Human rights in the 21st century: protecting and promoting the human rights of persons with disabilities

Human rights have been in existence since time immemorial. The 21st century has witnessed an unprecedented expansion in the domain of internationally recognized rights. This has led to the formal proclamation of human rights as belonging to all persons including Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) thus the creation of an independent treaty to universally protect, promote and realize the human rights and fundamental freedoms of PWDs. This paper discusses the international protection of PWDs in a plethora of general and specific international and regional human rights instruments. The paper further discusses the framework for protection and promotion of human rights of PWDs in Nigeria as well as Nigeria’s international obligation towards PWDs. Using the doctrinal method of research, this paper finds that the existing framework for protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of PWDs in Nigeria is grossly inadequate thereby causing constant rights violations; Nigeria having failed in her international obligations towards PWDs. In view of these findings, this paper recommends amongst others that the United Nations Convention on the Protection of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol be domesticated as federal law in Nigeria and re-enacted as state law in all the States of the Federation.