IACHR welcomes St. Kitts and Nevis' ratified two key Conventions on human rights on older persons and persons with disabilities

June 10, 2025

Washington, DC—The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) welcomes St. Kitts and Nevis' signed and accepted two key regional human rights instruments: the Inter-American Convention on Protecting the Human Rights of Older Persons, and the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities. By completing the process on May 28, 2025, St. Kitts and Nevis became the 13th country to join the Convention on older persons and the 20th to join the Convention on Person with disabilities.

The Convention on Persons with Disabilities is the first legally binding international instrument on the subject, and was adopted in 1999. It reaffirms that persons with disabilities have the same fundamental rights and freedoms as other people. This includes the right not to be discriminated against because of a disability. While Dominica, Jamaica and St. Lucia have already signed this Convention, St. Kitts and Nevis became the second CARICOM country after Haiti, to ratify this instrument.

The Convention on Older Persons was adopted by the OAS Member States in 2015 and is the first legally binding treaty seeking to promote, protect, and guarantee the full recognition and exercise of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of older people. St. Kitts and Nevis joined Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico, Peru, Suriname, and Uruguay as a State Party to the Convention. These countries have already pledged to implement legislative, administrative, and other measures to eradicate discrimination and violence against older persons, ensuring their right to a full, independent, and autonomous life.

The IACHR calls on all States member of OAS that have not yet ratified the Inter-American Convention on Protecting the Human Rights of Older Persons and on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities to do so. The Commission is implementing a Strategy to strengthen its work with the Caribbean region through country visits to promote the universalization of the system and cooperation, among other mechanisms. It further expresses its readiness to provide technical assistance to States with implementing human rights conventions and to continue working together on initiatives that underscore the value of older people and persons with disabilities and their role and contributions to society.

The IACHR is a principal and autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS), whose mandate stems from the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. The Inter-American Commission has the mandate to promote the observance and defense of human rights in the region and acts as an advisory body to the OAS on the matter. The IACHR is made up of seven independent members who are elected by the OAS General Assembly in their personal capacity, and do not represent their countries of origin or residence.

No. 117/25

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