The agreement includes the two organisations working together, alongside like-minded partners, to produce a global communications campaign aimed at changing attitudes toward disability and timed to coincide with the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics next year. 

IPC President Andrew Parsons and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet signed the agreement, which also has scope for the organisations to collaborate on research, strategy, policy development and communications, should possibilities arise.

Parsons has expressed hope that the agreement will help to "place disability at the heart of the diversity and inclusion agenda" moving forward.

"With the Paralympics firmly established as the world’s third biggest sport event, we want Tokyo 2020 to be more than just a showcase of spectacular sport, but a platform to advance the human rights agenda for persons with disabilities," Parsons said.

"With a cumulative TV audience of around 4.25 billion in more than 150 countries set to watch next year’s Paralympics, we want to use Para sport and the growing voice and profiles of Para athletes to help change global attitudes towards the world’s one billion persons with disabilities and create greater opportunities for this planet’s largest marginalised community.

"By partnering with UN Human Rights and several like-minded organisations we want to place disability at the heart of the diversity and inclusion agenda.  We want to challenge the stigma attached to disability and empower social transformation.  This can only be achieved by highlighting the challenges persons with disabilities face on a daily basis and by empowering them to claim their human rights.

"The Paralympics really have shown that change starts with sport, and we hope to use future editions of the Games, not just to Tokyo 2020, to empower social transformation and make for a more inclusive society for all."

The IPC partnered with the International Disability Alliance in September and Valuable 500 last month in moves it says are also designed to advance rights campaigns for people with disabilities.

More partnerships are to be announced soon, according to the IPC.

Bachelet said this latest deal between the UN's primary human rights body and the IPC can "strengthen" both organisations and expand their outreach.

The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games - postponed by a year because of the coronavirus crisis - are due to run from August 24 to September 5 next year.