United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Introduction

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (PDF format)(the Convention) entered into force for the People’s Republic of China (PRC)(including the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)) on 31 August 2008. The purpose of the Convention is to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity.

Article 35 of the Convention requires that each State Party shall periodically submit reports to the United Nations on measures taken to discharge its obligations under the Convention for consideration by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (the Committee). The HKSAR’s reports will be submitted to the Central People’s Government for incorporation into our country’s periodic reports to be submitted to the United Nations in accordance with the Convention. The PRC submitted its initial report and its combined second and third reports (each including the HKSAR's part) to the Committee in 2010 and 2018 respectively. The Committee subsequently issued a list of issues on the combined reports, to which the HKSAR Government has responded. In 2022, the Committee considered the combined second and third reports and issued its Concluding Observations.

Supporting persons with disabilities and fostering a disability-inclusive society not only respects the inherent dignity of persons with disabilities, but also helps maintain social harmony and stability. The policy directive of the HKSAR Government is consistent with the spirit and core values of the Convention, and the Government has all along been working hand-in-hand with various sectors of the community on aspects such as education, healthcare and social welfare to provide services and facilitation for groups with different special needs. The HKSAR Government has also persistently enhanced barrier-free living environment so that persons with disabilities enjoy equal opportunities in the participation and development of their daily lives, personal growth and social engagement.

The Outline of the Combined Fourth and Fifth Reports of the HKSAR under the Convention

The HKSAR will submit reports on the implementation of the Convention in Hong Kong for incorporation into the combined fourth and fifth reports to be submitted by our country to the United Nations pursuant to the Convention. For this purpose, the Government has prepared the outline of the reports and commences the public consultation from 11 May to 30 June 2026, inviting public comments on the outline and suggestions on other content/issues that may be included in the reports.

Public consultation document (PDF format)

Any individual or organisation may submit views on or before 30 June 2026 by any of the following means:

By post:   Rehabilitation Division, Labour and Welfare Bureau
                 11/F, West Wing, Central Government Offices,
                 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar, Hong Kong
By fax:     2543 0486
By email: uncrpd_consultation@lwb.gov.hk

During the consultation period, the Labour and Welfare Bureau and the Rehabilitation Advisory Committee also co-hosted two public consultation sessions on 19 and 22 May 2026 to listen to the views of members of the public and relevant groups.

Reference