Persons with disabilities who have gathered at United Nations Headquarters 
from all over the world to negotiate the first-ever convention on their 
rights expressed confidence today that the session will pave the way for a 
full agreement guaranteeing protections and preventing discrimination, but 
they said it was just the beginning of their battle for equality. 

More than 400 representatives from governments and non-governmental 
organizations (NGOs) are attending the current session, which is slated to 
wrap up on Friday. Many said that while the process of examining each 
article requires time, it is critical to get an agreement in place. 

"Let's continue to work for this convention because I think we deserve to 
have one. It's not going to create miracles but definitely it's going to 
create better lives for all of us," Venus Ilagan, Chairperson of the 
Philippines branch of the worldwide Disabled Peoples' International Network, 
told the UN News Service. 

"Personally as a woman with a disability, just like other women with 
disabilities from developing countries, we suffer triple discrimination on 
account of our disability, our gender and our poverty so this convention is 
going to be very helpful in making sure we enjoy our rights the same way 
other people enjoy their rights," said Ms. Ilagan. 

The second full reading of the convention is expected to conclude on Friday 
and although the General Assembly committee drafting the treaty has made 
progress on various issues - including those relating to education, work and 
health - delegates acknowledge much work still needs to be done before the 
treaty becomes law. 

"This is the seventh session but I don't think we'll be able to finish it 
this year. Negotiations are still going on," added Ms. Ilagan, echoing the 
views of other delegates who said the extensive number of subjects the 
articles covered meant it was difficult to say when the text would be agreed 
upon. 

Like other delegates at the meeting, Wayne Cockfield, from the National 
Right to Life NGO, said it was important for society at large, both the 
developed and developing worlds, to involve people with disabilities in the 
community. He added that this is also economically viable. 

"A lot of people think it costs a lot of money to make society accessible to 
disabled people when in reality it doesn't cost that much more. If you're 
building a sidewalk and you put a curb-cut so a wheelchair can get over that 
sidewalk, that really costs nothing because you're already spending money to 
make the sidewalk," added Mr. Cockfield. 

Many of the delegates, including Mr. Cockfield and Ms. Ilagan, were in 
wheelchairs and particularly for Ms. Ilagan simply getting to the conference 
was a stark reminder of the problems of accessibility. 

"It's been difficult but you know it's something very important and I think 
it's worth the time and effort," she said of her 19-hour trip from the