The European Union has called on the UN Human Rights Council to renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities for a further three-year period, stressing the need to sustain international attention on persistent barriers faced by persons with disabilities. In a general comment delivered on 6 July 2026 at the 62nd session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, the EU, speaking through its delegation to the UN, expressed support for draft resolution L.4 presented by New Zealand and Mexico, which seeks to extend the mandate. The EU commended the core group for streamlining efforts and for an innovative approach to identifying synergies in line with UN General Assembly resolution 80/251.
The statement, issued by the European External Action Service (EEAS), noted that while progress has been achieved, persons with disabilities continue to face significant barriers in daily life, including in accessibility, autonomy, independent living, participation in public and political life, education, employment, healthcare, social protection, and equal access to services. The EU highlighted that persons with disabilities are disproportionately affected by conflict and humanitarian crises, and that multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination persist. The EU stressed the importance of ensuring full, effective and meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in decision-making processes, and reaffirmed its commitment to addressing intersectional discrimination, particularly affecting women and girls with disabilities. It also recognized the critical role of civil society, including organizations representing persons with disabilities.
The EU underscored the need to preserve accessibility within the Council's work, reiterating the importance of international sign language and simultaneous captioning in mandated activities. It stated that budgetary or liquidity constraints cannot be an excuse for undermining fundamental inclusivity across the UN. The EU called on the Council to adopt the resolution by consensus.
The mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities was established by the Human Rights Council in 2014 and has been renewed periodically. The current mandate holder is Heba Hagrass of Egypt, who took up the role in 2023. The renewal would extend the mandate for another three years, allowing continued monitoring, reporting, and advisory support to states and stakeholders on the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), to which the EU and its member states are parties.