The Committee noted with concern that the DPRK Constitution did not explicitly prohibit discrimination based on disability, and that denial of reasonable accommodation was not recognised as discrimination. It also drew attention to persistent stigma, negative societal attitudes, and the two-tiered approach whereby veterans with physical impairments receive differentiated treatment while other people with disabilities, particularly those in rural areas, are excluded from services. The Committee asked the State Party to amend its Constitution and legislation to guarantee equality and non-discrimination, adopt a comprehensive anti-discrimination law, and strengthen mechanisms to provide effective remedies while combating stigma through awareness and training.
The Committee expressed concern that the DPRK continued to promote segregated education for children with disabilities, with insufficient progress towards inclusive schooling due to insufficient resources and lack of reasonable accommodation. The Committee also underscored the inadequate teacher training and inaccessible learning materials on inclusive education, especially for women and those with intellectual and /or psychosocial disabilities and persons with intensive support needs. It recommended that the State review its education policies to align with the Convention, develop a comprehensive strategy with clear targets and adequate resources to phase out segregated learning environments, and ensure systematic teacher training on inclusive education to guarantee individualised support and equal participation for all.
Finland
The Committee was concerned that budget cuts to social and health services, both since 2023 and in the 2026 budget proposal, disproportionately affected people with disabilities and their representative organisations. It also highlighted that the termination of national pensions and allowances for those living abroad gravely impacted residents from the Åland Islands with disabilities living in Sweden. The Committee recommended that Finland halt and reverse retrogressive measures, provide sufficient funding to organisations of persons with disabilities to support their participation in implementing the Convention, and guarantee financial assistance for Åland residents in Sweden, either directly or in coordination with Swedish authorities.
The Committee raised concern about Finland's plans to restrict health care for irregular or undocumented migrants, including those with disabilities, to only urgent care services, which would limit access to assistive devices, rehabilitation, and other disability-related support. Referring to obligations under Article 18 on the liberty of movement and nationality, it called on Finland to withdraw and reconsider the proposals before Parliament, ensuring that migrants with disabilities have access not only to urgent healthcare but also to non-urgent services, including assistive devices, rehabilitation, and disability-related support.
Kiribati
The Committee noted with concern that the State Party's climate change and disaster framework, including the Climate Change Policy, the Kiribati Joint Implementation Plan (KJIP) and disaster legislation, paid insufficient attention to people with disabilities. It observed gaps in preparedness measures such as accessible early-warning systems, evacuation services, shelters and equal access to humanitarian aid. The Committee therefore recommended that the State Party, in close consultation with people with disabilities and their representative organisations, ensure disability inclusion across all climate and disaster policies, guarantee equal access to humanitarian aid and related services, and make information, communication and decision-making processes fully accessible.
The Committee was concerned that, despite the Building Act 2024 and a national accessibility audit, most public buildings, including courthouses, healthcare facilities, schools and housing, remained inaccessible, with no clear plan, budget or timeframe for renovation. It also noted the absence of accessibility standards for transport and information and communication technologies, along with weak enforcement. The Committee urged Kiribati to promote universal design in its revised National Disability Policy and Action Plan, prioritise renovation of audited public buildings, and develop legislation and standards to improve accessibility in transport and communication, including emergency services.
The Maldives
The Committee voiced its concern about the absence of strategies, policies and disaggregated data on women with disabilities, the lack of gender perspectives in disability laws and the absence of disability perspectives in gender policies. It further noted that patriarchal norms and attitudinal barriers limited the participation of women and girls with disabilities in public life and their access to education, employment, social protection and health services, including sexual and reproductive health. It urged the State Party to adopt policies promoting their autonomy and inclusion, mainstream gender and disability perspectives across legislation, and raise awareness to combat stereotypes while ensuring equal access to services and redress.
The Committee stated its concern about the high prevalence of stigma, prejudice, stereotyping, harmful attitudes and negative beliefs about the causes of disability that adversely affected the lives of children and adults with disabilities. It recommended that the Maldives, in close consultation with people with disabilities and their representative organisations, develop and fund an awareness-raising action plan with clear timeframes and measurable outcomes to combat stigma, address harassment and discrimination, and provide training on disability rights for government ministries, the judiciary, law enforcement and the media.
Persons with disabilities affected by conflict in the Occupied Palestinian Territory*
The Committee noted with grave concern the extensive loss of life and heightened risks of violence faced by Palestinians with disabilities in both Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. In Gaza, the limited supply and access to specialised and life-saving services, medical equipment and assistive devices led to the deaths of children and older people with disabilities. Reports highlighted deaths due to famine, acute malnutrition, and deprivation of access to water in Gaza. The Committee also underscored gender-based violence in displacement camps and indiscriminate attacks on civilian spaces, hospitals, schools, shelters and rehabilitation centres. In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, people with disabilities were also directly subjected to settler violence and abuses by Israeli Security Forces. The Committee urged Israel to ensure full compliance with international humanitarian and human rights law, protection of civilians and humanitarian personnel, and the prioritisation of people with disabilities in evacuation and relief. It also called for the end of militarised aid distribution, gender-based violence prevention, and measures to ensure children and older people with disabilities could access health, education, psychosocial, and rehabilitation services.
The Committee found that early warning systems and evacuation consistently failed to protect people with disabilities. It received information that warnings and evacuation orders, including signs of explosive ordnance and text messages, were often inaccessible to people with hearing or visual impairments, leaving them unable to evacuate. Reports also described people with disabilities being forced to flee in unsafe and undignified conditions, such as crawling through sand or mud without mobility assistance. The Committee was informed that 83 per cent had lost their assistive devices and could not afford alternatives, such as donkey carts. In response, it called for accessible and inclusive warning systems and evacuation protocols of people with disabilities and their support persons, stressed the importance of guaranteeing safe corridors, and urged third States to streamline evacuation procedures so that adults, children, and older people with disabilities could leave with the medical, psychosocial, and rehabilitation support they required.
In addition, the Committee emphasised the disproportionate impacts and deprivation caused by the blockade of humanitarian aid. People with disabilities faced severe disruptions in assistance, leaving many without food, clean water, or sanitation and dependent on others for survival. Entry bans, limits on aid, attacks on convoys, and overall scarcity worsened the situation, while discrimination in distribution routinely excluded them, with women with disabilities in displacement facing particular barriers. Physical obstacles, such as rubble and the loss of mobility devices, further prevented, especially older people, from reaching relocated aid points. The Committee urged Israel to lift restrictions on humanitarian operations, ensure the unrestricted entry of essential supplies, and enable the distribution of mobile and home-based aid. It also recommended that humanitarian actors adopt disability-inclusive practices, guarantee non-discriminatory access for women and girls, and strengthen local capacity to support people with disabilities. Additionally, it called on international donors and organisations to ensure reconstruction funds prioritised accessibility, individualised support, and community inclusion rather than institutionalisation.
The above findings are now available on the session page.
* It was a special review focused on Article 11 of the Convention regarding situations of risk, war/armed conflicts, and humanitarian emergencies.
