President Barack Obama Senate Members We Citizens of the United States urge you to support US ratification of the Untited Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the Optional Protocols. This internationl Treaty further protects and defends the HUMAN RIGHTS of PEOPLE with Disabilities internationally and here within the US. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is an international treaty that asserts the human and civil rights of people with disabilities (PWDs) and the obligations of governments to promote, protect and ensure those rights. The United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention in December 2006 and in March 2007 nations of the world began to sign this new treaty. As with any international law, such as the Geneva Conventions on the treatment of political prisoners, each individual country must sign or ratify it for it to become binding. But even for nations that do not sign on, these treaties are looked to as international standards to be respected. As such, international laws such as the CRPD can beome important tools for activists to fight for the rights of our people. There are 8 guiding principles for the CRPD: 1. Respect for the inherent dignity, individual autonomy including the freedom to make one's own choices, and independence of PWD's 2. Non-discrimination 3. Full and effective participation and inclusion in all aspects of society 4. Respect for difference and acceptance of persons with disabilities as part of human diversity and humanity 5. Equality of opportunity 6. Accessibility 7. Equality between men and women 8. Respect for the evolving capacities of children with disabilities and respect for the right of children with disabilities to preserve their identities SUPPORT HUMAN RIGHTS FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN PRISON!