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The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, the Committee on the Rights of the Child, and the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities join the commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence, which presents an opportunity to look at the specific and unique forms of gender-based violence against women and girls with disabilities. International experts call States parties to the CEDAW, CRC and CRPD Conventions and all stakeholders to take decisive action in preventing and eliminating these forms of violence, and to ensure that women and girls with disabilities and their representative organizations are involved in policies aimed at eliminating gender-based violence against women.
Women and girls with disabilities are active members of their communities and have widely contributed to bring change in the way society perceives persons with disabilities. Yet, fifteen years after the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, they continue to face systemic and structural barriers to participation in society and are disproportionately represented in situations of poverty as a consequence of multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination in all spheres of life.
International experts reaffirm that women and girls with disabilities around the world should be included in the fight to advance gender equality and women’s rights. They are entitled to all human rights and fundamental freedoms on an equal basis with others and should be actively involved in all campaigns fighting for women’s rights. States parties, civil society, national human rights institutions should continue promoting and empowering women and girls with disabilities’ participation in all areas of life.
