Vientiane, 25 August 2022 – The Government Delegation, led by H.E. Mr. Padeumphone Sonthany, Vice Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, departs Wattay International Airport bound for Geneva, Switzerland, to participate in the first-time review of the situation of persons with disabilities in Lao PDR by the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), scheduled for 29-30 August 2022. 

Lao PDR was the third country in ASEAN to ratify the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2009. Under the Convention, the Government of Lao PDR is required to undergo regular reviews by the Committee of 18 international experts at the UN in Geneva on the implementation of the Convention. 

Under the first-time review of Lao PDR, the UN Expert Committee will conduct a dialogue with the Government Delegation on a range of issues, including the participation of persons with disabilities in decision-making, their access to education, health, employment, and justice, as well as protection from discrimination and violence. The dialogue will be based on information provided in the Government Report, together with the Parallel Reports by a network of national disability organizations and the UN in Lao PDR. 

The Government Delegation will be represented by the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, Ministry of Education and Sports, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Justice, National Regulatory Authority for UXO, National Commission for the Advancement of Women, Mothers, and Children, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Lao PDR’s participation in the review was supported by UNDP, UNICEF, OHCHR, Australia, Ireland, Humanity and Inclusion, and Christian Blind Mission (CBM Global).  

“Lao PDR is committed to promoting and protecting the rights of persons with disabilities. With support from donors, a delegation of key ministries will participate in the review by the UN Expert Committee to discuss the progress and challenges in disability inclusion,” noted H.E. Mr. Padeumphone Sonthany. “Following the review, we will continue to coordinate across Government to mainstream disability in the implementation of the National Socio-Economic Development Plan.”  

Following the review, the UN Expert Committee will issue observations and recommendations for the Government of Lao PDR to implement before the next review in four years. To support the implementation of recommendations, UNDP will work with key ministries and disability organizations to develop a CRPD National Plan of Action. 

More information about the first-time review of Lao PDR, including the Government Report and Parallel Reports, are available on the OHCHR website. The dialogue between the Government Delegation and UN Expert Committee will be open to the public and broadcast on UN Web TV and the Facebook page of UNDP Lao PDR.

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For more information, please contact:  

Ms. Aksonethip Somvorachit 

UNDP Communications Analyst 

aksonethip.somvorachit@undp.org  

Ms. Sinsavanh Sonepaseuth 

UNDP Communications and Outreach Officer for Governance 

sinsavanh.sonepaseuth@undp.org