Saint Kitts and Nevis today deposited at the Organization of American States (OAS) the country's instruments of accession to two major Inter-American human rights conventions: the Inter-American Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (CIADDIS) and the Inter-American Convention on Protecting the Human Rights of Older Persons.
During a ceremony at OAS headquarters, the Permanent Representative of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Jacinth Henry-Martin, underscored her nation's commitment to advancing inclusion and dignity for all. "Saint Kitts and Nevis is making history" with the accession of these two instruments, as it "reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the principles enshrined" in them, she said.
The Secretary General of the OAS, Albert Ramdin, welcomed the action by Saint Kitts and Nevis. "We need to promote more cooperation among member states to share best practices and experiences on how to treat persons with disabilities and make progress in the scientific and technological search for treatment, as well as participation of people with disabilities themselves in the preparation, implementation and evaluation of measures," said Secretary General Ramdin.
On the Convention on Older Persons, Secretary General Ramdin said: "We should not forget that persons coming at that age have served the nation, the country for many, many decades before, and they deserve, in whatever capacity they had engaged in society, to be treated well."
With this action, Saint Kitts and Nevis becomes the newest state to join the regional effort to eliminate discrimination and guarantee equal rights for older persons and persons with disabilities. The Inter-American Convention on Protecting the Human Rights of Older Persons was adopted by the OAS General Assembly in 2015 and entered into force in 2017. It has been ratified by Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico, Peru, Suriname, and Uruguay.
The CIADDIS was adopted by the General Assembly in 1999 and entered into force in 2001. It has been ratified by Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
Reference: FNE-144345
