The UN Partnership to Promote the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD) is a unique collaborative effort that brings together UN entities, governments, Disabled People’s Organizations (DPOs) and the broader civil society to advance disability rights around the world. In particular, the UNPRPD supports coalition-building and capacity-development at country level to facilitate the full implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). In doing so, it contributes to the realization of a “society for all” in the 21^st century.

The UN entities participating in the UNPRPD are the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The UNDP Poverty Group serves as the Technical Secretariat for the Partnership.

The UNPRPD Strategic and Operational Framework (SOF) sets the collaborative framework underpinning the work of the UNPRPD. It addresses in particular: the “Why” of the UNPRPD – i.e. the context in which the Partnership was established and the rationale for its creation; the “What” of the UNPRPD – i.e. the specific objectives and programmatic priorities that will be pursued by the Partnership; and the “How” of the UNPRPD – i.e. the governance structure and operating modalities of the Partnership and of the Fund that will support its work.

The Gudiance Note's objective is to provide guidance on how to contribute to realizing the rights of persons with disabilities through UNDP policies, projects and programmes. The guidelines are primarily addressed to UNDP staff at the country, regional or global level who are tasked with the design, implementation and monitoring of policies and programmes in support of national partners’ development priorities. They may also serve as a reference for governmental or non-governmental national partners as well as other development partners.