The United Nations has a Division for Social Policy and Development Disability. They host 'world days' such as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, and the World Autism Awareness Day; lead crucial work on monitoring and data gathering; and publish reports and newsletters.
The purpose of the present Convention is to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity.
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol (A/RES/61/106) was adopted on 13 December 2006 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, and was opened for signature on 30 March 2007. There were 82 signatories to the Convention, 44 signatories to the Optional Protocol, and 1 ratification of the Convention. This is the highest number of signatories in history to a UN Convention on its opening day.
View a PDF copy of the convention by pressing the button below.
Follow this link to view a great 1-pg PDF infographic, published on the 10 year anniversary of the convention in 2016.