United Nations CRPD/C/6/2 Distr.: General 9 May 2012 Original: English Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Report of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on its sixth session, 19-23 September 2011 GE.12-42489 CRPD/C/6/2 Contents Paragraphs Page I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. State parties to the Convention and its Optional Protocol....................................... Opening of the sixth session of the Committee....................................................... Membership of the Committee................................................................................ Working methods .................................................................................................... Drafting of general comments................................................................................. Activities related to the Optional Protocol .............................................................. Other decisions........................................................................................................ Future sessions ........................................................................................................ Cooperation with concerned bodies ........................................................................ A. B. Cooperation with other United Nations organs............................................... Cooperation with non-governmental organizations ........................................ 1-2 3-6 7 8 9-10 11 12-13 14-16 17-19 17 18 19 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 X. Consideration of reports submitted in accordance with article 35 of the Convention.................................................................................................... Annexes I. States parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and to the Optional Protocol as at 23 September 2011 .............................................................. A. B. II. III. IV. States parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities ..................... States parties to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities ................................................................................... 6 6 10 14 17 18 Submission of reports by States parties under article 35 of the Convention as at 23 September 2011............................................................................................................. Decisions adopted by the Committee during its sixth session.................................................... Working groups of the Committee ............................................................................................ 2 CRPD/C/6/2 I. States parties to the Convention and its Optional Protocol 1. As at 23 September 2011, the closing date of the sixth session of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, there were 104 States parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and 62 States parties to its Optional Protocol. 2. The lists of States parties to the Convention and the Optional Protocol are contained in annex I of the present report. II. Opening of the sixth session of the Committee 3. The sixth session was opened in a public meeting by Ronald McCallum, Chairperson of the Committee. The Chairperson noted the departure of the Secretary of the Committee and welcomed the Secretary ad interim. He noted the fourth session of the Conference of States Parties held in New York at the beginning of September, as well as the presentation of the Committee's first biennial report to be reviewed by the General Assembly at its 66th session in October 2011 (A/66/55), which includes a request for additional meeting time. 4. The opening statement of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) was delivered by Wan-Hea Lee, Chief of the Groups in Focus Section of the Human Rights Treaties Division. She highlighted the most important developments of the treaty body system that had taken place since its last session in April 2011, including the establishment of the Committee on Enforced Disappearances, the adoption by the Human Rights Council of a third Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which provides for submission of complaints by individuals about alleged violations of the Convention and its first two Optional Protocols to the Committee on the Rights of the Child, and the Human Rights Council resolution on sexual orientation. She presented updates on the treaty body strengthening process; the main decisions of the last Meeting of Chairpersons and Inter-Committee Meeting as well as the latest developments in the field of human rights and disability. 5. The Committee reviewed and adopted the provisional agenda and tentative programme of work for the sixth session (CRPD/C/6/1). 6. The Chairperson reported on the activities undertaken between the fifth and sixth sessions of the Committee. III. Membership of the Committee 7. The list of members of the Committee, indicating the duration of their terms of office, is contained in annex IV to the biennial report (A/66/55). All members attended the sixth session. IV. Working methods 8. The Committee discussed various issues related to its working methods, including, inter alia, the following: (a) parties; Ways of dealing with the growing number of reports submitted by State 3 CRPD/C/6/2 (b) Practices adopted by the Committee, such as encouraging State parties to include persons with disabilities in their delegations; (c) Enforcement of the Committee's rules of procedure which prohibits members from being present during the consideration of the report of the State party of which they are nationals; (d) (e) Functioning of the working groups established by the Committee; The feasibility of holding of a day of general discussion in September 2012. V. Drafting of general comments 9. The Chairperson of the Working Group on a general comment on article 12, Edah Maina, announced that the group would prepare an outline of the draft general comment and re-circulate the draft text. 10. The Committee will call for papers to be submitted by stakeholders in preparation of a draft general comment on article 9, under the leadership of the Working Group on accessibility VI. Activities related to the Optional Protocol 11. The Special Rapporteur on communications, Maria Soledad Cisternas Reyes, briefed the Committee about the activities carried out under the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities since the fifth session of the Committee, and provided an overview of the correspondence received by the Committee. The Committee approved the decisions taken by the Special Rapporteur with regard to the three registered communications, and extended her mandate to the end of 2012. VII. Other decisions 12. The Committee reviewed and adopted the report of its fifth session (CRPD/C/5/3). 13. The Committee took a number of other decisions, which are listed in annex IV of the present report. VIII. Future sessions 14. The 7th session of the Committee is scheduled to take place from 16 to 20 April 2012. If the General Assembly grants the Committee's request for additional meeting time, the Committee will hold its 7th session from 10 to 27 April. If additional time is not granted, the 7th session would be held on the originally planned dates, from 16 to 20 April. 15. The Committee decided that, at its next session, it would review the initial report of Peru (CRPD/C/PER/1) and adopt lists of issues on the initial reports of China (CRPD/C/CHN/1), Argentina (CRPD/C/ARG/1) and Hungary (CRPD/C/HUN/1). 16. The Committee appointed the following members as country rapporteurs: Ana Pelaez Narvaez, rapporteur for Argentina; Damjam Tatic, rapporteur for Hungary and Silvia Quan-Chang, rapporteur for Paraguay. 4 CRPD/C/6/2 IX. A. Cooperation with concerned bodies Cooperation with United Nations organs 17. On 19 September 2011 (54th meeting), the Committee met with representatives of WHO, ILO, the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, OHCHR, UNICEF and UNHCR to discuss ways of cooperation, as provided for under article 38 of the Convention. B. Cooperation with non-governmental organizations 18. At its 54th meeting on 19 September 2011, the Committee was addressed by representatives of the non-governmental organizations Human Rights Watch and International Disability Alliance. X. Consideration of reports submitted in accordance with article 35 of the Convention 19. During its sixth session, at its 56th and 57th meetings held on 20 September 2011, the Committee considered the initial report submitted by Spain (CRPD/C/ESP/1) under article 35 of the Convention, and at its 63rd meeting, it adopted concluding observations on that report (CRPD/C/ESP/CO/1) (See the webpage of the sixth session at http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CRPD/Pages/Session6.aspx). 5 CRPD/C/6/2 Annexes Annex I States parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and to the Optional Protocol as at 23 September 2011 A. States parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Participant Albania Algeria Andorra Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belgium Belize Benin Bhutan Bolivia (Plurinational State of) Bosnia and Herzegovina Brazil Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Central African Republic Chile China Signature 22 December 2009 30 March 2007 27 April 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 9 January 2008 25 June 2007 9 May 2007 19 July 2007 30 March 2007 9 May 2011 8 February 2008 21 September 2010 13 August 2007 29 July 2009 30 March 2007 18 December 2007 27 September 2007 23 May 2007 26 April 2007 1 October 2007 1 October 2008 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 9 May 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 29 July 2008 1 August 2008 11 March 2010 23 July 2009 16 November 2009 12 March 2010 1 August 2008 2 July 2009 2 June 2011 2 September 2008 22 September 2010 17 July 2008 26 September 2008 28 January 2009 22 September 2011 30 November 2007 4 December 2009 Formal confirmation (c), accession (a), ratification 6 CRPD/C/6/2 Participant Colombia Comoros Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Côte d'Ivoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Estonia Ethiopia European Union Fiji Finland France Gabon Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Grenada Guatemala Guinea Guyana Haiti Honduras Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran (Islamic Republic of) Ireland Signature 30 Mar 2007 26 September 2007 30 March 2007 Formal confirmation (c), accession (a), ratification 10 May 2011 8 May 2009 (a) 30 March 2007 7 June 2007 30 March 2007 26 April 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 4 April 2007 30 March 2007 25 September 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 2 June 2010 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 10 July 2009 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 12 July 2010 30 March 2007 16 May 2007 11 April 2007 23 July 2009 (a) 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 23 October 2009 (a) 30 March 2007 1 October 2007 14 April 2008 20 July 2007 7 April 2009 8 February 2008 24 February 2009 18 February 2010 1 October 2007 7 July 2010 23 December 2010 (c) 18 August 2009 3 April 2008 14 April 2008 14 December 2007 15 August 2007 6 September 2007 27 June 2011 28 September 2009 24 July 2009 1 October 2008 7 CRPD/C/6/2 Participant Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Lithuania Luxembourg Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Mauritius Mexico Micronesia (Federated States of) Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Mozambique Namibia Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Signature 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 28 September 2007 30 March 2007 11 December 2008 30 March 2007 21 September 2011 15 January 2008 18 July 2008 14 June 2007 Formal confirmation (c), accession (a), ratification 15 May 2009 30 March 2007 31 March 2008 19 May 2008 25 September 2009 1 March 2010 2 December 2008 (a) 30 March 2007 1 May 2008 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 25 September 2007 27 September 2007 8 April 2008 2 October 2007 15 May 2007 30 March 2007 25 September 2007 30 March 2007 23 September 2011 23 September 2009 13 May 2009 (a) 27 September 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 25 April 2007 3 January 2008 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 25 September 2008 7 December 2007 24 June 2008 24 September 2010 4 December 2007 7 May 2010 2 November 2009 8 April 2009 8 January 2010 17 December 2007 27 August 2009 19 July 2010 5 April 2010 7 April 2008 18 August 2010 8 CRPD/C/6/2 Participant Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Qatar Republic of Korea Republic of Moldova Romania Russian Federation Rwanda San Marino Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands South Africa Spain Sri Lanka St. Lucia Signature 30 March 2007 17 March 2008 25 September 2008 20 September 2011 30 March 2007 2 June 2011 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 25 September 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 9 July 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 26 September 2007 24 September 2008 Formal confirmation (c), accession (a), ratification 6 January 2009 5 July 2011 7 August 2007 3 September 2008 30 January 2008 15 April 2008 23 September 2009 13 May 2008 11 December 2008 21 September 2010 31 January 2011 15 December 2008 (a) 30 March 2007 22 February 2008 24 June 2008 (a) 25 April 2007 17 December 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 26 September 2007 30 March 2007 23 September 2008 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 22 September 2011 30 November 2007 3 December 2007 7 September 2010 31 July 2009 2 October 2009 4 October 2010 26 May 2010 24 April 2008 St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan Suriname Swaziland Sweden Syrian Arab Republic Thailand 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 25 September 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 29 October 2010 (a) 24 April 2009 15 December 2008 10 July 2009 29 July 2008 9 CRPD/C/6/2 Participant The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland United Republic of Tanzania United States of America Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Viet Nam Yemen Zambia Signature 30 March 2007 23 September 2008 15 November 2007 27 September 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 Formal confirmation (c), accession (a), ratification 1 March 2011 2 April 2008 28 September 2009 4 September 2008 (a) 30 March 2007 24 September 2008 8 February 2008 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 30 July 2009 3 April 2007 27 February 2009 17 May 2007 22 October 2007 30 March 2007 9 May 2008 25 September 2008 4 February 2010 19 March 2010 8 June 2009 10 November 2009 11 February 2009 23 October 2008 26 March 2009 1 February 2010 B. States parties to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Participant Algeria Andorra Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bangladesh Belgium Benin Bolivia (Plurinational State of) Bosnia and Herzegovina Brazil 30 March 2007 8 February 2008 13 August 2007 29 July 2009 30 March 2007 16 November 2009 12 March 2010 1 August 2008 30 March 2007 9 January 2008 Signature 30 March 2007 27 April 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 21 August 2009 (a) 26 September 2008 28 January 2009 12 May 2008 (a) 2 July 2009 2 September 2008 Formal confirmation (c), accession (a), ratification 10 CRPD/C/6/2 Participant Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Central African Republic Chile Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Côte d'Ivoire Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Dominican Republic Ecuador El Salvador Fiji Finland France Gabon Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Guatemala Guinea Haiti Honduras Hungary Iceland Italy Jamaica Jordan Kazakhstan Latvia Lebanon Liberia Lithuania Luxembourg Signature 18 December 2008 23 May 2007 26 April 2007 1 October 2007 1 October 2008 9 May 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 Formal confirmation (c), accession (a), ratification 23 July 2009 29 July 2008 8 May 2009 (a) 30 March 2007 7 June 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 2 June 2010 30 March 2007 23 September 2008 25 September 2007 10 July 2009 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 27 September2007 30 March 2007 31 August 2007 23 August 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 11 December 2008 22 January 2010 14 June 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 1 October 2008 15 August 2007 27 June 2011 18 August 2009 3 April 2008 14 December 2007 18 February 2010 24 February 2009 7 April 2009 8 February 2008 23 July 2009 (a) 16 August 2010 20 July 2007 15 May 2009 31 August 2010 18 August 2010 11 CRPD/C/6/2 Participant Madagascar Mali Malta Mauritius Mexico Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Namibia Nepal Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Panama Paraguay Peru Portugal Qatar Romania Rwanda San Marino Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands South Africa Spain St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan Swaziland Sweden Syrian Arab Republic The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Togo Tunisia Turkey Signature 25 September 2007 15 May 2007 30 March 2007 25 September 2007 30 March 2007 27 September 2007 25 April 2007 3 January 2008 21 October 2008 2 August 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 9 July 2007 25 September 2008 Formal confirmation (c), accession (a), ratification 7 April 2008 17 December 2007 13 May 2009 (a) 2 November 2009 8 April 2009 (a) 4 December 2007 7 May 2010 2 February 2010 24 June 2008 24 September 2010 7 August 2007 3 September 2008 30 January 2008 23 September 2009 15 December 2008 (a) 30 March 2007 25 April 2007 17 December 2007 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 26 September 2007 30 March 2007 24 September 2009 30 March 2007 30 March 2007 30 November 2007 3 December 2007 29 October 2010 (a) 24 April 2009 (a) 25 September 2007 30 March 2007 15 December 2008 10 July 2009 (a) 29 July 2009 23 September 2008 30 March 2007 28 September 2009 1 March 2011 2 April 2008 26 May 2010 24 April 2008 31 July 2009 22 February 2008 24 June 2008 (a) 12 CRPD/C/6/2 Participant Turkmenistan Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland United Republic of Tanzania Yemen Zambia Signature Formal confirmation (c), accession (a), ratification 10 November 2010 (a) 30 March 2007 24 September 2008 12 February 2008 26 February 2009 29 September 2008 11 April 2007 29 September 2008 25 September 2008 4 February 2010 7 August 2009 10 November 2009 26 March 2009 13 CRPD/C/6/2 Annex II Submission of reports by States parties under article 35 of the Convention, as at 23 September 2011 Entry into force (date of ratification+30 days) Date due 4 January 2010 2 October 2008 22 October 2010 17 August 2008 26 October 2008 27 February 2009 22 October 2011 30 December 2007 2 August 2009 2 July 2011 16 December 2009 12 April 2010 1 September 2008 23 August 2009 11 April 2010 29 August 2008 1 September 2008 10 June 2011 8 June 2009 1 November 2008 15 September 2007 6 October 2007 27 July 2011 28 October 2009 24 August 2009 18 September 2009 3 May 2008 14 May 2008 14 January 2008 7 August 2010 23 January 2011 4 January 2012 2 October 2010 22 October 2012 17 August 2010 26 October 2010 27 February 2011 22 October 2013 30 December 2009 2 August 2011 2 July 2013 16 December 2011 12 April 2012 1 September 2010 23 August 2011 11 April 2012 29 August 2010 1 September 2010 10 June 2013 8 June 2011 1 November 2010 15 September 2009 6 October 2009 27 July 2013 28 October 2011 24 August 2011 18 September 2011 3 May 2010 14 May 2010 14 January 2010 7 August 2012 23 January 2013 5 January 2011 8 September 2011 29 March 2011 30 August 2010 28 July 2011 3 December 2010 2 November 2010 16 February 2011 6 October 2010 State party Algeria Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahrain Bangladesh Belgium Belize Bolivia (Plurinational State of) Bosnia and Herzegovina Brazil Burkina Faso Canada Chile China Colombia Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Ethiopia European Union Date received Date examined 14 CRPD/C/6/2 State party France Gabon Germany Guatemala Guinea Haiti Honduras Hungary India Iran (Islamic Republic of) Italy Jamaica Jordan Kenya Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lesotho Lithuania Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Mauritius Mexico Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Namibia Nepal New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Oman Pakistan Panama Paraguay Peru Philippines Portugal Entry into force (date of ratification+30 days) Date due 18 March 2010 1 November 2007 24 March 2009 7 March 2009 8 March 2008 23 August 209 14 March 2008 20 August 2007 1 November 2007 23 November 2009 15 June 2009 30 April 2007 30 April 2008 19 June 2008 25 October 2009 1 April 2010 2 January 2009 18 September 2010 27 September 2009 19 August 2010 5 May 2010 7 May 2008 8 February 2010 17 January 2008 13 June 2009 2 December 2009 8 May 2009 4 January 2008 7 June 2010 25 October 2008 7 January 2008 24 July 2008 24 October 2010 6 February 2009 5 August 2011 7 September 2007 3 October 2008 27 February 2008 15 May 2008 23 October 2009 18 March 2012 1 November 2009 24 March 2011 7 March 2011 8 March 2010 23 August 2011 14 March 2010 20 August 2009 1 November 2009 23 November 2011 15 June 2011 30 April 2009 30 April 2010 19 June 2010 25 October 2011 1 April 2012 2 January 2011 18 September 2012 27 September 2011 19 August 2012 5 May 2012 7 May 2010 8 February 2012 17 January 2010 13 June 2011 2 December 2011 8 May 2011 4 January 2010 7 June 2012 25 October 2010 7 January 2010 24 July 2010 24 October 2012 6 February 2011 5 August 2013 7 September 2009 3 October 2010 27 February 2010 15 May 2010 23 October 2011 Date received Date examined 19 September 2011 14 October 2010 27 April 2011 21 October 2010 8 July 2010 15 CRPD/C/6/2 State party Qatar Republic of Korea Republic of Moldova Romania Rwanda San Marino Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Slovakia Slovenia South Africa Spain St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan Sweden Syrian Arab Republic Thailand Togo Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Uruguay Vanuatu Yemen Zambia Entry into force (date of ratification+30 days) Date due 13 June 2008 11 January 2009 21 October 2010 27 February 2011 15 January 2009 22 March 2008 24 July 2008 7 October 2010 31 August 2009 2 November 2009 4 November 2010 26 June 2010 24 May 2008 30 December 2007 3 January 2008 29 November 2010 24 May 2009 15 January 2009 10 August 2009 29 August 2008 1 April 2011 2 May 2008 28 October 2009 4 October 2008 25 October 2008 4 March 2010 19 April 2010 8 July 2009 13 June 2010 11 January 2011 21 October 2012 27 February 2013 15 January 2011 22 March 2010 24 July 2010 7 October 2012 31 August 2011 2 November 2011 4 November 2012 26 June 2012 24 May 2010 30 December 2009 3 January 2010 29 November 2012 24 May 2011 15 January 2011 10 August 2011 29 August 2010 1 April 2013 2 May 2010 28 October 2011 4 October 2010 25 October 2010 4 March 2012 19 April 2012 8 July 2011 10 December 2011 11 March 2011 23 November 2010 26 April 2011 1 March 2012 Date received 27 June 2011 Date examined 3 May 2010 20 September 2011 7 February 2011 1 July 2010 12 April 2011 United Republic of Tanzania 10 December 2009 11 March 2009 23 November 2008 26 April 2009 1 March 2010 16 CRPD/C/6/2 Annex III Decisions adopted by the Committee during its sixth session 1. The Committee decided to support a proposal presented jointly by Microsoft, Ability.net and the University of Middlessex to conduct an assessment on accessibility of the Committee's meetings, during its forthcoming 7th session, with a view to making concrete proposals. 2. The Committee will continue to respond to the invitation of the Human Rights Council Task Force on accessibility and make recommendations and proposals on how to improve access by persons with disabilities to the work of the Council, to Palais des Nations, as well as to information, communication and technology services at the United Nations Office at Geneva. 3. The Working group on accessibility to public transportation and on airline policies will send a letter to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and meet with its representatives during the 7th session. 4. The Committee will send a letter to the European Commission for Democracy through Law (the Venice Commission) expressing concerns about to the possible impact of the Commission's review of its Code of Good Practice in Electoral Matters on the right of persons with disabilities to vote. 5. The Committee will hold a day of general discussion during its 8th session if its request for additional meeting time is approved by the General Assembly. 6. The Committee extended the mandate of Maria Soledad Cisternas Reyes as Special Rapporteur on communications for one year, until the end of the 8th session. 7. The Committee will send a letter to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in support of its Visually Impaired Persons (VIP) initiative. 17 CRPD/C/6/2 Annex IV Working groups of the Committee 1. The Committee agreed on the composition of the following working groups: Working group on a general comment on Accessibility (article 9) Chair: Vice-chair: Members: Mohammed Al-Tarawneh Damjan Tatic Jia Yang, Lotfi Ben Lallahom, Monsur Ahmed Chowdhury, Gabor Gombos, Stig Langvad Working group on a general comment on Legal capacity (article 12) Chair: Vice-chair: Members: Edah Maina Gabor Gombos Maria Soledad Cisternas, Amna Al-Suwaidi, Ronald McCallum, Carlos Rios Espinosa, Theresia Degener Working group on Accessibility to public transportation and on Airline policies Chair: Members: Mohammed Al-Tarawneh Jia Yang, Lotfi Ben Lallahom, Monsur A. Chowdhury, Fatiha HadjSalah, Carlos Rios Espinosa 18