healthcare;
(b) Introduce legal provisions to replace substitute decision-making with supported decision-making frameworks, ensuring that persons with disabilities maintain control over their healthcare decisions and are supported in making informed choices;
(c) Take comprehensive steps to prevent women with disabilities from undergoing forced sterilization and forced abortion, including awareness-raising campaigns, stronger enforcement of laws, and the establishment of effective mechanisms to monitor and report such violations;
(d) Ensure that persons with disabilities, especially those with psychosocial and/or intellectual disabilities, are not subjected to forced medication in psychiatric facilities, and establish clear legal safeguards to protect their bodily integrity and autonomy in mental healthcare settings;
(e) Strengthen legal enforcement against medical professionals or institutions that violate the bodily integrity of persons with disabilities, including by increasing penalties for forced medical procedures and ensuring accountability for violations;
(f) Establish an independent monitoring body to investigate cases of medical coercion, forced treatment, or violation of bodily autonomy, ensuring that persons with disabilities have access to effective remedies and accountability mechanisms.
Liberty of movement and nationality (art. 18)
35.The Committee is concerned that:
(a)Persons with disabilities, particularly those in rural or institutionalized settings, face difficulties in obtaining essential documents such as birth certificates and national identification cards, which has an impact on their access to rights;
(b)Immigration procedures remain inaccessible, restricting freedom of movement for persons with disabilities;
(c)Persons with intellectual and/or psychosocial disabilities may encounter restrictions on international travel due to outdated classifications or guardianship.
36. The Committee recommends that the State Party:
(a) Ensure that all persons with disabilities have equal access to birth registration and official documentation, especially in remote areas and for those in institutionalized care;
(b) Implement disability-inclusive immigration procedures, including accessible visa processing and passport applications;
(c) Remove restrictions on international travel for persons with disabilities, particularly those with intellectual and/or psychosocial disabilities, ensuring full autonomy over their movement and decisions.
Living independently and being included in the community (art. 19)
37.The Committee is concerned about:
(a)The insufficient awareness among society and public authorities about the right of persons with disabilities to live independently, choose their living arrangements and be included in the community;
(b)The continued institutionalization of persons with disabilities, including those in social protection centres;
(c)The limited scope of the Independent Living Programme, currently piloted in only a few provinces, the restricted access of persons with psychosocial and/or intellectual disabilities to independent living arrangements, and insufficient funding for personal assistance services;
(d)The inadequacy of financial assistance provided to persons with disabilities, which does not align with the actual costs of independent living, leaving individuals unable to fully exercise their right to independent living;
(e)The shortage of trained social workers specializing in disability support and case management, particularly in rural areas, hindering the effective provision of community‑based services.
(f)The lack of implementation of a deinstitutionalization process.
38. Recalling its general comment No. 5 (2017) on living independently and being included in the community, its guidelines on deinstitutionalization, including in emergencies, and the report of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities on the transformation of services for persons with disabilities, the Committee recommends that the State Party, in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities:
(a) Conduct regular awareness-raising to enhance societal and public authority awareness regarding the rights of persons with disabilities to live independently, to make their own living arrangements and to be fully included in the community;
(b) Ensure full deinstitutionalization by adopting a clear strategy to transition from institutional care to community-based services, that includes specific goals, benchmarks and time frames;
(c) Expand the Independent Living Programme nationwide, ensure access to independent living arrangements for persons with psychosocial and/or intellectual disabilities, including supported housing and community-based mental health services, and provide sustainable funding for personal assistance services;
(d) Increase monthly social allowance amounts for persons with disabilities to align with the actual costs of independent living, and implement a system for regularly adjusting these allowances to account for inflation;
(e) Expand the number of trained social workers specializing in disability support and case management, particularly in rural areas, to ensure adequate support for persons with disabilities to live independently in the community;
(f) Promote in-home and community-based care services as alternatives to institutionalization, and ensure that the new Law on Social Work guarantees the right to personal assistance tailored to the needs of persons with disabilities.
Personal mobility (art. 20)
39.The Committee is concerned about:
(a)The persistent inaccessibility of public spaces and sidewalks due to obstacles such as street vendors and parked motorcycles;
(b)The barriers to obtaining driving licences for persons with disabilities, including regulations that disproportionately affect them and limited support for acquiring and adapting private vehicles;
(c)The high cost and limited availability of assistive technologies, despite encouraging policies, and the lack of clear funding or guidelines for accessibility-related innovation.
40. The Committee recommends that the State Party:
(a) Implement regulations to remove obstacles from public pathways, ensuring that sidewalks and public spaces remain accessible;
(b) Review Circular No. 24/2015/TTLT-BYT-BGTVT to eliminate disability-based driving restrictions, assessing applicants based on driving capability instead, and provide financial and policy incentives for persons with disabilities to acquire and adapt private vehicles for independent mobility;
(c) Introduce funding programmes to support research for and the development and distribution of affordable assistive technologies, ensuring wide availability for persons with disabilities.
Freedom of expression and opinion, and access to information (art. 21)
41.The Committee is concerned about:
(a)The limited compliance of government websites with accessibility standards, and the insufficient availability of accessible content, including subtitles and sign language interpretation on national television;
(b)Barriers faced by persons with disabilities, particularly Indigenous persons with disabilities and those living in rural or remote areas, in accessing public information and digital tools;
(c)The adequacy of qualified sign language interpreters available to serve in all public services where they are needed by persons with hearing impairments – such as healthcare, justice, education and work;
(d)The lack of official recognition of Vietnamese Sign Language;
(e)The lack of accessible modes and methods of information, such as Easy Read, Braille, sign language and others for persons with disabilities;
(f)Decrees No. 15/2020/ND-CP and No. 119/2020/ND-CP, which have established new and harsher penalties than those already provided for in the Penal Code for people who disseminate content classifiable as “divergent political opinions” or “reactionary ideologies” on social media platforms, affecting defenders of the rights of persons with disabilities.
42. The Committee recommends that the State Party, in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities, through their representative organizations:
(a) Ensure that all government websites and digital platforms are accessible, for example by complying with accessibility standards, such as W3C/WCAG 2.2 or equivalent, and mandate accessible content on all television channels;
(b) Implement strategies to improve access to public information, especially in rural and remote areas and among Indigenous communities, and to increase awareness and training programmes on digital accessibility tools for persons with disabilities;
(c) Establish official training and professionalization of sign language interpreters to ensure their availability in any public service required by persons with hearing impairments;
(d) Recognize Vietnamese Sign Language as an official language;
(e) Introduce legislation to require official documents and public information to be available in easy-to-read formats for persons with intellectual disabilities;
(f) Revise and reform the Penal Code as well as Decrees No. 15/2020/ND-CP and No. 119/2020/ND-CP to eliminate prison sentences for those who freely express their opinions, and remove the concepts of “divergent political opinions” or “reactionary ideologies” which hinder defenders of the rights of persons with disabilities from exercising their freedom of expression, including the founders and members of Christian associations supporting persons with disabilities who face persecution and expulsion.
Respect for privacy (art. 22)
43.The Committee is concerned about:
(a)The unlawful sharing of personal and medical information of persons with disabilities, especially in medical and social services settings;
(b)Surveillance or monitoring of persons with disabilities, particularly those with intellectual and/or psychosocial disabilities, without consent, in institutional settings;
(c)Digital privacy risks, including unauthorized use of personal data and images, and online exploitation or abuse;
(d)Unauthorized use of images and personal stories of persons with disabilities for fundraising purposes;
(e)Data collection practices in institutions and public services that may violate privacy protections;
(f)The persecution of organizations advocating for the rights of persons with disabilities.
44. The Committee recommends that the State Party:
(a) Implement measures to prevent unauthorized disclosure of personal and medical records, ensuring privacy protections in all settings;
(b) Ensure that monitoring and surveillance of persons with disabilities in institutional settings complies with legal safeguards;
(c) Strengthen digital privacy protections for persons with disabilities, including measures against online exploitation and unauthorized data-sharing;
(d) Prevent the unauthorized use of personal images and stories for fundraising or promotional purposes;
(e) Ensure that data collection practices respect privacy rights and allow persons with disabilities to control how their personal information is used;
(f) Cease the persecution and suppression of digital platforms that advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities, and refrain from modifying anti-terrorism laws to unjustly target these organizations.
Respect for home and the family (art. 23)
45.The Committee notes with concern:
(a)The lack of periodic evaluation of foster families by a State agency to assess the conditions in which they keep children with disabilities, and their needs;
(b)The absence of specific support for persons with disabilities who wish to marry and have children, and the lack of systematic training on sexual and reproductive rights and health for persons with disabilities;
(c)The lack of adequate counselling in regard to genetic tests, which may coerce persons with disabilities into considering abortion if they are going to have a child with a disability.
46. The Committee recommends that the State Party:
(a) Establish a mechanism for evaluating and following up with families with children with disabilities and foster families, ensuring the inclusion of children with disabilities into family and community life and identification of their needs for financial, counselling or other support;
(b) Ensure that persons with disabilities have access to the necessary support services to fulfil their roles as parents effectively, and provide systematic sexual and reproductive health and rights education to young persons with disabilities;
(c) Accompany genetic tests offered to the general population, and particularly to persons with disabilities, with appropriate counselling, and ensure that parents have the right to make their own decisions without coercion.
Education (art. 24)
47.The Committee is concerned about:
(a)The persistence of segregated special education settings for all children with disabilities, especially those who need a higher level of support, and Indigenous persons with disabilities;
(b)The lack of comprehensive plans for accessibility, reasonable accommodations and educational materials at all levels for students with disabilities who have diverse support needs;
(c)The limited training for teachers, social workers and school staff on different types of disabilities, reasonable accommodations, and strategies to create inclusive and equitable learning environments free from bullying and other forms of violence;
(d)The shortage of teachers with disabilities in mainstream schools;
(e)The absence of physical accessibility and access to information and communication in mainstream schools, which hinders educational inclusion.
48. Recalling its general comment No. 4 (2016) on the right to inclusive education and targets 4.5 and 4.a of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Committee recommends that the State Party, in close consultation with and with the active involvement of organizations of persons with disabilities, learners with disabilities and their families:
(a) Approve, implement and monitor policies for inclusive and quality education at all levels nationwide, eliminating segregated special education settings, and focusing especially on members of Indigenous communities and those living in remote and rural areas;
(b) Adopt a strategy to render schools and other educational institutions accessible by providing accessible educational materials and utilizing relevant technology, and provide reasonable accommodations, including through classroom support;
(c) Ensure that teachers are trained in inclusive education techniques at all levels, including sign languages and other accessible formats of information and communication;
(d) Recruit teachers with disabilities in mainstream schools;
(e) Adopt a national plan to ensure physical accessibility and access to information and communication in mainstream educational institutions at all levels.
Health (art. 25)
49.The Committee is concerned about:
(a)The lack of accessibility of health facilities’ infrastructure, including of ambulances and of equipment in general, of accessible information on health programmes and of accessible communication for persons with disabilities, including in their original languages, in general clinics and hospitals;
(b)The lack of adequate and regular training for medical and paramedical personnel on their interactions with persons with disabilities, including Indigenous persons with disabilities;
(c)Reports from women with disabilities of having experienced negative, insensitive and unsupportive attitudes from maternal healthcare providers during their pregnancy;
(d)The inaccessibility of reproductive health services, information and education for women and girls with disabilities, especially those with sensory and intellectual disabilities, limiting their ability to exercise their sexual and reproductive rights;
(e)Significant barriers faced by persons with disabilities, especially children with disabilities, who live in rural and remote areas and among Indigenous communities, in accessing timely healthcare services, including rehabilitation and assistive technologies;
(f)The specification in the Persons with Disabilities Act 2010 that only persons with “severe or very severe disabilities” receive free health insurance cards and are fully reimbursed for medical examination and treatment costs;
(g)The low employment rate of persons with disabilities, resulting in only a small proportion of persons with medium support needs disabilities being eligible for compulsory employment-based health insurance, which is partially sponsored by employers;
(h)The serious harm caused to farmers by the irrigation of crops with pesticides, leading to high rates of blindness among the Khmer Krom population;
(i)The lack of coverage for psychological intervention services for persons with intellectual and/or psychosocial disabilities under health insurance, and the lack of recognition of autism as a disability.
50. Recalling targets 3.7 and 3.8 of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Committee recommends that the State Party, in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities, through their representative organizations:
(a) Ensure that general clinics and hospitals provide accessible information and communication formats for persons with disabilities, including in their original languages, and implement measures to ensure comprehensive health coverage for all persons with disabilities, including Indigenous persons, regardless of their employment status, and to provide accessible, affordable and culturally appropriate services;
(b) Ensure that health professionals receive training and education on the needs and treatment of persons with disabilities – particularly in maternal healthcare for women with disabilities, and for Indigenous persons with disabilities;
(c) Implement comprehensive training programmes for maternal healthcare providers to foster positive, sensitive and supportive attitudes towards women with disabilities, including Indigenous women, during their pregnancy;
(d) Guarantee full access to sexual and reproductive health services, information and education for women and girls with disabilities, including Indigenous women and girls, through formats tailored to meet the needs of those with sensory and intellectual and/or psychosocial disabilities;
(e) Ensure the availability of health services for persons with disabilities, especially children with disabilities, who live in rural or remote areas, and among Indigenous communities, that are physically accessible, and staffed with trained personnel;
(f) Amend the Persons with Disabilities Act 2010 to ensure that all persons with disabilities receive free health insurance cards and are fully reimbursed for medical examinations and treatments;
(g) Amend the law to allow all unemployed persons with disabilities to access the voluntary health insurance scheme, subsidized by the Government, and reduce the current rates, which represent 20 per cent of the national average monthly income per capita;
(h) Intensify efforts to eliminate the use of pesticides in fields, impose severe penalties on those who continue to distribute and use them, and establish preventative and treatment measures, as well as compensation for the Khmer Krom people affected and blinded by pesticide use;
(i) Guarantee that health insurance covers psychological interventions for persons with intellectual and/or psychosocial disabilities, and ensure that autism is formally recognized as a disability and covered by the national health insurance.
Habilitation and rehabilitation (art. 26)
51.Although the State Party reports having many rehabilitation centres throughout the country, the Committee is concerned that:
(a)The proportion of persons with disabilities attending rehabilitation centres is very limited, with only 1.2 per cent of the total number visiting rehabilitation centres in 2016;
(b)Persons who are deafblind are not receiving the necessary supports to communicate and therefore be able to be included in education and employment and lead independent, employed and active lives;
(c)The focus of training for rehabilitation professionals is mainly physical therapy;
(d)Rehabilitation orthotics and prosthetics, hearing aids and mobility aids are listed as non-reimbursable items in health insurance plans;
(e)Over the last 50 years, tens of thousands of veterans with disabilities have only received financial support from overseas Vietnamese charities, not from the Government.
52. Recalling the link between article 26 of the Convention and target 3.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Committee recommends that the State Party:
(a) Ensure that persons with disabilities and the organizations representing them receive clear and comprehensive information about available rehabilitation services in their communities, facilitating their registration and access to these services;
(b) Reform the Law on Persons with Disabilities to specifically address persons who are deafblind, ensuring the provision of appropriate financial means and means for communication, and educational, employment and social inclusion;
(c) Distribute comprehensive information to intermediate-level students about career opportunities in occupational, recreational and speech therapy, encouraging them to consider these fields alongside physical therapy;
(d) Amend legislation to include orthotics, prosthetics, hearing aids and mobility aids in the list of reimbursable items under health insurance plans;
(e) Conduct a census of veterans with disabilities and ensure that they receive rehabilitation services and financial support from the Government.
Work and employment (art. 27)
53. The Committee is concerned that:
(a)The State Party continues to train persons with disabilities in activities such as massage therapy, computer maintenance and artisanal production, offering mainly professional subjects that “fit” their type of impairment;
(b)The number of persons with disabilities receiving adequate vocational training remains modest, due to insufficient information about programmes in some communities and a lack of professionals;
(c)The rejection rate for job applicants with disabilities is quite high, at 53 per cent.
54. Recalling its general comment No. 8 (2022), and in line with target 8.5 of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Committee recommends that the State Party, in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities, through their representative organizations:
(a) Ensure that persons with disabilities receive vocational guidance based on their own wishes and abilities, enabling them to compete for jobs in regular employment;
(b) Provide adequate vocational training for persons with disabilities by trained personnel at both the urban and rural levels, ensuring the inclusion of persons with disabilities from Indigenous communities and ethnic minorities;
(c) Establish a strict monitoring mechanism to prevent ministries and private companies from rejecting persons with disabilities in employment.
Adequate standard of living and social protection (art. 28)
55.The Committee is concerned that:
(a)Persons with disabilities are not benefiting from or having progress reported under the National Programme for Sustainable Poverty Reduction and the National Plan for New Rural Development based on the specific indicators developed;
(b)There is a lack of dissemination regarding how many persons with disabilities have received information and benefits under the legislation regulating exemption from or reduction of the rental or purchase price of public housing, and how many have taken advantage of social housing policies;
(c)Persons with disabilities continue to be classified under the pre-Convention welfare model, resulting in only a portion of them benefiting from monthly social benefits and free health insurance cards;
(d)Persons with disabilities are not included in the Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development and the Work and Society Plan 2021–2025.
56. Recalling links between article 28 of the Convention and target 10.2 of the Sustainable Development Goals, which seek to empower and to promote the economic inclusion of all persons, irrespective of disability status, the Committee recommends that the State Party :
(a) Ensure that persons with disabilities are covered by the National Programme for Sustainable Poverty Reduction and the National Plan for New Rural Development, using the indicators developed for this purpose, and that such disaggregated data are disseminated to decision makers, the general population and organizations of persons with disabilities;
(b) Ensure that persons with disabilities receive accurate information, in accessible ways and means, about the possibility of exemption from or reduction of the rental or purchase price of public housing and about social housing policies, and collect disaggregated data on how many persons with disabilities have benefited from these programmes;
(c) Considering the paradigm shift of the Convention towards a human rights approach, implement programmes so that all persons with disabilities, regardless of their level of support needs , can benefit from monthly social benefits and free health insurance cards;
(d) Ensure that persons with disabilities are included in the Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development and the Work and Society Plan 2021–2025.
Participation in political and public life (art. 29)
57.The Committee is concerned that:
(a)Persons with disabilities who are unable to vote because of their disability have to ask another person to vote on their behalf;
(b)Voting procedures, polling stations and election-related information are often inaccessible, restricting the political participation and the election of persons with disabilities;
(c)Data on persons with disabilities who hold public office and perform public functions are not available.
58 . The Committee recommends that the State Party:
(a) Ensure that all persons with disabilities, regardless of their level of support needs, are provided with the necessary assistance to exercise their right to vote and to be elected;
(b) Take concrete measures to ensure the full accessibility of elections, including making polling stations, voting materials and political processes fully accessible for all persons with disabilities, and facilitate the participation of persons with disabilities in political parties, ensuring that they have the opportunity to run as candidates for elected office;
(c) Collect data on persons with disabilities who hold public office and perform public functions.
Participation in cultural life, recreation, leisure and sport (art. 30)
59.The Committee is concerned about:
(a)The lack of information and communication on physical accessibility and the lack of physical accessibility itself of cinemas, theatres, libraries, beaches and hotels and recreational and cultural venues;
(b)The lack of participation of persons with disabilities in recreational and cultural places and employment, such as tourist guides and operators.
60. The Committee recommends that the State Party, in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities, through their representative organizations:
(a) Establish a comprehensive programme to ensure information and communication on physical accessibility, and implement physical accessibility itself in cinemas, theatres, libraries, beaches and hotels and recreational and cultural venues;
(b) Provide training for persons with disabilities who wish to pursue activities such as acting, singing, tour guiding, cultural management, and more.
C.Specific obligations (arts. 31–33)
Statistics and data collection (art. 31)
61.The Committee is concerned about:
(a)The lack of a disaggregated data-collection system and unified indicators across the State Party concerning the human rights of persons with disabilities, and identifying barriers in their exercise of those rights;
(b)The fact that the results of the first National Study on Persons with Disabilities, prepared in 2016, have not been widely disseminated and have not been updated, and that laws, policies and programmes have not been adapted or reformed in accordance with the results of that study.
62. The Committee recommends that the State Party:
(a) Utilize the Washington Group short set of questions on functioning, and the policy marker on the inclusion and empowerment of persons with disabilities of the Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, promote inclusivity, and improve disability data collection systems, with data disaggregated by age, sex, gender, ethnicity, urban or rural location, and migrant, refugee or asylum-seeking status;
(b) Widely disseminate the results of the survey among decision makers, among the population in general and among organizations of persons with disabilities in accessible ways and means;
International cooperation (art. 32)
63.The Committee is concerned about the lack of clarity on how persons with disabilities are involved in deciding how funds from international cooperation for disability support programmes will be distributed.
64. The Committee recommends that the State Party:
(a) Adopt concrete measures to ensure close consultation with and the active involvement of persons with disabilities, through their representative organizations, in international cooperation agreements and programmes, specifically in the implementation and monitoring of the Sustainable Development Goals at all levels;
(b) Take measures to strengthen its cooperation for the implementation of the Jakarta Declaration on the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities (2023–2032) and the Incheon Strategy to “Make the Right Real” for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific;
(c) Introduce the policy marker on the inclusion and empowerment of persons with disabilities of the Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development as a tool to ensure that the disability approach is included in all international cooperation measures.
National implementation and monitoring (art. 33)
65.The Committee is concerned that:
(a)There is insufficient clarity regarding participation by, and support for the involvement of, persons with disabilities and their representative organizations in the National Committee on Disability – the national body responsible for coordinating, implementing and monitoring the Convention;
(b)The State Party has not designated an independent mechanism to monitor the implementation of the Convention, as required under article 33 (2) of the Convention.
66. Recalling its guidelines on independent monitoring frameworks and their participation in the work of the Committee , the Committee recommends that the State Party:
(a) Ensure that persons with disabilities and their representative organizations are convened and receive the necessary support for their participation in the National Committee on Disability for monitoring the Convention;
(b) Establish an independent monitoring mechanism in accordance with the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (the Paris Principles), ensuring the participation of persons with disabilities through their representative organizations.
IV.Follow-up
Dissemination of information
67. The Committee emphasizes the importance of all the recommendations contained in the present concluding observations. With regard to urgent measures that must be taken, the Committee would like to draw the State Party ’ s attention to the recommendations contained in paragraphs 6, on the participation of persons with disabilities, including children with disabilities, through their representative organizations, in the implementation and monitoring of the Convention, 24, on equal recognition before the law, and 42, on freedom of expression and opinion, and access to information.
68. The Committee requests the State Party to implement the recommendations contained in the present concluding observations. It recommends that the State Party transmit the concluding observations for consideration and action to members of the Government and Parliament, officials in relevant ministries, local authorities, and members of relevant professional groups, such as education, medical and legal professionals, as well as to the media, using modern social communication strategies.
69. The Committee strongly encourages the State Party to involve civil society organizations, in particular organizations of persons with disabilities, in the preparation of its periodic report.
70. The Committee requests the State Party to disseminate the present concluding observations widely, including to non-governmental organizations and organizations of persons with disabilities, and to persons with disabilities themselves and members of their families, in national and minority languages, including sign language, and in accessible formats, including Easy Read, and to make them available on the government website on human rights.
Next periodic report
71. The combined second, third and fourth periodic reports are in principle due on 5 March 2033, under the simplified reporting procedure. The Committee will establish and communicate the exact due date of the combined periodic reports of the State Party in line with a future clear and regularized schedule for reporting by States Parties and following the adoption of a list of issues and questions prior to reporting for the State Party. The combined periodic reports should cover the entire period up to the time of their submission.