Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Six th session19–23 September 2011

Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 35 of the Convention

Concluding observations of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Spain

1.The Committee considered the initial report of Spain (CRPD/C/ESP/1) at its 56th and 57th meetings (see CRPD/C/6/SR.3 and SR.4), held on 20 September 2011, and adopted the following concluding observations at its 62nd meeting, held on 23 September 2011.

I.Introduction

2.The Committee welcomes the initial report of Spain, which was the first State to submit its initial report to the Committee. The Committee commends the State party for the written replies to the list of issues raised by the Committee (CRPD/C/ESP/Q/1/Add.1) and for the comprehensive responses to the questions posed during the dialogue.

3.The Committee commends the State party for its delegation, which included among its members representatives of various Government ministries, including many senior representatives, as well as two persons with disabilities. The Committee expresses its appreciation for the spirited and fruitful dialogue held between the delegation and the members of the Committee.

II.Positive aspects

4.The Committee congratulates the State party for the progress made in many areas related to the rights of persons with disabilities, including the adoption of Act 26/2011 of 1 August 2011 on the normative adaptation to the Convention, amending regulations and modifying several Spanish laws in response to the Convention, and including important positive action measures in health, housing, employment and other areas.

5.The Committee notes with satisfaction Act 51/2003 on equality of opportunity, non-discrimination and “universal accessibility” for persons with disabilities as well as its enabling regulations, in particular the royal decrees providing for basic standards of accessibility.

6.The Committee commends the State party for establishing independent monitoring mechanisms in full compliance with article 33, paragraph 2, of the Convention.

7.The Committee welcomes the State party’s adoption of the Third Plan of Action for persons with disabilities, which addresses disability along gender-analysis lines, as well as the Global Action Strategy for the Employment of Persons with Disabilities 2008-2012, including its first plan of action, covering the years 2008-2010.

8.The Committee commends the State party’s adoption of its long-term strategy for persons with disabilities (2012-2020), which includes objectives for the short and medium term.

9.The Committee commends the State party for the high percentage (78.35 per cent) of enrolment of children with disabilities in the regular education system, and for the efforts made to maintain the funding for programmes for persons with disabilities in times of economic crisis. In this, Spain is setting a very important example of fulfilling the purpose of article 4, paragraph 2, of the Convention. The Committee further welcomes the commitment of the State party to avoid reducing social assistance.

10.The Committee acknow