It was adopted on 13 December 2006, and entered into force at the same time as its parent Convention on 3 May 2008.

[2] The Optional Protocol establishes an individual complaints mechanism for the Convention similar to those of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

Parties agree to recognise the competence of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to consider complaints from individuals or groups who claim their rights under the Convention have been violated.

[4] In addition, parties may permit the Committee to investigate, report on and make recommendations on "grave or systematic violations" of the Convention.

[7] As of 2015, "[t]he UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is conducting an inquiry into the impact of the UK Government's policies on people with disabilities in relation to their human rights obligations.