Concern has been expressed about a "lack of progress" on improving the lives of people with disabilities in Northern Ireland amid the collapse of Stormont.
The lack of functioning devolved government in Northern Ireland for more than a year has meant that plans for a disability strategy and a disability forum have not moved forward.
The ensuing stasis in a range of areas has been highlighted in a joint submission by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, in their role as the Independent Mechanism for NI (IMNI).
It is in relation to an inquiry by the committee on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) of progress made on their recommendations from a previous inquiry into the UK in 2016.
Further IMNI recommendations are made around addressing the disability employment gap, support for independent living, as well as accessible and affordable housing for persons with disabilities and a number of other areas.
Alyson Kilpatrick, chief commissioner, Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, and Geraldine McGahey, chief commissioner, Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, said it was imperative that a disability strategy and a disability forum were introduced.
"We remain very concerned about the lack of progress in addressing the committee's recommendations from 2016, compounded by the lack of a Northern Ireland Executive and functioning institutions," they said in a joint statement.
"The UK has obligations through the UNCRPD, as well as Windsor Framework Article 2, to uphold rights and equality protections for persons with disabilities.
"It is imperative that we introduce a disability strategy and a disability forum so that disabled persons and their representative have their voice heard and we can move forward with policy and initiatives to realise their rights and equality entitlements as set out in the UNCRPD."
Ms Kilpatrick and Ms McGahey said their submission recommended that the Independent Living Fund was reopened for new claimants; steps were taken to tackle barriers to housing and the right to live independently; and that an effective "disability employment strategy that aims to reduce the disability employment gap in Northern Ireland" was pursued.
"We hope that by providing this submission, recommendations and engaging with the UNCRPD committee inquiry that we can highlight the need for urgent action to remedy the pressing issues that are preventing persons with disabilities in Northern Ireland from being empowered and realising their rights as laid out in the UNCRPD," they said.
