United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) is an international human rights treaty intended to protect the rights and dignity of those with a disability. All signatory countries are required to promote, protect and ensure the full enjoyment of human rights by persons with disabilities.
Article 12 states that the right to equal recognition before the law is fundamental. It requires that those with a disability be provided with access to support in order to exercise their legal capacity.
Legal Capacity refers to the person’s ability to hold rights and to make decisions which are capable of being enforced under law e.g. signing a contract, agreeing to medical treatment etc. This is differentiated from Decision-Making Capacity which refers to the person’s ability to make decisions about things that affect their life.