KUWAIT, Dec 3 (KUNA) -- The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Dr. Heba Hegres called for empowering women and girls with disabilities to ensure an inclusive and sustainable future.
Speaking to KUNA on the sidelines of the regional consultative session for the Middle East and North Africa, organized by the Kuwait Union of Women's Associations, Dr. Hegres stressed that despite the nearing deadline for the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, the promise of full gender equality remains unfulfilled, and that for women and girls with disabilities, achieving this goal is even more challenging due to compounded discrimination.
Dr. Hegres highlighted a recent statement by UN experts on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, urging governments to enhance the leadership roles of persons with disabilities.
She noted that women and girls with disabilities were disproportionately affected by poverty, lack of healthcare, had limited access to inclusive education and employment opportunities, had restricted access to technology, and were also at higher risk of abuse and violence.
The expert emphasized that women and girls with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities often face legal incapacitation, which strips them of their autonomy in making critical decisions, including those related to their own bodies.
Dr. Hegres pointed out that the needs and concerns of women and girls with disabilities were often overlooked in public policies related to gender equality and disability rights, and this issue is exacerbated by a significant lack of disaggregated data by disability, age, gender, and other intersectional factors.
She called for the inclusion of the voices and experiences of women and girls with disabilities in policy priorities and decision-making processes, adding that representation in leadership roles across all sectors, including within movements advocating for human rights, gender equality, and disability rights, must be increased.
Dr. Hegres also underscored the importance of fully consulting women and girls with disabilities on policies that impact their lives and involving them in all discussions and decision-making processes.
She also highlighted the need to address the intersection of gender and disability, including the impact of family dynamics on the rights of children with disabilities, and urged for the establishment of care systems that are gender-sensitive, inclusive of disabilities, and age-appropriate.
Dr. Hegres noted that the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration offers a critical opportunity for governments to assess progress in advancing the rights of women and girls with disabilities and addressing the needs of those left behind.
In reaffirming their commitment to the Beijing Declaration, UN experts have urged governments to prioritize the rights of women and girls with disabilities, ensure their inclusion across all sectors of society, and enhance coordination between frameworks for gender equality and disability rights. (end) mrf.dss