Yesterday (1 September), German lawyer and disability rights activist Professor Theresia Degener was elected as German expert to the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Federal Foreign Minister Dr Guido Westerwelle welcomed the choice of Professor Degener as an outstanding expert with a long-standing commitment to the rights of people with disabilities.

Professor Degener was involved in drawing up the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which was adopted at the end of 2006 and is the most recent UN convention on human rights. Germany acceded to the Convention in 2009, bringing tangible outcomes as well for Germans with disabilities, who number almost 7 million.

Germany attaches great importance to the UN Disability Rights Convention, which is an important step towards increasing the rights of people with disabilities worldwide. Germany is pushing for the universal implementation of the UN Convention.

In Professor Degenerthe Committee, which is made up of international experts, has an authority on the rights of people with disabilities who is committed to the worldwide implementation of the Convention.