Acknowledgements endorsements Background methodology executive Summary 11 Recommendations 22 Article — general obligations 38

methodology

Organisation and Participation

7. 
   This Civil Society Report on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) was drafted by a Project Group comprised of representatives from seven leading disability organisations in Australia, with the aim being to assess Australia’s compliance with the CRPD from a Civil Society perspective.
   
8. 
   The Coordinating Committee for the CRPD Civil Society Report project was comprised of the following organisations:
   
   1. 
      Australian Centre for Disability Law (formerly the NSW Disability Discrimination Legal Centre representing the National Association of Community Legal Centres);
      
   2. 
      People with Disability Australia; and
      
   3. 
      Queensland Advocacy Incorporated.
      
9. 
   A Project Group was established in order to assist in steering the project. The Project Group consisted of representatives from the following organisations:
   
   1. 
      Australian Disability Rights Network and Redfern Legal Centre;
      
   2. 
      People with Disability Australia;
      
   3. 
      Queensland Advocacy Incorporated;
      
   4. 
      Australian Federation of Disability Organisations;
      
   5. 
      Australian Centre for Disability Law (formerly the NSW Disability Discrimination Legal Centre);
      
   6. 
      Disability Advocacy Network Australia;
      
   7. 
      Australian Human Rights Centre; and
      
   8. 
      First Peoples Disability Network Australia.
      
10. 
    The role of the Project Group was to:
    
    1. 
       provide advice on the process for developing the Civil Society Report;
       
    2. 
       coordinate consultations at a State/Territory level;
       
    3. 
       assist with seeking funding for the development of the Civil Society Report and sending the NGO delegation to the UN;
       
    4. 
       provide direction to DLA Piper by providing information such as contacts, statistics, reports, etc; and
       
    5. 
       endorse the Civil Society Report.
       
11. 
    The Project Group was supported in this task by the pro bono support of DLA Piper, who assisted in facilitating the consultations in each State and Territory in Australia, in addition to providing an initial draft of the Civil Society Report and ongoing support in finalising the report.
    
12. 
    The specific role of DLA Piper in the project was to:
    
    1. 
       develop the project plan;
       
    2. 
       coordinate project group meetings;
       
    3. 
       develop consultation materials, including background information on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), consultation workbook and program;
       
    4. 
       undertake consultations in conjunction with project group members, including organising the logistics and program for State and Territory consultations;
       
    5. 
       provide the initial draft of the Civil Society Report on the CRPD; and
       
    6. 
       provide ongoing support and complete follow-up activities on the Civil Society Report on the CRPD.
       
13. 
    The Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) also provided valuable assistance to the Project Group, providing support for the consultations that took place throughout Australia and for a consultant to redraft the report.
    
14. 
    Each Coordinating Committee member contributed much time in developing the project, organising the project group and instructing DLA Piper. Each Project Group member contributed significantly to the preparation of consultation materials, co-facilitation of consultations throughout Australia, to the development of the website and drafting and editing the Civil Society Report.
    
15. 
    The aims of the Civil Society Report were to:
    
    1. 
       reflect the views and lived experience of people with disability in Australia;
       
    2. 
       identify the extent to which people with disability in Australia currently enjoy the fundamental human rights and freedoms provided for in the CRPD;
       
    3. 
       identify the extent of the realisation of each article of the CRPD;
       
    4. 
       identify those matters preventing the full enjoyment by people with disability in Australia of the CRPD rights and freedoms;
       
    5. 
       promote the full realisation of the CRPD rights and freedoms; and
       
    6. 
       make recommendations for government action that will assist in the realisation of the CRPD rights and freedoms.