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VI. Overview of Women with Disabilities Although gender dimensions for the implementation of the Agenda for Action for the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons were adopted in 1995, the issues of women with disabilities were only addressed on a very limited basis during the first Decade. Although the Agenda for Action was adopted in the same year that the Fourth World Conference on Women was held in Beijing, the mainstream gender movement has paid scant attention to the situation and concerns of their disabled sisters. In the regional review of achievements of the Decade only nine Governments spontaneously made any reference to this neglected, marginalized and hidden group of persons with disabilities. Formation of networks of women with disabilities was reported in six countries and gender-inclusive policies in only three. Disadvantaged through their status as women, and as women with disabilities, they are over-represented among those living in poverty. To a greater extent than is the case for boys with disabilities, disabled girls face discrimination within the family, are more likely to be denied access to nutrition, health care, education, vocational training, employment and income generation opportunities. They are routinely excluded from social and community activities and are more at risk of physical and sexual abuse. Girls growing up in rural areas are even more disadvantaged, illiterate and without access to information or services. Stigmatized and rejected from earliest childhood and denied opportunities for development, girls with disabilities grow up lacking a sense of self-worth and self-esteem, and are often denied access to the customary roles of women in their communities. Only in the final years of the first Decade was adequate attention paid to issues of women with disabilities by self-help organizations. Here again they had been discriminated against and under-represented. Access to leadership training and executive positions was limited and their issues did not form part of the advocacy agenda. The BMF has very strong targets for achievement for women with disabilities in the renewed Decade. Anti-discrimination measures are required to safeguard the rights of women with disabilities. They should have equal representation on national self-help organizations, in all training initiatives and at all levels of management. They should also achieve membership in national mainstream gender associations. After a hesitant beginning, a regional network of women with disabilities was formed in 2001, and a formal structure and constitution adopted in 2002. Regional Leadership training workshops are now conducted annually for young women leaders with disabilities by Disabled People’s International (DPI) Asia-Pacific regional office. ESCAP too, is continuing a tradition started in 2001 of providing training for women with disabilities, with two workshops on women and disability held in 2003. The
case study presented from Mobility India describes many of the problems
and the discrimination faced by young women with disabilities. The
highlight of this story is the successful transition from most disadvantaged
status to a successful, economically independent self-reliant status,
valued by their families and the community, and demonstrating that
they have the capacity to learn and successfully carry out jobs
previously reserved for men. This sensitive work addresses disability
and poverty, demonstrating that with careful planning, determination
and training the link can be broken.
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