The present thesis explores Article 19 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which recognizes the right of all persons with disabilities to live in the community, with choices equal to others. The relationship between Article 19 and the other articles of the Convention are explored, in order to discuss the role of Article 19 in the Convention. The thesis examines whether the right to live in the community, set out in Article 19, can be considered as the most central right of the Convention. The thesis applies the legal analytical method, and it is based on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; the communications of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; official reports of the United Nations as well as international non-governmental organizations; and scientific articles from books and journals. By using Arendt’s idea of “the right to have rights” as a theory, this thesis argues that the right to live in the community, contained in Article 19, constitutes the right to have rights for persons with disabilities and therefore it can be considered as the most central right of the Convention.

Status and Role of New Human Rights in International Law This diploma thesis compares three methods which have been used so far in the creation of new human rights in international law. The first chapter establishes the theory of the creation of new human rights in international law. It is claimed that all new human rights have been created by one of the following three methods: the adoption of an international treaty; the interpretation of an internetional treaty; or the adoption of a declaration. The second chapter provides definitions of a notion of human rights and determines a notion of new human rights as those rights which are not expressed in the International Bill of Human Rights. The distinction of human rights by generations is rejected. The third chapter summarizes the sources of international human rights law, which are international treaties, international custom and general principles of international law. Further, the third chapter shows the significance of peremptory norms and soft law instruments for international human rights. The fourth chapter deals with the first method of creating new human rights, i.e. adoption of international treaty. This method is presented through the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the right to live in community. The formulation...