CPACC Quick Reference

The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (2000, legally binding from 2009) consolidates the fundamental rights of everyone living in the EU. It explicitly prohibits disability discrimination and recognises the right of people with disabilities to independence and social participation.

⚠️ The EU Charter sits on top of an earlier layer of European rights law. The European Convention on Human Rights (1950), binding on all Council of Europe members, also covers disability, but only indirectly under "other status" — disability is not named. The Charter is more direct.

The African Charter (1981) protects the rights of all people across African Union member states. Disability is not named in its anti-discrimination provisions, but the Charter has been used to challenge disability discrimination. The African Disability Rights Protocol (2018) adds specific disability protections as a supplement to the Charter.

⚠️ As of 2023, the African Disability Rights Protocol had not yet received the 15 ratifications needed to enter into force. It exists and has been adopted, but it is not yet legally binding on member states.

The Inter-American Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (1999) was the first regional binding treaty to directly and explicitly prohibit discrimination based on disability. It requires member states to take concrete steps to remove barriers and promote full social integration.

⚠️ The Inter-American Convention predates the CRPD by seven years, making it a pioneer in binding disability rights law. However, its scope is narrower than the CRPD — it focuses on eliminating discrimination and removing barriers, while the CRPD takes a broader human rights approach.