Nordic-Baltic Explanation of Vote after the vote in the Third Committee

Chair,

I have the honor to speak on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic States.

We thank New Zealand and Mexico for their leadership on this resolution and for
their courage to approach this year’s negotiations with the goal of making sure that
all persons are included in the implementation of the CRPD.

By choosing the theme “amplified barriers in diverse contexts” you have challenged
us to look at the different ways that some individuals may be inhibited from claiming
their rights. And how some are facing a range of obstacles that intersect and
reinforce each other, thereby deepening their exclusion. Thank you for taking this
approach!

Chair,

The CRPD is nearing universal ratification. The number of accessions that we’ve
seen since the convention was first adopted is one of the most positive
developments in the human rights field in the past years. Persons with disabilities
finally have an internationally agreed-upon tool to claim their rights.

As proud signatories to the CRPD, the Nordic-Baltic states want the convention to be
a tool available for every person with disabilities, whoever they are and wherever
they live. We want them to be able to claim their right with loud and clear voices, not
have to whisper and beg because they may or may not belong to a group deemed as “controversial”. That would be a kind of selectivity and discrimination that runs
completely contrary to the idea of universal human rights. There are no provisions
limiting the prohibition on discrimination only to groups that are “internationally
agreed”.

Similarly, the SDG-commitment is “leave no one behind”, not ”leave no one behind
except certain people”.

For Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden the
message is simple. If persons with disabilities face barriers to enjoying their rights,
we want to know what they are, and we want to address them. Full stop.

Chair,

Contrary to what one might believe after listening to the proponent of the
amendment, the UN is almost entirely silent on the issue of LGBTI persons. Out of
the thousands of texts we adopt at the General Assembly there are only two
resolutions until today that refers to “sexual orientation and gender identity”. In both
cases it is part of long listings of reasons that should not get you killed, suffer
violence or be discriminated against. The bar is extremely low and we can’t even get
support on preventing murder, violence or for people to enjoy their human rights and
civil liberties.

It is deeply disheartening to witness, once again this year, the lengths to which
certain delegations go to actively exclude some from claiming and enjoying their
human rights.

The problem is that facts do not care about opinions. And the facts are clear: LGBTI
persons with disabilities experience multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination.
This hinders their universal access to quality and affordable health services, social
protection, sexual and reproductive health information, employment, justice, and
education, including to comprehensive sexuality education.

For this reason, we welcome that the General Assembly has roundly rejected the
amendment and this attempt to politicize human rights.

Thank you.