Implementation of the 2006 UNCRPD in Central and Eastern Europe: A Comparative Overview with Special Reference to Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract: Persons with disabilities constitute one of the most vulnerable groups in society, frequently experiencing social stigma, discrimination, and marginalisation. Even in countries with a strong tradition of upholding human rights, individuals with disabilities continue to face significant discrimination, social exclusion, and inequitable treatment. They tend to have lower income and educational attainment, higher rates of unemployment, precarious housing conditions, and poorer health outcomes compared to persons without disabilities. These challenges are further exacerbated in countries in transition, such as Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), where ongoing social, political, and economic changes often intensify these vulnerabilities. The paper examines the application of the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in countries of Central and Eastern Europe, with special reference to BiH (which ratified the Convention and its Optional Protocol in 2010). It explores the current status of the Convention’s application across the region, as well as the communication procedures initiated before the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities concerning the Central and Eastern European countries. The study also presents the legal framework for the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities in BiH (its entities – the Republic of Srpska and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina). Special attention is given to the realisation of rights whose implementation in BiH has faced challenges in the past, as well as those rights that are particularly difficult to ensure in transition economies.

Keywords: United Nations, Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Central and Eastern Europe, Bosnia and Herzegovina, disability rights, Article 12, legal capacity, employment, education, political participation