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CPACC - Module 10: international declarations and conventions

A study summary of international disability-rights instruments for the CPACC exam — the UDHR, the UN CRPD (and Article 9), and the Marrakesh Treaty.

  • #accessibility
  • #cpacc
  • #study-notes

This is Module 10 of the CPACC (Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies) Body of Knowledge — and the first module of Domain 3, Standards, Laws, and Management Strategies. Domain 2 covered how we design (user-centered design through UDL); Domain 3 turns to the legal and policy frameworks behind accessibility, starting at the international level.

This module covers the three you must know: the UDHR, the UN CRPD, and the Marrakesh Treaty.

The three instruments at a glance #

| Instrument | Year | What it is / does | |---|---|---| | Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) | 1948 | First declaration that all people have fundamental human rights; a milestone — but not disability-specific | | UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) | 2006 | First binding instrument specifically protecting disability rights; Article 9 = accessibility | | Marrakesh Treaty | 2013 | Makes print materials accessible to blind/print-disabled people via a copyright exception |

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) #

Drafted by the UN General Assembly in Paris in 1948, written by representatives from all regions of the world, it set a common standard of achievement for all peoples and nations.

  • It is the first declaration that people have fundamental human rights that must be universally protected — a milestone in human-rights history.
  • It does not specifically mention people with disabilities — but they are understood to be included in the words “everyone,” “all,” and “no one.”

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) #

The UN CRPD of 2006 is the first binding international human rights instrument that specifically protects the rights of people with disabilities. States that ratify (accept) it must take steps to implement those rights.

It adopts a broad categorization of disability and reaffirms that all persons with all types of disabilities must enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Article 9: Accessibility #

The exam loves this one. Article 9 is about accessibility. It requires States Parties to ensure people with disabilities have access, on an equal basis with others, to the physical environment, transportation, information and communications (including ICT), and other public facilities/services — in both urban and rural areas.

The Marrakesh Treaty #

Full name: the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons who are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled. Adopted in 2013 in Marrakesh, Morocco, administered by WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization).

  • Goal: end the “book famine” — the lack of books available to blind, visually impaired, and otherwise print-disabled people.
  • Because a major obstacle is copyright, the treaty creates a copyright exception: accessible-format versions of copyrighted print works can be made without the copyright owner’s permission.
  • It also allows the import and export of those accessible-format versions across borders.

Quick self-check #

  1. Which instrument came first, and in what year?
  2. Which is the first binding instrument specifically for disability rights, and in what year?
  3. Does the UDHR explicitly name people with disabilities?
  4. What does CRPD Article 9 cover?
  5. What does it mean for a state to “ratify” the CRPD?
  6. What problem does the Marrakesh Treaty solve, and how?

Knowledge check #

Answer each question, then check — the feedback explains every choice.

Knowledge check

1. The UDHR is the first declaration that people have fundamental human rights that must be universally protected.
2. People with disabilities have been protected in human rights laws since the UDHR in 1948.
3. Which instrument helps ensure access to print materials for people with visual disabilities?
4. CRPD Article 9 is focused on…?
5. Is it okay to create an accessible version of copyrighted material without contacting the copyright owner?

Study tip: this module is three instruments and their years. Anchor on 1948 UDHR → 2006 CRPD → 2013 Marrakesh, then attach one fact to each: UDHR = first, but not disability-specific; CRPD = first binding & disability-specific, Article 9 = accessibility; Marrakesh = print/copyright exception. The year + “first” + purpose is exactly what the questions test.