If the state has signed, or ratified, the Convention, has it designated “focal points” within government to address matters relating to the Convention’s implementation?
While it provides some comfort to see at least 10 countries that actually have “focal points” and in which civil society is fully involved, it is still a matter of puzzlement that Ireland, in over four and a half years since signing the Convention, still has not decided where the focal points will lie.
It is very encouraging to see that, while Albania may not have yet ratified the Convention, “[t]here are focal points that actually are responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Albanian National Disability Strategy.” On the other hand, even though it is a long-time signatory, in Estonia, “[c]ivil society is not really yet involved. persons with disabilities are not yet fully integrated or accepted.” The opposite is, however, the case in Macedonia (which has no focal points), where “…civil society is completely engaged in fulfilling the articles of the [C]onvention, but the state and the government does not take care for such matters.”
There are “focal points”, they are effective and civil society is fully involved.
There are “focal points”, but, for example, civil society does not participate “fully” in monitoring the state’s implementation of the Convention.
The state has not yet designated one “focal point” within government for such matters. (Or: State has not signed the Convention).
 Albania (ALB) |
No focal points exist |
 Argentina (ARG) |
Focal points exist, civil society is not fully involved |
 Australia (AUS) |
Focal points exist, civil society is fully involved |
 Austria (AUT) |
Focal points exist, civil society is fully involved |
 Belgium – Federal State Walloon (BEL) |
Focal points exist, civil society is fully involved |
 Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH) |
Focal points exist, civil society is not fully involved |
 Bulgaria (BUL) |
Focal points exist, civil society is fully involved |
 Canada (CAN) |
Focal points exist, civil society is not fully involved |
 Croatia (CRO) |
No focal points exist |
 Czech Republic (CZE) |
Focal points exist, civil society is not fully involved |
 Denmark (DNK) |
Focal points exist, civil society is fully involved |
 Estonia (EST) |
Focal points exist, civil society is not fully involved |
 Finland (FIN) |
No focal points exist |
 France (FRA) |
Focal points exist, civil society is not fully involved |
 Germany (DEU) |
Focal points exist, civil society is not fully involved |
 Hungary (HUN) |
Focal points exist, civil society is not fully involved |
 Ireland (IRL) |
No focal points exist |
 Israel (ISR) |
No focal points exist |
 Italy (ITA) |
Focal points exist, civil society is not fully involved |
 Kosovo (RKS) |
 |
 Macedonia (MKD) |
No focal points exist |
 Mexico (MEX) |
Focal points exist, civil society is not fully involved |
 Montenegro (MNE) |
Focal points exist, civil society is not fully involved |
 Netherlands (NED) |
Focal points exist, civil society is fully involved |
 Portugal (POR) |
|
 Romania (ROU) |
No focal points exist |
 Serbia (SRB) |
Focal points exist, civil society is fully involved |
 Slovakia (SVK) |
Focal points exist, civil society is not fully involved |
 Slovenia (SLO) |
Focal points exist, civil society is not fully involved |
 South Africa (RSA) |
Focal points exist, civil society is not fully involved |
 Spain (ESP) |
Focal points exist, civil society is fully involved |
 Sweden (SWE) |
Focal points exist, civil society is fully involved |
 Switzerland (SUI) |
No focal points exist |
 Turkey (TUR) |
Focal points exist, civil society is not fully involved |
 United Kingdom (UK) |
Focal points exist, civil society is fully involved |
 United States – California (US CA) |
Focal points exist, civil society is not fully involved |
| United States – New York (US NY state) |
|
