The protection of human rights is one of the main pillars of the UN. Success in this field is the basis for both development and stability. Human rights apply to everyone, regardless of gender, disability, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation.
The Norwegian Government will present a white paper this fall on the increased importance of human rights in our foreign and development policy. Norway will intensify its efforts to promote human rights through a more systematic use of different policy tools and channels of influence in our foreign and development policy, both bilaterally and multilaterally. We will discuss how our efforts best can reach a wide range of vulnerable groups, including persons with disabilities.
Norway ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities last year. In Norway’s international development cooperation and humanitarian efforts, priority is given to promoting the rights of persons with disabilities.
Lifting persons out of exclusion and poverty through strengthening the individual’s capacity and ability to care for themselves, their families and participating in working life and society, are major goals in Norway’s national and development policy.
Education is a priority for the Norwegian Government. Education is the gateway to full participation in society. This is certainly true for children with disabilities, who are disproportionally denied their right to education. All children should receive proper high quality education. This is why Norway has increased its support to education by 15% this year. We will increase our efforts to make sure all children have access to education, including marginalized groups, such as disabled children.
Norway supports the acceleration of efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and the follow up of RIO+20. Norway’s Prime Minister Ms. Erna Solberg is engaged as co-chair of the Secretary General’s MDG Advocacy group.
Norway strongly supports the outcome document from the High Level Meeting on disability and development held last fall. The Meeting stressed the importance of including persons with disabilities in the new development agenda beyond 2015. Norway will work together with others to achieve this.
It is important to ensure that organisations working on disability rights participate in negotiations and decision-making concerning persons with disabilities. Over the years Norway has provided extensive support to ensure that persons with disabilities and their organisations have a voice.
Norway supports a post-2015 framework that includes the needs and inclusion of persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups. We need to keep in mind the most marginalized, including women, children and youth with disabilities, and make sure their concerns are addressed across the post-2015 framework. It is of particular importance that education goals include children with disabilities. Nobody can be left behind in the new development agenda towards 2030.