Acknowledgements

As the negotiations on the new United Nations Convention approach completion and we enter the next phase of the process, DPI would like to thank all who have helped our organization engage so effectively in the Convention Development process to date.

Looking ahead we see vast potential for this new instrument. We also recognize, however, that the challenges are many as we move from a draft text to a new International Human Rights Treaty that must be signed and ratified by enough countries to enter into force. We further acknowledge that this must be done as quickly as possible.

With that in mind we are pleased and proud to offer this Ratification toolkit to our members and others who may find it useful as the global campaign for Signature and Ratification is about to commence.

The Headquarters office of DPI would like to thank the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland for providing the funding for this toolkit. DPI - HQ, and our 130 National Assemblies around the world recognize the vast potential of the new UN treaty, and we are truly grateful to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland for sharing our vision and being prepared to support it with the resources needed to help it become a reality.

DPI also wishes to acknowledge the assistance and support of the Council of Canadians with Disabilities, our Canadian National Assembly, who have provided the research and staffing support needed to bring together this large and complex training document. We also extend our thanks to the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the General Assembly (GA) and others in the United Nations for making their documents publicly available on the web.

We are also indebted to CODA Multimedia for technical and design support, to the French and Spanish translators who worked with us, and to the large number of volunteers who make up DPI’s Global network. Without the hard work and dedication of these volunteers, DPI would not be so effectively engaged in the treaty development process.

We believe that this toolkit will be a significant contribution to the new global campaign for Signature and Ratification, and once again we thank all supporters of our initiative.

Mary Ennis
Executive Director
Disabled Peoples’ International
Winnipeg, Canada

February 2006