Baku: This year, 2026, marks the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the fundamental international legal instrument protecting the rights of persons with disabilities (PwDs).

According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, the Ombudsman was empowered to function as the independent monitoring mechanism (IMM) for the national implementation and promotion of the Convention. Within the remit of this mandate, the Ombudsman's independent monitoring group has drafted an educational booklet titled '20 Years - 20 Facts' dedicated to the twentieth anniversary of the Convention, the Ombudsman Office told AZERTAC.

The publication outlines the objective of adopting the Convention, the fundamental rights and freedoms of PwDs, the mandate of the CRPD Committee, and the legal and institutional reforms implemented in Azerbaijan following its accession to the Convention. It also highlights the promotion of inclusiveness, accessibility, and living independently, as well as the Ombudsman's initiatives and activities under the IMM.

The material will be not only a valuable resource for PwDs, representatives of civil society organizations, government agencies, specialists, researchers, and students but also will strengthen public awareness and promote the human rights-based model of disability.

To make the publication accessible to users with visual impairments, the text is also audio-accessible via a QR code in Azerbaijani and English.