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Inclusion in Law and Policy

People with visible differences have remained largely invisible in global human rights efforts.

Inclusion in Law and Policy: Explicit, undeniable recognition as an equality issue

Position Paper – Disfigurement and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)

People with visible differences have remained largely invisible in global human rights efforts. Their status and rights as disabled people under the UN Convention (‘CRPD’) are crucial to changing this.

We’re calling on those working to uphold the UN CRPD, including OPDs, policy-makers, activists and academics to recognise and protect this marginalised community by signing to affirm their rights as disabled people.

See the list of current signatures, and sign the petition below.

Position paper Disfigurement and the CRPDDownload

Sign the petition


Graphic with quote by Gerard Quinn, Professor (emerita), University of Galway, former UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities "Ever since the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990 it is accepted that there are three categories of persons covered – those who presently have a disability, those who have a record of a disability (like a heart attack) and those who are treated ‘as if’ they have a disability such as persons with disfigurement. The reason is simple – those who are regarded ‘as if’ they have a disability are nearly always treated negatively and deserve the full protections of the law. I believe the UN CRPD is capacious enough to encompass this and afford real protection to persons with disfigurements."

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    21 signatures
    Name
    Company
    Gerard Quinn
    Professor (emerita), University of Galway, former UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
    Robert Dinerstein
    Professor of Law Emeritus American University Washington College of Law, Washington, DC USA
    Diane Lightfoot
    CEO of Business Disability Forum
    Tina Rycroft
    Non-executive director of Microtia UK
    Cristina Peris Hernández
    President of Hemifacial Microsomia Spain
    Amy Acton
    CEO & Burn Survivor, Phoenix Society for Burn Survivor
    Ornella Masnari
    Chief Executive Officer, hautstigma.ch
    Barbara-Anne Hodge
    Chair, Mamingwey Burn Society Inc.
    Professor Tony Markus FRCDS FDSRCS
    Chairman of Future Faces
    Emre Erdal
    Founder and President of Yüzümle Mutluyum Derneği
    Christina Raj
    CIRM Foundation
    Adam Levy, CAE
    Executive Director, American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association
    Hannah Cree
    Head of Support, Caring Matters Now
    Susan Scott-Parker OBE Network
    Business Disability International & Strategic Advisor ILO Global Business Disability Network
    Heather Blake
    Chief Executive, Changing Faces
    Eliska Stanková
    President of Be TCS
    VTCT Foundation
    Nathan Rowe
    Programme Director, Down Syndrome International
    Karen Cockburn
    Charity Director, Nerve Yumours UK
    Andrew Boys
    Executive Director, Down Syndrome International
    Sue Jones
    Head of Operations, Ditch the Label
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      The mission of Face Equality International (FEI) is to mobilise the many groups and organisations, big and small, national and international, which support and represent people with facial differences and disfigurements and thereby to create the critical mass and solidarity needed to gain global attention for the campaign for face equality.

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