Human Rights and Disability A Manual for National Human Rights Institutions Acknowledgements About the Authors Neil Crowther is an independent expert on equality and human rights with a particular interest in working to secure the rights of persons with disabilities: www.neilcrowtherconsulting.com. Professor Gerard Quinn is a professor of law at the National University of Ireland, Galway. He serves as Director of the Centre for Disability Law and Policy which was established at the University in 2008. He served two terms with the Irish Human Rights Commission and was the ICC representative during the closing stages of the drafting of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Abigail Rekas is Ph.D. candidate in Law at the Centre for Disability Law & Policy, National University of Ireland Galway, focusing on access to culture and disability. She holds a JD from Northeastern University School of Law, is a member of the Bar of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and is a former Marie Curie Early Stage Research Fellow. The authors would like to gratefully acknowledge the contributions of many people and organisations, including Soumia Amrani (National Council for Human Rights, Morocco), Ash Bowe (Office of the Ombudsman, Samoa), Sara Brunet (ENNHRI), Johannes Carniel (University of Vienna), the Commonwealth Forum of National Human Rights Institutions, Gauthier De Beco (University of Leeds), Deirdre Flannigan (Scottish Human Rights Commission), Kieren Fitzpatrick (APF), Paul Gibson (New Zealand Human Rights Commission), Kazi Hoque (National Human Rights Commission of Bangladesh), Ghizlane Kabbaj (National Council for Human Rights, Morocco), Diane Kingston (CBM International), Maria Ventegodt Liisberg (Danish Institute for Human Rights), Bokankatla Joseph Malatji (South African Human Rights Commission), Sarah McGrath (Commonwealth Forum of National Human Rights Institutions), Rachel Murray (University of Bristol), Melba Adriana Olvera Rodriguez (National Human Rights Commission of Mexico), Lucy Series (Cardiff University), Martha Stickings (European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights), and Yana Zayad (CBM International). The authors would also like to thank a number of individuals for their personal contributions to the creation of this Manual, including Valintin Aichele (Head of the CRPD Monitoring Body, Germany), Magdi Birtha (COFACE-EU), Professor Andrew Byrnes (University of New South Wales), Theresia Degener, (CRPD Committee; University of Applied Sciences Bochum Germany), Harvey Goldberg (Canadian Human Rights Commission), Elizabeth Kamundia (University of Pretoria), Professor Rosemary Kayess (University of New South Wales), Debbie Kohner (ENNHRI), Stig Langvad (CRPD Committee), Flavia Mwangovya (Equality Now), and Rich Watts (NHS England). Without the helpful comments, suggestions, and assistance in identifying good practice from these, and countless others, the production of this Manual would not have been possible. All errors herein remain the responsibility of the authors. Dedication This manual is dedicated to the memory of Caroline (Cabs) Gooding (1959 – 2014), a true pioneer of NHRI work on disability. iv