The United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

The United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN Disability Committee) is made up of 18 people who are experts in the area of disability from around the world. The UN Disability Committee monitors the way governments that have ratified the CRPD follow what the CRPD requires. Those living in countries that have acceded to the CRPD-OP can make a complaint to the UN Disability Committee if they think that their rights have been abused or denied.

In New Zealand, the Independent Monitoring Mechanism (IMM) monitors the Government to make sure it is putting the CRPD into action. The IMM is made up of the Human Rights Commission (HRC), the Ombudsman and the Disabled People’s Organisations’ Coalition (DPO Coalition), a body that represents the voice of disabled people in the monitoring process. The IMM also writes reports to the UN Disability Committee to tell it how it thinks the Government is doing on making rights real for disabled people. It also suggests ways the Government can improve on the work it is doing in this area.