General Comment No. 5 of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: Persons with disabilities
This general comment was adopted by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in 1995.
With regard to social security, it sets out the following:
28. Social security and income‑maintenance schemes are of particular importance for persons with disabilities. As stated in the Standard Rules, “States should ensure the provision of adequate income support to persons with disabilities who, owing to disability or disability‑related factors, have temporarily lost or received a reduction in their income or have been denied employment opportunities.” Such support should reflect the special needs for assistance and other expenses often associated with disability. In addition, as far as possible, the support provided should also cover individuals (who are overwhelmingly female) who undertake the care of a person with disabilities. Such persons, including members of the families of persons with disabilities, are often in urgent need of financial support because of their assistance role.
29. Institutionalization of persons with disabilities, unless rendered necessary for other reasons, cannot be regarded as an adequate substitute for the social security and income‑support rights of such persons.
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