23. 1. States Parties recognize that a mentally or
physically disabled child should enjoy a full and decent life, in conditions
which ensure dignity, promote self-reliance and facilitate the child’s active
participation in the community.
2. States Parties recognize the right of the disabled child to
special care and shall encourage and ensure the extension, subject to available
resources, to the eligible child and those responsible for his or her care, of
assistance for which application is made and which is appropriate to the child’s
condition and to the circumstances of the parents or others caring for the
child.
3. Recognizing the special needs of a disabled child, assistance
extended in accordance with paragraph 2 of the present article shall be provided
free of charge, whenever possible, taking into account the financial resources
of the parents or others caring for the child, and shall be designed to ensure
that the disabled child has effective access to and receives education,
training, health care services, rehabilitation services, preparation for
employment and recreation opportunities in a manner conducive to the child’s
achieving the fullest possible social integration and individual development,
including his or her cultural and spiritual development.
4. States Parties shall promote, in the spirit of international
co-operation, the exchange of appropriate information in the field of preventive
health care and of medical, psychological and functional treatment of disabled
children, including dissemination of and access to information concerning
methods of rehabilitation, education and vocational services, with the aim of
enabling States Parties to improve their capabilities and skills and to widen
their experience in these areas. In this regard, particular account shall be
taken of the needs of developing countries.