Disabled Peoples' International
Sapporo Declaration
October 2002
In 1981 at the 1st World Congress in Singapore, disabled people
recognized that we must unite and we must fight for our rights.
Today in 2002 we are united, and we stand together as never before.
We have national assemblies in some 135 countries in every continent
of the world. We are ready to fight for our rights!
In Sapporo, our largest gathering yet, more than 3,000 people from
some 109 countries have heard presentations and debated issues, we
recognize that much has been achieved since our inception in 1981;
we also recognize that much remains to be achieved. According to
the United Nations states, there are 600 million disabled people
worldwide, 82% live in developing countries. Unlike other citizens
of their societies, disabled people live in the most deplorable
conditions, isolated and excluded from their communities by barriers
of policy, environment and attitude. For this reason, we fight
against wars, poverty and the eradication of all forms of
discriminations especially against disabled persons.
Disabled people are unquestionably the largest and most
discriminated minority group in the world, whose human rights are
systematically violated. These violations against the poorest of
the poor result in worsening living conditions, degrading in human
treatment, lack of adequate housing, healthcare, education,
employment, social inclusion and, often face death. Our rights
under existing UN conventions are generally ignored or marginalized
in monitoring procedures. Therefore:
$B!& (BWe demand a specific international human rights convention that is
reflective of the full range of civil, political, economic, social
and cultural rights and that includes a strong convention-
monitoring mechanism informed by the unique perspective of people
with disabilities to ensure the credibility, legitimacy and
efficacy of the convention;
$B!& (BDisabled people demand a vice of our own in the development of
this instrument. We must be consulted at all levels on all
matters that concern us.
$B!& (BWe request the UN Secretary-General to continue to provide
facilities necessary for the development of an International Human
Rights Convention for disabled people to reallocate resources to
support the work of the United Nations Program on Disabilities;
$B!& (BWe urge all UN member states to support the formulation and
adaptation of this convention and to establish a Voluntary Fund to
support the participation of disabled people, in particular from
developing countries;
$B!& (BWe encourage all disabled people and their organizations to
educate the public and their political representatives on the need
and benefits of a convention.
In addition:
$B!& (BWe demand that every country adopt and implement anti-
discrimination legislation and policies that ensures the
equalization of opportunity for disabled people.
Adapted by the World Assembly and amended by the World Council.
This declaration must be considered in conjunction with the Sapporo
Platform and resolution of the Sapporo workshops. Together these
documents from the 2002-2006 Action Plan for
Disabled Peoples' International.
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NAGASE Osamu
University of Tokyo
(In Kluang, Malaysia at this time)
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