Sticks and Stones May Break Bones, But Only the Right Words can Protect Human Rights: An Examination of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Relation to Psychosocial Disabilities

Authors

Dailyah Rudek, false

Abstract

The U.N. Convention on the Right of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is the most progressive document of its kind, containing admirable principles and mechanisms to protects the rights of people with physical disabilities and outlining international expectations regarding their treatment. Unfortunately, the instrument is woefully inadequate with respect to psychosocial disability and is leaving millions of people worldwide without sufficient protection. Future international conventions on human rights should specifically address persons with psychosocial disability and the CRPD must either be amended to appropriately address these disabilities or have such disabilities severed from its applicability as a new psychosocial-specific convention is announced. Scholars have noted the CRPD's shortcomings pertaining to psychosocial disability generally. However, examining CRPD's efficacy in light of the connections between armed conflict and ratification and within the context of social versus medical models of disability illuminates the urgent need for specific psychosocial language in international human rights law.

Recommended Citation

Dailyah Rudek, Sticks and Stones May Break Bones, but Only the Right Words Can Protect Human Rights: An Examination of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Relation to Psychosocial Disabilities, 51 DENV. J. INT'l L. & POL'y 157 (2022-2023).