Interactive Dialogue with Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Statement by U.S. Special Advisor on International Disability Rights, Sara Minkara
Human Rights Council – 52nd Session
Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you, Special Rapporteur Quinn, for your recent report.
The United States has a longstanding commitment to the right of persons with disabilities to live in the community, equal to others, as enshrined in Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
The United States has implemented important changes in disability support systems in the past few decades, significantly expanding access to community-based services that help persons with disabilities live in their homes, attend local schools, and participate in the community while accelerating efforts to promote alternatives to institutionalization.
But as Special Rapporteur Quinn highlighted, there is more work to be done to transform community-based support systems in the United States and globally, to protect the autonomy, choices, and community inclusion of persons with disabilities.
Question: What strategies are States using to effectively advance disability support system reforms while taking into account the acute workforce crisis and the unmet need for services?
Thank you so much.
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