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WOMEN'S UN REPORT NETWORK - WUNRN

WOMEN & GIRLS WITH DISABILITIES

UN COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMENCSW 56 - New York - 2012

WOMEN’S UN REPORT NETWORKWUNRN®


WOMEN & GIRLS WITH DISABILITIES - UN

About 650 million people in the world—or 10 per cent of the world’s population— live with disabilities, and frequently encounter a myriad of physical and social obstacles. They often lack the opportunities of the mainstream population and are usually among the most marginalized in society.

Disabled women and girls face barriers to full equality and advancement because of such factors as race, age, language, ethnicity, culture, religion or disability.Persistence of certain cultural, legal and institutional barriers makes women and girls with disabilities the victims of two-fold discrimination: as women and as persons with disabilities. 2

"Girls and women of all ages with any form of disability are among the more vulnerable and marginalized of society. There is therefore need to take into account and to address their concerns in all policy-making and programming. Special measures are needed at all levels to integrate them into the mainstream of development."

Often, women with disabilities are invisible both among those promoting the rights of persons with disabilities, and those promoting gender equality and the advancement of women.


WOMAN WITHOUT LEGS BECOMES A MOTHER


GLOBAL LENS - WOMEN & GIRLS WITH DISABILITIES

APPROXIMATELY 300 MILLION WOMEN AND GIRLS AROUND THE WORLD HAVE INTELLECTUAL, MENTAL, SENSORY, AND/OR PHYSICAL DISABILITY. GLOBALLY, WOMEN MAKE UP 3/4 OF THE DISABLED PEOPLE IN LOW AND MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES. BETWEEN 65% AND 70% OF THESE DISABLED WOMEN LIVE IN RURAL AREAS. THE ILO REPORTS THAT WOMEN ARE AT RISK OF BECOMING DISABLED DURING THEIR LIFETIME DUE TO NEGLECT IN HEALTH CARE, POOR WORK CONDITIONS, GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE +. THE ILO FURTHER STATES THAT WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES ARE AT INCREASED RISK OF BEING SICKER, POORER, AND MORE SOCIALLY ISOLATED THAN EITHER MEN WITH DISABILITIES OR NON-DISABLED WOMEN.


DISABLED GIRL CHEERLEADERS


UGANDA - DISABLED MOTHER OF 7, STRUGGLES WITH

POVERTY, MOBILITY, VULNERABILITY +

Photo - Martina Bacigalupo This 35-year-old disabled mother of 7 in Uganda sits on her handcrank tricycle in front of her mud home. Few women and girls with physical disabilities have functioning mobility devices. She fears her husband will stray, and possibly infect her with HIV. She worries about her vulnerability to sexual violence.


CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

Article 6 - Women with Disabilities

1.States Parties recognize that women and girls with disabilities are subject to multiple discrimination, and in this regard shall take measures to ensure the full and equal enjoyment by them of all human rights and fundamental freedoms.

2.States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure the full development, advancement and empowerment of women, for the purpose of guaranteeing them the exercise and enjoyment of the human rights and fundamental freedoms set out in the present Convention.

Article 7 - Children with disabilities

1.States Parties shall take all necessary measures to ensure the full enjoyment by children with disabilities of all human rights and fundamental freedoms on an equal basis with other children.

2.In all actions concerning children with disabilities, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration.

3.States Parties shall ensure that children with disabilities have the right to express their views freely on all matters affecting them, their views being given due weight in accordance with their age and maturity, on an equal basis with other children, and to be provided with disability and age-appropriate assistance to realize that right.


CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN - CEDAW - 1979

DISABLED WOMEN - General Recommendation No. 18 - 1991

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women,

Taking into consideration particularly article 3 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination

against Women,

Having considered more than 60 periodic reports of States parties, and having recognized that they provide scarce

information on disabled women,

Concerned about the situation of disabled women, who suffer from a double discrimination linked to their special

living conditions,

Recalling paragraph 296 of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, 9 in which

disabled women are considered as a vulnerable group under the heading "areas of special concern",

Affirming its support for the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons (1982), 10

Recommends that States parties provide information on disabled women in their periodic reports, and on measures

taken to deal with their particular situation, including special measures to ensure that they have equal access to

education and employment, health services and social security, and to ensure that they can participate in all areas of

social and cultural life.


ELDERLY DISABLED WOMAN IN WHEELCHAIR


WOMEN & GIRL WITH DISABILITIES - INTERSECTIONALITY OF RIGHTS ISSUES

*Poverty

*Health - Physical & Mental

*Food & Nutrition/Malnutrition

*Reproductive Health

*Water & Sanitation

*Preference for Males*Land, Housing/Shelter Land-Grabbing, Forced Evictions Homelessness - Slums

*War & Conflict

*Refugee Status

*Internal Displacement

*Safety - Violence - Rape

*Migration

*Minority & Indigenous Issues

*Culture & Traditions

*Climate Change

*Natural Disasters

*Widows Discrimination*Lifespan - Ageing Disabled Women - Survival

*Exposure to Environmental Hazards


INDIA - WIDOWS - HIGH DISABILITY RATES - POVERTY & COMPOUNDED DISCRIMINATION

WUNRN Photo - Poverty stricken widows in City of Widows, Vrindivan, India The Indian widow experiences compounded discrimination and marginalization - as a woman, as a widow, often as an elderly woman, and as a POOR widowed woman. Many widows chant in Hindu temples to be given small bowls of rice. Guild of Service-India


IRAQ - HOW DO WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES COPE WITH WAR?

© Panos Pictures / M. Saman


SIERRA LEONE - GIRL AMPUTEE DISABLED BY WAR

International Committee of the Red Cross - Photo


SOMALIA - DISPLACEMENT FROM CONFLICT, DROUGHT, FAMINE

WHAT HAPPENS TO DISABLED WOMEN WHO CANNOT FLEE?


HOW CAN CLIMATE CHANGE INCREASE CHALLENGES FOR DISABLED WOMEN & GIRLS

AS FLOODS IN BANGLADESH?


NATURAL DISASTERS CHALLENGE DISABLED WOMEN - ITALY EARTHQUAKE

Photo: Filippo Monteforte/Agence France-Presse -- Getty Images


DISABILITY FROM ACID ATTACKS ON WOMEN & GIRLS – A LIVING DEATH OF PAIN & SUFFERING

Victim of acid attack - Bangladesh - Photo: Ulrik Jantzen


DISABLED WOMEN IN PRISON - GROWING NUMBERS & NEEDS

Photo - Human Rights Watch Report - THE AGING US PRISON POPULATION


CAREGIVING & DISABILITIES - WHEN YOU ARE YOUR MOTHER'S KEEPER

Photo - NY Times


UN Human Rights Council - 17th Session - Resolution - A/HRC/17/L.6

ACCELERATING EFFORTS TO ELIMINATE ALL FORMS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN: ENSURING DUE DILIGENCE IN PROTECTION

WOMEN & GIRLS & DISABILITY

11. Invites the Office of the High Commissioner to prepare a thematic analytical study on the issue of violence against women and girls and disability, in consultation with the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, the Special Rapporteur on disability of the Commission for Social Development of the Economic and Social Council, other relevant special procedure mandate holders, States, United Nations entities, regional organizations, civil society organizations and other relevant stakeholders, and to report to the Human Rights Council at its twentieth session;


DISABLED WOMAN'S VOICE

I am a proud disabled woman.My body and mind may challenge me.

I have learned my own special wayTo meet my needs, to deal with life.

I have dreams, and I have goals.And you will see, I will achieve.

Give me respect, as I deserve.I will persevere for my rights.

Disabled friends, they understand.We share fears, joys, and support.

I am female with feelings as you.

Include me, enable me, celebrate me.

I am a disabled woman, very much alive.Hear me, care about me, treasure me!

WUNRN 2012

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