Transcript Slide 1

VOICE OF WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES
RATIONALE
 There are 650 million persons with disabilities
worldwide. This makes up 10% of the world’s
population
 It is estimated that approximately 300 million women
and girls around the world have a intellectual and/or
physical disability. Globally, women make up threefourths of disabled persons in low and middle
income countries; between 65% and 70% of those
women live in rural areas.
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1 DPI, Handicap International, IDDC, Motivation, Women's Refugee Commission, World Vision, For a UNHCR Executive Committee
Conclusion on Disability
2- NATIONAL POLICY FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, 2002.
WOMEN
WITH
DISABILITIES
Disabled Women
The social status of disabled women varies according to
individual circumstances and to the country in which
they live.
 women with disabilities in poor countries usually experience a
particular disadvantage. Here, it is not just difficult but often
impossible for a disabled woman to get an education or find a
job.
 She easily becomes marginalised
 She does not meet the requirements society places on
women:
she cannot be a "good wife“, nor a "good mother", according to
common wisdom. Basic human rights
 She cannot earn her living because of barriers of access and
attitude.
WHY FOCUS ON WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES?

Tend to be invisible, and are often excluded

Face triple discrimination and additional barriers .

Are at greater risk to see their level of disability
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), adopted in 1979 by
the UN General Assembly, is often described as an
international bill of rights for women.
Consisting of a preamble and 30 articles
UN CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF PWD
Article 6 - Women with disabilities
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.
1.
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.
• We need to adopt the strategy to ensure that
the Convention makes a difference at the
grassroots level, through individual and group
empowerment, bringing a change in the
community.
• Convention provides the policy and legal
framework.


The Disability Movement continues to gain strength in
the spirit of
“Nothing About Us Without Us”
The involvement of women with disabilities in the
development, implementation and review of policies that
affect their lives
DRTAP:
women with
Disabilities
Meet UNCRPD’s
obligations
Claim their Rights
Leaders and
Policy
Makers
 Tools for mainstreaming rights of WWDs include the UN
Convention, MDGs as well as INCLUSION.
 When the rights of persons with disabilities are recognized,
their voices heard, they participate in decision making and in
life in society.
 Empowerment is a key activity and it requires sharing of
knowledge and power.
 One outcome of mainstreaming is poverty alleviation and the
improvement of the quality of life of women with disabilities.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MAINSTREAMING DISABILITY
 In order to address disability concerns their is a
dire need to provide sensitization on disability in
all stages
 Include disability specific data
assessments in the initial stages
in
rapid
 Humanitarian coordination team are aware of
concerns of WWDs and provide space for these
concerns to be raised in coordination meetings.
NATIONAL FORUM OF
DISABILITIES (NFWWDS)
WOMEN
WITH
 In January 2009 a group of Leading women with disabilities
from DPOs, NGOs, INGOs and Governmental Organizations
first time sat together and came-up with the idea of
formation of NFWWD
 The main aim of the NFWWD was to assist WWDs to
establish a platform that will ensure self-representation
and self advocacy of WWDs in all levels.
 They discussed there is a strong need for formation of new
opportunities for WWDs to enable WWDs for the
independent living which includes: Access to information;
Access to social services as: WASH facilities, rehabilitation,
health, education and employment.
Future Endeavors
• Train and educate women with disabilities have lead several projects on
disability development but there is a dire need to involve that women as a
role model or highlight their efforts to understand the social and economic
realities and possibilities with regards DRTAP
• Develop and maintain mechanisms which increase the participation and
representation of disabled women in all decision-making
• In the context of Pakistani culture, women with disabilities played vital
roles
• Disabled women are an important part of the movement for people with
disabilities. But far too often, they are considered as “wife” roles in
existing organizations (e.g. doing mailings, answering telephones).
THANK YOU…