The United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities opened for signature and ratification March 30 at
United Nations Headquarters in New York. New York. This human
rights treaty, the first in the 21st century and the fastest
negotiated in history, will protect and promote the rights of 650
million persons with disabilities, 10 percent of the world’s
population, noted the Landmine Survivors Network (LSN). An
unprecedented 82 countries signed the Convention and 44 signed the
Convention’s Optional Protocol, a monitoring mechanism that
addresses individual violations, LSN reported. During this opening
ceremony, Jamaica both signed and ratified the Convention.
