The United Nations Secretariat and the Economic and Social Council are the principal United Nations bodies concerned with disability issues. They focus on promoting the rights of persons with physical disabilities, such as blindness and deafness.
Projects concentrate on disability prevention and rehabilitation.
The Social Commission, a subsidiary body to the organization, is entrusted with social questions. At its first session it establishes the Temporary Social Welfare Committee. The Commission agrees on the need to establish international standards for the education, treatment, training and placement of disabled persons, with particular attention to be given to the blind in underdeveloped areas. The Economic and Social Council also recommends that States consider measures to help handicapped persons. On the inter-state level, the Agreement on the Importation of Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Materials provides for the exemption of customs duties on the importation of certain goods as listed in the Annex of the Agreement.