Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: shining a light on social transformation

There has been evidence for many years about the unacceptable levels of all forms of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation against people with disability, which led to the campaign to establish the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability (the Royal Commission).

The implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is critical to fulfilling the rights of people with disability to be free from all forms of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. The social transformation required by the CRPD provides the foundation to assist the Royal Commission to conduct its investigations, make findings and determine recommendations.

The Royal Commission contracted the Social Policy Research Centre to undertake the research, critical analysis and preparation of this report, which aims to describe the international human rights context in which the Royal Commission operates.

The report also examines the application of human rights in the context of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation experienced by people with disability. It focuses on how existing law, policy and practice frameworks enable this violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation.