STRUCTURE AND TASKS OF FOCAL POINTS

Focal Points’ activities – ideas for the Finnish model

Working group suggestions

• Focal points:

- Ministry of Social Affairs and Health

- Ministry for Foreign Affairs

• Disability organisation representative from the coordination mechanism would take part in the focal point’s tasks

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Working group suggestions

• Coordination mechanism:

- National Council on Disability

• Independent mechanism:

- National Human Rights Institution (Human Rights Centre and its Human Rights Delegation and the Parliamentary Ombudsman)

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Article 33 of the CRPD

- States Parties,

- in accordance with their system of organization, shall designate

- one or more focal points

- within government

- for matters relating to the implementation of the present Convention,

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Ministry of Social Affairs and Health

• Current tasks

• Close connection with the National Council on Disability

• Representation in the EU High Level Group on Disability

• Representation in the Council of Europe

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Ministry for Foreign Affairs

• Periodic reporting

• Follow-up to the concluding observations by the Committees

• Representing the Government before the international judicial and investigative bodies e.g. CRPD-committee in the future

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Disability organisation representative

• Nominated from the coordination mechanism

• Article 4(3) of the CRPD: In the development and implementation of legislation and policies to implement the present Convention, and in other decision-making processes concerning issues relating to persons with disabilities, States Parties shall closely consult with and actively involve persons with disabilities, including children with disabilities, through their representative organizations.

• Takes part in the tasks of the focal point – in practice?

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Thank you!

Katja Fokin, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Unit for Human Rights Courts and Conventions

OIK-40@formin.fi

katja.fokin@formin.fi

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