Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Concluding observations on the initial report of Rwanda *

I.Introduction

1.The Committee considered the initial report of Rwanda (CRPD/C/RWA/1) at its 441st and 442nd meetings (see CRPD/C/SR.441 and 442), held on 14 and 15 March 2019 respectively. It adopted the present concluding observations at its 461st meeting, held on 28 March 2019.

2.The Committee welcomes the initial report of Rwanda, which was prepared in accordance with the Committee’s reporting guidelines, and thanks the State party for its written replies (CRPD/C/RWA/Q/1/Add.1) to the list of issues prepared by the Committee (CRPD/C/RWA/Q/1).

3.The Committee appreciated the constructive dialogue held with the State party’s high-level delegation, which was headed by the Minister of State for Social Affairs.

II.Positive aspects

4.The Committee commends the State party on a number of its achievements and notes with appreciation its commitment to taking measures to ensure the compliance of its laws and policies with the Convention. The Committee welcomes the enactment of legislation prohibiting any form of discrimination based, inter alia, on disability. It especially notes with appreciation article 163 of the Rwanda Penal Code, which was published on 27 September 2018. It also welcomes the adoption of Law No. 03/2011 determining the responsibilities, organization and functioning of the National Council of Persons with Disabilities, and the ministerial orders of 2009 relating to measures to facilitate communication, travel, education, sports and leisure, medical care and employment for persons with disabilities. It welcomes in particular the commitment made by the State party during the Global on Disability Summit, held in London on 24 July 2018, to take wide-ranging measures to promote and protect the rights of persons with disabilities.

III.Principle areas of concern and recommendations

A.General principles and obligations (arts. 1–4)

5.The Committee is concerned that the State party has not brought its domestic legislation into line with the Convention, and that its laws still contain pejorative terms and reflect the medical model of disability, in particular Law No. 01/2007 relating to the protection of persons with disabilities in general, Law No. 02/2007 relating to the protection of former war combatants with disabilities, Law No. 54/2011 relating to the rights and the protection of the child and Law No. 27/2001 relating to rights and protection of the child against violence. The Committee is also concerned at the slow pace of adoption of a national disability policy, and that the ministerial orders of 2009 concerning persons with disabilities remain largely unimplemented.

6. The Committee recommends that the State party ensure that domestic legislation adheres to the Convention, taking measures to fulfil all its obligations under the Convention and ensuring the human rights-based approach to disability. The Committee also recommends that the State party eliminate the use of pejorative terminology relating to the rights of persons with disabilities. It also recommends that the State party adopt without delay a national disability policy that is aligned with the Convention, including consultation and engagement with organizations of persons with disabilities, and take effective measures with clear timelines for its implementation. The Committee recommends that the State party take effective measures to implement the ministerial orders of 2009.

7.The Committee is concerned about the absence of mechanisms to ensure that the views, opinions and concerns of persons with disabilities, particularly women, children and persons with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities, are included in the formulation of laws and policies, at both the national and the local levels.

8. The Committee recalls 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, and recommends that the State party establish accessible formal mechanisms to ensure effective and meaningful participation of and consultation with persons with disabilities, particularly women, children and persons with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities, through their representative organizations, including in the formulation, implementation and monitoring of laws and policies. The Committee also recommends that the State party provide sufficient budgetary resources to such organizations to facilitate such participation of persons with disabilities.

B.Specific rights (arts. 5–30)

Equality and non-discrimination (art. 5)

9.The Committee is concerned about:

(a)The absence of recognition in the national legislation of denial of reasonable accommodation as a form of disability-based discrimination;

(b)Insufficient laws and policies to combat multiple and intersectional discrimination against persons with disabilities, especially women and children with disabilities;

(c)The lack of accessible mechanisms for reporting cases of discrimination on the grounds of disability, the lack of redress mechanisms and the lack of statistics on cases of disability-based discrimination.

10. The Committee recommends that the State party take all appropriate measures to prevent and address all forms of disability-based discrimination. It recommends that the State party:

(a) Establish in law the denial of reasonable accommodation as a form of disability-based discrimination ;

(b) Adopt a legislative framework to combat multiple and intersectional discrimination, particularly as experienced by women and children with disabilities, together with a coordinated strategy for its implementation;

(c) Take formal measures to ensure that mechanisms for reporting acts of discrimination on grounds of disability, as well as redress mechanisms, are made available and accessible, and provide in its next periodic report statistics on cases of disability-based discrimination.

Women with disabilities (art. 6)

11.The Committee is concerned about:

(a)The absence of reliable disaggregated data that would enable a better understanding of the human rights situation of women and girls with disabilities;

(b)The insufficient application of a disability perspective in general gender equality policies and programmes, as well as the limited application of a gender equality perspective in disability policies and programmes;

(c)The inadequacy of policies and programmes for the advancement, development and empowerment of girls and women with disabilities.

12. With reference to its general comment No. 3 (2016) on women and girls with disabilities, and in view of targets 5.1, 5.2 and 5.5 of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Committee recommends that the State party, in consultation with representative organizations of persons with disabilities, in particular organizations of women and girls with disabilities:

(a) Systematically collect disaggregated data on women with disabilities and develop specific indicators to assess intersectional discrimination, ensuring close cooperation between the Gender Monitoring Office and organizations of women with disabilities with a view to informing and developing adequate public policies;

(b) Mainstream a disability perspective in general gender equality policies and programmes, and a gender equality perspective in disability policies and programmes ;

(c) Develop and implement specific policies with the necessary human and financial resources for the advancement, development and empowerment of girls and women with disabilities.

Children with disabilities (art. 7)

13.The Committee is concerned about:

(a)The fact that legislation, including article 54 of the Law No. 54/2011 relating to the rights and the protection of the child, does not protect the rights of all children with disabilities;

(b)The prevailing discrimination and social exclusion of children with disabilities, particularly in remote or rural areas;

(c)The insufficient opportunities for children with disabilities to systematically participate in decision-making on matters that concern them;

(d)The limited support services provided for children with disabilities and their families within the community;

(e)The insufficient measures to promote inclusive alternative care in family settings for children with disabilities without parental care, and the increasing number of cases of separation of children with disabilities to live in segregated residential settings.

14. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Take measures to review its laws, in particular Law No. 54/2011 relating to the rights and the protection of the child, to ensure protection for the rights of all children with disabilities in accordance with the Convention ;

(b) Step up its efforts to allocate all resources necessary to eliminate discrimination against and exclusion of children with disabilities, with a particular focus on children at risk of intersectional discrimination;

(c) Establish policies and programmes to ensure the right of children with disabilities to express their views on all matters concerning them ;

(d) Take measures, including within the National Commission for Children, to ensure that support services and facilities are available in the community for children with disabilities and their families in order to guarantee their right to family life, in line with their best interests;

(e) Take measures to enable children with disabilities to live in family settings with appropriate support, including alternative care within the wider family or within the community in a family setting.

Awareness-raising (art. 8)

15.The Committee is concerned about the persistence of negative stereotypes, stigma and prejudices towards persons with disabilities in society and the lack of programmes to raise awareness about their rights.

16. The Committee recommends that the State party develop a national awareness-raising programme, with the participation of organizations of persons with disabilities, and develop media campaigns, portraying positive images of persons with disabilities that are respectful of their rights and dignity and highlighting their contributions to society.

Accessibility (art. 9)

17.The Committee is concerned that:

(a)The accessibility of the physical environment, transportation, services, information and communications is limited, especially in rural areas;

(b)The provisions of the Building Code of 2015 on ensuring accessibility standards are not being fully implemented.

18. With reference to the Committee ’ s general comment No. 2 (2014) on accessibility, and in view of targets 11.2 and 11.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Adopt and implement a comprehensive plan of action and standards on accessibility, including accessibility of the physical environment, transportation, services, information and communications;

(b) Strengthen the implementation of the Building Code of 2015 and its accessibility standards – including through universal design and public procurement – and the monitoring thereof by, inter alia, training civil servants in charge of monitoring, and introducing sanctions for non-compliance in relation to accessibility.

Right to life (art. 10)

19.The Committee is concerned that, whereas no specific killing in the State party itself has been reported, the right to life of persons with albinism in the State party and in the East African region in general is under threat due to myths and false beliefs and practices.

20. The Committee recommends that the State party take all appropriate measures to protect persons with albinism against threats of abduction and killings, and raise awareness, including through a public information campaign on the rights of persons with albinism, in consultation with persons with disabilities, including persons with albinism, and their organizations.

Situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies (art. 11)

21.The Committee is concerned about:

(a)The lack of a disability perspective in the general strategy, plan, protocols and tools in situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies;

(b)The lack of civil protection personnel with knowledge and skills to assist persons with disabilities in situations of risk;

(c)The inaccessibility of information regarding disaster risk reduction and response for persons with disabilities, in particular persons who are deaf, blind or deaf-blind and persons with intellectual disabilities.

22. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Ensure that the national strategy, plan, protocols and tools to deal with situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies are inclusive of and accessible to persons with disabilities, and that, through their representative organizations, they are included in structures responsible for disaster preparedness, management and recovery;

(b) Train and equip emergency response teams with the knowledge and skills to assist persons with disabilities in situations of risk ;

(c) Put into place measures to ensure that information on disaster risk reduction and response is accessible to all persons with disabilities, including persons who are deaf, blind or deaf - blind and persons with intellectual disabilities.

Equal recognition before the law (art. 12)

23.The Committee is concerned that legislation, such as article 150 of Law No. 32/2016 governing persons and family and article 4 (2) of Law No. 45/2011 governing contracts, provides for the discriminatory restriction of the legal capacity of persons with disabilities on the basis of impairment. The Committee is concerned about the existence of substituted decision-making and guardianship regimes for persons with disabilities.

24. In view of its general comment No. 1 (2014) on equal recognition before the law, the Committee recommends that the State party repeal all discriminatory legal provisions and end all practices that limit the legal capacity of persons with disabilities, including article 150 of Law No. 32/2016 and article 4 (2) of Law No. 45/2011 governing contracts. It also recommends that the State party enact legislation recognizing the full legal capacity of persons with disabilities, including a supported decision-making regime that respects the autonomy, wishes and preferences of persons with disabilities.

Access to justice (art. 13)

25.The Committee is concerned that persons with disabilities cannot effectively participate in the judicial system, especially persons who are deaf and persons with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities. The Committee is especially concerned about:

(a)The lack of knowledge about disability rights within the judicial sector, including among court staff, judges, prosecutors, magistrates, lawyers, law enforcement officials and staff of corrective facilities;

(b)The lack of accessibility of judicial premises and proceedings, especially to women and girls with disabilities, and the absence of procedural accommodation.

26. The Committee recommends that the State party adopt measures to ensure that all persons with disabilities, especially persons who are deaf and persons with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities, can exercise their right to access to justice. In particular, the Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Provide continuous training for those working in the justice and law and order sector on the rights of persons with disabilities, taking into account the diversity of persons with disabilities in judicial proceedings as witnesses, victims or perpetrators;

(b) Ensure the accessibility of judicial premises and proceedings to all persons with disabilities, especially women and girls with disabilities, by, inter alia, providing accessible and free legal services to persons with disabilities, sign language interpretation, and comprehensive age- and gender-appropriate procedural accommodation.

Liberty and security of the person (art. 14)

27.The Committee is concerned about the deprivation of liberty of persons with disabilities on the basis of perceived or actual impairment, and the involuntary hospitalization and institutionalization of children and adults with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities, as is the case in 59 centres listed by the National Council of Persons with Disabilities.

28. In accordance with its guidelines on the right to liberty and security of persons with disabilities, the Committee recommends that the State party adopt and implement legislation that prohibits, under all circumstances, any involuntary confinement of persons with disabilities in the justice system or in mental health facilities on the basis of perceived or actual impairment. It also recommends that the State party put in place mandatory guidelines for admission in order to respect the dignity, integrity, will and preference of persons with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities, and to ensure that they are not deprived of their liberty.

Freedom from exploitation, violence and abuse (art. 16)

29.The Committee is concerned about:

(a)Prevailing violence, abuse and neglect against persons with disabilities, particularly women and children and persons with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities, within health-care and corrective institutions;

(b)The lack of effective measures to prevent violence, including sexual and gender-based violence, particularly in homes, institutions, communities and refugee camps where persons with disabilities live, and measures to monitor such prevention measures;

(c)The lack of effective protection and support services for persons with disabilities who are victims of exploitation, violence or abuse;

(d)The absence of concrete data on cases of violence and abuse against persons with disabilities;

(e)The lack of dedicated mechanisms for identifying, investigating and prosecuting instances of exploitation, violence and abuse against persons with disabilities;

(f)The lack of a direct ban on corporal punishment of children with disabilities in all settings.

30. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Take all necessary measures to prevent and eliminate all forms of exploitation, violence and abuse against persons with disabilities, particularly women and children ;

(b) Ensure that members of the police, judiciary and health and social services receive regular and mandatory training on the prevention of violence and abuse of persons with disabilities ;

(c) Adopt effective measures to ensure that persons with disabilities who are victims of violence have access to accessible services and information, including hotlines, shelters, victim support services, consultation and counselling;

(d) Collect and publish data, disaggregated by sex and age, on violence and abuse against persons with disabilities in all settings, including the number of prosecutions, convictions and sentences imposed on the perpetrators ;

(e) Establish accessible and inclusive complaints mechanisms that have a mandate, inter alia, to provide compensation and impose sanctions on perpetrators, in accordance with article 16 (3) of the Convention;

(f) Enact and enforce legislation to explicitly prohibit all corporal punishment of children, however light, in all settings, including in the home and in institutions, in accordance to target 16.2 of the Sustainable Development Goals, on ending violence against children.

Protecting the integrity of the person (art. 17)

31.The Committee notes with concern the lack of prevention and protection measures to fully ensure the integrity of persons with disabilities, in particular with respect to forced treatment and forced sterilization of persons with disabilities, particularly those with psychosocial disabilities and women and girls with disabilities.

32. The Committee recommends that the State party adopt the legislative and other measures necessary to protect the integrity of persons with disabilities in all settings, including institutional settings in which persons with psychosocial disabilities are still placed, and to prevent and stop forced treatment and forced sterilization of persons with disabilities, particularly those with psychosocial disabilities and women and girls with disabilities.

Liberty of movement and nationality (art. 18)

33.The Committee is concerned about barriers for persons with disabilities to obtain official documentation as refugees, which hinder their enjoyment of the right to liberty of movement. It is also concerned that some children, including children with disabilities, are still not registered at birth.

34. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Strengthen the registration programme to implement Law No. 13 ter /2014 relating to refugees and ensure that refugees with disabilities in all areas of the country have access to official documentation on an equal basis with others ;

(b) Enforce the registration of all newborn children with disabilities at birth and conduct a countrywide campaign to raise awareness among parents and the community of the importance of registering the births of their children, including those with disabilities.

Living independently and being included in the community (art. 19)

35.The Committee is concerned that there are persons with disabilities living in social isolation and segregated from their families and the community. It is also concerned that inaccessible infrastructure and services make it difficult for persons with disabilities to participate in the activities of daily life independently, in particular in rural or remote areas.

36. In accordance with its general comment No. 5 (2017) on living independently and being included in the community, the Committee recommends that the State party adopt a national strategy on living independently and being included in the community and prevent the isolation or segregation of persons with disabilities. It also recommends that the State party enhance the availability, accessibility and inclusiveness of existing public services and develop community-based services for persons with disabilities to ensure that they have the opportunity to choose their place of residence and where and with whom they live, including in rural or remote areas . It further recommends that the State party ensure the availability and accessibility of support services, including personal assistance services for persons with disabilities.

Personal mobility (art. 20)

37.The Committee is concerned about the insufficient access to affordable mobility aids and assistive devices for persons with disabilities, particularly in rural areas. It is also concerned about the limited availability at the local level of the necessary technology to produce appropriate assistive devices.

38. The Committee recommends that the State party take measures to ensure that the technology and services necessary for the repair and manufacturing of quality mobility aids and assistive devices are made available locally and at an affordable cost, including through subsidies, taking into consideration individual requirements and choice.

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

39.The Committee is concerned that:

(a)The provision of information in accessible formats for persons with disabilities is not mandatory under article 2 of Ministerial Order No. 01/09/MININFOR of 10 August 2009;

(b)Sign language is not recognized as an official language under the law, that the Rwandan sign language dictionary is yet to be finalized and that sign language interpretation services are not fully available;

(c)Persons with disabilities do not have access to public information and mass media in accessible formats, or to information technology on an equal basis with others.

40. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Review article 2 of Ministerial Order No. 01/09/MININFOR to require both public and private media to provide information in accessible formats for persons with disabilities ;

(b) Recognize Rwandan sign language as an official language, expedite the completion of the Rwandan sign language dictionary, put into place training, standardization and certification programmes for sign language interpreters and ensure that sign language interpretation services are available to persons who are deaf;

(c) Ensure access to public information for all persons with disabilities, develop and use accessible communication formats and technology for mass media, including websites and software applications, and ensure access to information technology for persons with disabilities on an equal basis with others .

Respect for home and the family (art. 23)

41.The Committee is concerned about:

(a)Cases in which children have been taken away from their parents on the grounds of disability, owing, inter alia, to poverty;

(b)The lack of awareness, especially in the justice system and the child protection system, about the rights of persons with disabilities, especially persons with psychosocial disabilities.

42. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Provide adequate and appropriate information, services and support to families that have members with disabilities, including in the form of social protection to families living in poverty headed by persons with disabilities and those with children with disabilities, ensuring that children can enjoy their right to be raised within families and at home;

(b) Increase awareness in the general community, the justice system and agencies involved in child protection about the rights of persons with disabilities, in particular the right to respect for home and the family, especially for persons with psychosocial disabilities.

Education (art. 24)

43.The Committee is concerned that children with disabilities face barriers to the enjoyment of the right to quality, inclusive education in mainstream schools, especially children with disabilities in refugee camps and institutions. The Committee is deeply concerned that more than 40,000 children with disabilities remain out of school owing to long distances, insufficient mobility aids, lack of accessibility and lack of individualized accommodation, especially in remote or rural areas.

44. Recalling its general comment No. 4 (2016) on the right to inclusive education and Sustainable Development Goal 4, especially targets 4.5 and 4.a, the Committee recommends that the State party take all appropriate measures to ensure the right of all children with disabilities to quality and inclusive education, including by removing physical, communication, information and other barriers, ensuring the provision of individualized accommodation such as assistive devices, support and accessible curricula and materials and fostering an inclusive environment.

Health (art. 25)

45.The Committee notes with concern:

(a)The lack of accessible public health education and health-care facilities and services, including emergency services, sexual and reproductive health services and HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support programmes, particularly in remote, rural areas;

(b)The lack of adequate training of health professionals on the human rights of persons with disabilities, including on free and informed consent;

(c)That refugees with disabilities do not benefit from health-care coverage;

(d)The lack of specific measures on persons with albinism in policies on health and disability, in particular concerning the prevention and treatment of skin cancer.

46. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Adopt and implement a strategy to ensure the availability and accessibility of public health education and health-care services and facilities for all persons with disabilities throughout the country, including emergency services, sexual and reproductive health services and HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support programmes;

(b) Raise awareness of the rights of persons with disabilities among medical professionals through training and the promulgation of ethical standards, including on the right to free and informed consent ;

(c) Take measures to ensure universal, affordable and non-discriminatory access to quality health-care services for all persons with disabilities, including refugees with disabilities ;

(d) Adopt specific measures on persons with albinism in policies on health and disabilities, ensuring the availability, accessibility, affordability and quality of prevention and treatment for skin cancer.

Habilitation and rehabilitation (art. 26)

47.The Committee is concerned about the shortage of comprehensive and cross-sectoral habilitation and rehabilitation services, programmes and technology in the State party, especially in rural areas. In particular, it is concerned that health-related habilitation and rehabilitation services and assistive devices are not covered by the “Mutuelle de Santé” health insurance scheme.

48. The Committee recommends that the State party take measures to secure access for persons with disabilities to comprehensive and cross-sectoral habilitation and rehabilitation services, programmes and technology, within their community, and in all districts of the State party. It also recommends that the State party take appropriate measures , including by expanding the coverage of the “ Mutuelle de Santé ” health insurance scheme to secure access for persons with disabilities to affordable health-related habilitation and rehabilitation devices and services.

Work and employment (art. 27)

49.The Committee is concerned about:

(a)The low rate of employment among persons with disabilities – at 56 per cent according to the fourth Rwanda Population and Housing Census (2012), 77 per cent of whom are in the informal sector – affecting women and youth with disabilities in particular;

(b)Systematic barriers and discrimination against persons with disabilities in the recruitment process and the workplace, including lack of reasonable accommodation, of accessible workplaces and of accessible and affordable public transport;

(c)The lack of vocational training opportunities to enable persons with disabilities to gain access to employment.

50. The Committee recommends that, in accordance with the Convention and in view of target 8.5 of the Sustainable Development Goals, the State party:

(a) Adopt the necessary policies and measures, including specific measures, to significantly increase the employment rate of persons with disabilities, especially women and youth, in both the formal and the informal sectors;

(b) Take effective measures against the systematic barriers and disability-based discrimination faced by persons with disabilities in access to employment, including ensuring the provision of reasonable accommodation, workplace adaptation, accessible workplaces, flexible work requirements and accessible and affordable public transport;

(c) Implement training and skills development programmes to facilitate the recruitment of persons with disabilities and to make them more competitive in the open job market.

Adequate standard of living and social protection (art. 28)

51.The Committee is concerned that many persons with disabilities live in poverty and that social protection and poverty reduction efforts for the general population are largely based on a household poverty ranking index, not at the individual level, and therefore may exclude persons with disabilities, especially women with disabilities, and not take account of the additional costs of disability-related requirements.

52. The Committee recommends that the State party establish social protection and poverty reduction programmes aimed at guaranteeing an adequate standard of living for persons with disabilities, including through the provision of appropriate pensions and social allowances, and ensure that these programmes take into account the additional costs related to disability. It also recommends that the State party review its poverty ranking system, which is based on the household, and ensure that all persons with disabilities, especially women with disabilities, have access to individually designed social protection and other community-based social services, public housing programmes and support services to enable them to live independently, with due respect to their rights, will and preferences.

Participation in political and public life (art. 29)

53.The Committee is concerned about:

(a)Articles 8 (3) and 24 (4) of Organic Law No. 001/1918 governing elections, which deny persons with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities their rights to vote and to run for election;

(b)Voting procedures, facilities and materials that are not accessible to all persons with disabilities;

(c)The low rates of representation and participation of persons with disabilities, especially women with disabilities, in political life and public decision-making, including in the Parliament, the Government, mainstream women’s organizations and the leadership of the National Council of Persons with Disabilities.

54. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Revise its laws, including Organic Law No. 001/1918 governing elections, to ensure that persons with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities can enjoy their rights to vote and to run for election;

(b) Adopt a plan to ensure the accessibility of voting procedures, facilities and materials, including through the provision of electoral materials and information in accessible formats for all persons with disabilities ;

(c) Take all appropriate measures, including specific measures, to ensure the participation of persons with disabilities, especially women with disabilities, in political life and public decision-making, including in the Parliament, the Government, mainstream women ’ s organizations and the leadership of the National Council of Persons with Disabilities.

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

55.The Committee is concerned that the State party has not signed or ratified the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled. It is also concerned by the lack of efforts to increase accessible spaces for recreation and leisure, in both rural and urban areas, and the limited opportunities for persons with disabilities, including children, to participate in sports and cultural activities.

56. The Committee encourages the State party to adopt all appropriate measures to sign, ratify and implement the Marrakesh Treaty. It also recommends that the State party take concrete measures to increase accessible and inclusive spaces for recreation and leisure, and support and encourage the participation of persons with disabilities, including children, in sports and cultural activities.

C.Specific obligations (arts. 31–33)

Statistics and data collection (art. 31)

57.The Committee is concerned that the State party does not systematically collect disaggregated statistical data on persons with disabilities.

58. The Committee recommends that the State party pay close attention to the links between article 31 of the Convention and target 17.18 of the Sustainable Development Goals, and systematize the collection, analysis and dissemination of high-quality, timely and reliable data disaggregated by income, gender, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, type of impairment and geographic location, as well as data on the barriers that persons with disabilities face in society and other characteristics relevant in its national context. It recommends that the State party use the collected and analysed data to develop the appropriate policies to improve the implementation of the rights of persons with disabilities. It also recommends that the State party consider using in the Rwanda Population and Housing Census and other household surveys the short set of questions on disability issued by the Washington Group on Disability Statistics.

International cooperation (art. 32)

59.The Committee is concerned about the lack of mainstreaming of the rights of persons with disabilities, as enshrined in the Convention, in the national implementation and monitoring of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and about the insufficient consultation and participation of representative organizations of persons with disabilities in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of international cooperation projects and programmes.

60. The Committee recommends that the State party mainstream the rights of persons with disabilities in its implementation and monitoring of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and ensure that all international cooperation efforts are fully inclusive of persons with disabilities, from the design of programmes and policies to implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and that, together with international development actors, it systematically and meaningfully consults organizations of persons with disabilities. It also recommends that the State party consider ratifying the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples ’ Rights on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Africa, recently adopted by the African Union.

National implementation and monitoring (art. 33)

61.The Committee notes with concern that the National Commission for Human Rights does not have sufficient human, technical and financial resources, which prevents it from effectively performing its mandate. The Committee is also concerned about the limited participation of persons with disabilities and their representative organizations in the national implementation and monitoring process as a whole.

62. Taking into account its guidelines on independent monitoring frameworks and their participation in the work of the Committee (CRPD/C/1/Rev.1, annex), the Committee recommends that the State party allocate human, technical and financial resources that are sufficient in both quality and quantity to the National Commission for Human Rights to enable it to effectively perform its mandate. The Committee also recommends that the State party ensure the full participation of persons with disabilities, especially women with disabilities, and their representative organizations in the monitoring of the implementation of the Convention, including by providing the necessary funding.

IV.Follow-up

Dissemination of information

63. 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 attention of the State party to the recommendations contained in paragraphs 12, on women with disabilities, and 52, on an adequate standard of living.

64. 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.

65. 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.

66. 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. The Committee also requests the State party to disseminate them on the Government ’ s human rights website .

Next periodic report

67. The Committee requests the State party to submit its combined second, third, and fourth periodic reports by 14 January 2023 and to include in them information on the implementation of the recommendations made in the present concluding observations. The Committee invites the State party to consider submitting the above-mentioned reports under the Committee ’ s simplified reporting procedure, according to which the Committee prepares a list of issues at least one year prior to the due date set for the submission of the report of a State party. The replies of a State party to such a list of issues constitute its report.