CRPD at 20: Its Evolving Impact on Other International Human Rights Instruments 

Side Event to the 19th Conference of States Parties to the CRPD 

Monday, June 8, 2026, 1.15 p.m. – 2.30 p.m. Conference Room 6, United Nations, New York NY 
Watch: https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1u/k1upweqno1

The 20th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) offers an important opportunity to draw attention to its crucial role as a legal instrument within the broader international human rights architecture. 

This side event will examine the evolving impact of the CRPD on other international and regional human rights instruments. Recently, it can be observed that the jurisprudence of courts and the practice of treaty bodies increasingly refer to the CRPD and interpret other human rights instruments in light of its standards. 

Questions and issues such as the following will be discussed: How do international courts and treaty bodies engage with the CRPD in their jurisprudence? How can the CRPD be effectively invoked in proceedings under other human rights conventions? What measures can be taken at the domestic level to strengthen the impact of the CRPD on other human rights instruments? What is the UN Treaty Body Reform process and why is it relevant for the CRPD? 

Moderator 

• Markus Schefer, Member of the CRPD Committee, Co-Director of the Center for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Switzerland 

Speakers (in alphabetical order) 

• Steven Allen, Executive Director, Validity Foundation 
• Nuria Frei, Lawyer, Inclusion Handicap Switzerland 
• Urs Germann, Head of the Federal Bureau for the Equality of Persons with Disabilities of Switzerland
• Caspar Plomp, Human Rights Officer, UN Petitions Unit 
• Priscila Rodríguez Benavides, Associate Director for Advocacy, Disability Rights International 
• Eric Rosenthal, Founder and Executive Director, Disability Rights International 
• Konrad Stokar, Co-Executive Director, Association Cerebral Suisse, Member of the Executive Board of Inclusion Handicap Switzerland