National Council on Disability
International Watch
Federal Advisory Committee
Quarterly  Report
November 29, 2007
Liaison:  Kathleen Martinez
Designated Federal Official (DFO):  Joan Durocher

Since the last quarterly report, NCD’s Federal Advisory Committee International Watch has met twice – on September 6 and November 1.  The meetings included updates on the status of the CRPD, including advice to NCD regarding its future work on the CRPD; as well as updates from the United States Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on their disability inclusion efforts. The next International Watch Federal Advisory Committee call will be on January 3, 2008.  NCD staff continues to have regular follow-up with USAID and the State Department to keep apprised of their disability inclusion efforts.  A new schedule of conference calls has been established for fiscal year 2008.  The dates are as follows:  November 1, 2007, January 3, 2008, March 6, 2008, May 1, 2008, July 3, 2008, September 4, 2008.  The FY07 FACA reporting requirements have been completed and were submitted for approval on October 30, 2007.

Several delegations have visited NCD since the last quarterly meeting, including delegations from Norway, China, and Viet Nam.

In December, 2006 the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which opened for signature on March 30, 2007 in a ceremony at the United Nations.  The treaty will enter into force after it has been ratified by 20 countries.  As of the writing of this report, there are 118 signatories to the Convention, 67 signatories to the Optional Protocol, 7 ratifications, with 3 ratifications of the Optional Protocol.  

In light of the completed text of the CRPD, and to aid the Council in its advisory capacity, NCD has contracted with an international disability expert to draft a comparative analysis of US disability law to the CRPD.   This is the first step in several options for the Council’s international disability work. These steps are intended to further American interests as they pertain to protecting the human rights of people with disabilities on the world stage.  They are:

1. A Comparative Analysis of US law to the CRPD
2. An Educational Tool on the CRPD
3. A Report on the implications to the US of ratifying the CRPD
4. A Public Awareness Campaign on the CRPD

The first draft of the comparative analysis is due on November 19.