Developing Disability Rights in China: From Paper to Practice?

The event will be of interest to anyone interested in disability law and policy reform in one of the world’s most populous and influential countries.

This is a free event but registration is required in advance.

China played a very prominent and positive role in drafting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. There is now a growing number of university-based disability studies and disability law centres and related networks in China. Chinese literature on disability law reform challenges is growing exponentially and helping to set a clear agenda for change. Meanwhile civil society advocacy around disability rights has increased significantly in recent years and is fundamentally challenging some of the old assumptions around disability in China.

Several publications by staff from both the CDLP and CDS have been translated into (and published in) Chinese. The CDLP helped mark the opening of the Renmin Disability Law Centre (Beijing) in 2007 and hosted a visit by the chair of the Chinese disability delegation to the UN in 2009. Members of CDS have contributed actively to disability events in Beijing and in Hong Kong University and are building on connections made.

This conference builds on the presence within the student body of four highly qualified activists and legal scholars – two in Galway and two in Leeds. These students will make key contributions to the day. It also draws on established connections with the UK-based NGO China Vision and grass-roots disability organisations in China.

The event will be of interest to anyone interested in disability law and policy reform in one of the world’s most populous and influential countries. Topics for discussion include mental health law, legal capacity and guardianship and inclusive education. No prior knowledge of the Chinese legal system is presumed. The event seeks to raise awareness of current initiatives and challenges experienced by disabled people and their organisations and advocates in China and to generate opportunities for on-going collaboration and exchange – e.g. in relation to research, learning and teaching, and advocacy and activism.

The Centre of Disability Law & Policy, NUI Galway, Ireland (CDLP),The Centre for Disability Studies, University of Leeds, UK (CDS) and  China Vision, UK

Full conference details are available here.