United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)

Suhakam to continue reminding Pakatan Harapan government of its CRPD obligations

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Source: Borneo Post

KUCHING: Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) will continue to remind the Pakatan Harapan-led government of its international obligations under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

Its commissioner Francis Johen Adam hoped that the new government would be more serious in taking legislative, administrative and all necessary measures to comply with provisions of the convention or amendments to existing laws and policies so as to streamline them with the CRPD.

“Suhakam believes this is an opportunity to redouble it efforts to protect and promote human rights as per its mandate under the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia Act 2009,” he said when contacted yesterday, to comment on the new government managing People With Disabilities (PWD) in this country and in Sarawak. Read more →

Human rights for all — Suhakam

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Source: The Malay Mail Online

MAY 16 — The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) has been following the developments on the amendments to the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 (RUU 355) with deep concern.

As an independent statutory body empowered to safeguard human rights and obliged to enlighten the public as primary stakeholders in the promotion and protection of human rights, Suhakam has the following observations to make:

(a) Caning and/or lashing in any setting violates the absolute prohibition of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment under international law. Suhakam also emphasises that all forms of torture and other cruel inhuman or degrading treatment are absolutely prohibited by customary international law and international treaties that Malaysia has acceded to, including the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (Cedaw), Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Read more →

Pushing the principles of non-discrimination

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Source: Daily Express

Kota Kinabalu: Sabah has what it takes to inspire the Malaysian Government to ratify the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (ICERD).

The State is already a shining example of racial and religious harmony in the country but human rights bodies believe that the State Government can take it one step further by implementing the principles of non-discrimination in the administration of the State.

A close-door roundtable discussion, jointly organised by Pusat Komunikasi Masyarakat (Komas) and Suhakam, was held on Thursday, which aimed to engage stakeholders in the State Government to promote the implementation of the ICERD principles.

Organisers hoped the engagement could be treated as a commitment by the State Government to present itself a model government in eradicating race-based politics and reduce racial discrimination in Malaysia.

Malaysia is one of 15 out of 175 United Nations member countries that are not yet party to the ICERD, including North Korea, Myanmar and a dozen authoritarian countries.

Of the seven UN treaties, Malaysia has ratified three, namely the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol (CRPD).

Suhakam, however, believes that the country is ready to ratify the ICERD, although it has had to deal with many issues concerning racial and religious discriminations. Read more →

Creating opportunities for those with disabilities

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Source: NST Online

National paralympian (from L) Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli, Siti Noor Radiah Ismail, Mohamad Ridzuan Mohamad Puzi, and Abdul Latif Romly pose with their respective gold and bronze medals they won at Rio 2016 Paralympics. Bernama pix.

National paralympian (from L) Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli, Siti Noor Radiah Ismail, Mohamad Ridzuan Mohamad Puzi, and Abdul Latif Romly pose with their respective gold and bronze medals they won at Rio 2016 Paralympics. Bernama pix.

IT is nice to talk about a society that is inclusive and accessible to Persons with Disabilities (PWD), but do we know what that entails?

What do they need to take care of their families as well as attain their ambitions?

How many Malaysians have asked themselves these questions?

Social welfare workers and activists do not count.

The average Malaysian is likely to look at a PWD and express sympathy to a friend or two, besides making a small donation when someone asks for it, but it stops at that. The reality suggests that Malaysia has yet to wake up to disability. PWD are among the vulnerable groups in the society, according to the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam).

The country ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) on July 6, 2010, with reservations about Articles 15 and 18.

It has not signed the Optional Protocols to this convention. However, the Commission notes that ratification of the CRPD is a step towards proving Malaysia’s readiness to translate these rights into action. Read more →