President Obama to Sign International Treaty on Disability Rights

Just Detention International welcomes the announcement today from President Barack Obama that the United States will be a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). This is an important step from the Administration to demonstrate the country's commitment to international human rights mechanisms and to protecting those who are vulnerable to abuse and mistreatment.

The CRPD requires, among other things, that measures be taken to prevent the exploitation, violence and abuse of people with disabilities. Incarcerated individuals who are living with disabilities are among those most likely to be targeted for sexual abuse. JDI encourages the Senate to act quickly to ratify this important treaty and for the Administration to make further efforts to restore the U.S. to its leadership role within the international human rights community.