Opening for Signature of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will be open for signature by all States and by regional integration organizations at United Nations Headquarters in New York as of 30 March 2007.

The Secretary-General presided over that event together with his Special Adviser Angela King, and a range of dignitaries took the floor prior to the actual signing.  

Given that this is the first comprehensive human rights convention adopted this millennium, that it potentially affects over 650 million persons with disabilities world wide, and its development has involved an unprecedented level of input and engagement from civil society around the world, there is clearly a high level of interest in having a formal ceremony for the opening of the new convention for signature on 30 March.