The Ratification Question Why the United States Should Ratify the Convention of the Rights for Persons with Disabilities

Abstract

The Convention of the Rights for Persons with Disabilities was one of the earliest products ofmultilateralism within the United Nations in the twenty-first century, led by the United States.However, since its creation in 2006, the United States has avoided ratifying the Convention.Under the Obama Administration, steps were taken to push for ratification by becoming asignatory to the treaty and a U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee recommendingratification. This paper will argue for the ratification of the Convention of the Rights for Personswith Disabilities. By ratifying the convention, the United States can garner further legitimacywithin international law and multilateral institutions. Furthermore, the signal of ratification canhelp regain the United States leadership in human rights initiatives. In addition, ratification canhelp curb structural violence within the United States. Aside from providing assistance forpeople with disabilities, the convention’s other statues can curb corporal punishment withinschools.