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Advocates urge San Francisco to support U.N. disability treaty as global momentum builds
Summary
Disability attorney Michelle Magar briefed the council on the U.N. treaty, urged local steps to promote its aims and criticized the federal administration’s refusal to sign; she proposed outreach, technical assistance and symbolic local commitments.
Michelle Magar, a disability‑rights attorney, briefed the Mayor’s Disability Council on the newly adopted United Nations treaty on the rights of persons with disabilities and urged local action.
"The treaty came about after something like six years of work on behalf of disability advocates like yourselves from around the world," Magar said, describing the treaty’s shift from a medical model to a civil‑rights framework and its guarantees of access to education, work, voting and legal capacity. She noted the treaty was adopted in December and could enter into force quickly as nations sign.
Magar expressed concern that the U.S. federal administration had declined to sign. "The Bush administration has, said from the very beginning that it would not sign the treaty," she said, and urged local advocacy and outreach to press for national change.
She suggested practical local steps San Francisco could take: pass a symbolic pledge to follow treaty principles, provide technical assistance or sister‑city arrangements for jurisdictions in other countries, make local grievance procedures and best practices available online, and use civic events to raise public awareness. Magar distributed handouts including a sample city resolution passed in Santa Cruz and a draft letter the National Council on Disability had prepared for the president.
Council members and staff discussed next steps including participating in 504 anniversary events to highlight the treaty and coordinating outreach with national organizations and local advocates. Magar offered to work with the council on specific actions and follow‑up.
