Catalina Devandas Aguilar

Catalina Devandas Aguilar
United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Assumed office
1 December 2014
Preceded by Position established
Personal details
Nationality Costa Rican

Catalina Devandas Aguilar is a Costa Rican diplomat and the incumbent United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities since the creation of the position in 2014. She has worked previously for the World Bank and took part in the establishment of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities with the United Nations Secretariat.

Career

She has previously consulted for the World Bank and was part of the United Nations Secretariat that established the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. In 2009, Aguilar began working for the Disability Rights Advocacy Fund and the Disability Rights Fund.[1] In 2014, Agauilar was named the first United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.[2]

During her time as Special Rapporteur, she traveled to multiple countries to determine the conditions of people with disabilities. In 2016, Agauilar analyzed the status of people with disabilities in Zambia.[3] After her visit, she recommended that Zambia should shut down isolated parts of the country and prevent violence against people with disabilities.[4]

In 2017, she became the first member of the United Nations to be granted a visit to North Korea.[5] After her trip to North Korea, she reported that she was prevented from meeting with several North Korean ministries.[6] Her recommendations to North Korea included the stoppage of discriminatory language against North Koreans with disabilities and the creation of more accessible methods for deaf and blind North Koreans.[7]

References

  1. ↑ "Catalina Devandas-Aguilar appointed as Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities". United States Council on Disabilities. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  2. ↑ "Ms Catalina Devandas Aguilar". Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  3. ↑ "UN rights expert arrives in Zambia this week to assess the situation of persons with disabilities". Lusaka Times. 17 April 2016. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  4. ↑ ""Zambia has the potential to become a disability champion in the African region" – UN expert". Office of the High Commissioner. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  5. ↑ England, Charlotte (28 April 2017). "North Korea agrees to visit from UN human rights expert for first time". Independent. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  6. ↑ Shim, Elizabeth (16 May 2017). "U.N. disabilities rapporteur denied multiple requests in North Korea". UPI. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  7. ↑ "End of Mission Statement by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities, Ms. Catalina Devandas-Aguilar, on her visit to the DPRK". Office of the High Commissioner. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
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