Women with Disabilities Face Various Challenges and Oppressions

Up to 7 in 10 women report having experienced physical and/or sexual violence at some point in their life time; and up to 50 percent of sexual assaults were committed against girls under 16. At the same time, the 2011 World Report on Disability indicates that the female disability prevalence rate is 19.2 percent, whereas it is 12 percent for men. It is clear that women with disabilities are a significant portion of the global population. (United Nations, 2012)

Unfortunately studies show that women face a greater battle then men as women are seen to me more vulnerable and at risk for danger. Women with disabilities do not have the same opportunities as men with disabilities, or even as their non-disabled peers. (United Nations, 2012)

I decided to open my blog with a poem, because it shares the heartaches and difficult experiences women with disabilities go through day to day.

"Blessed are you, who take the time to listen to my difficult speech, for you help me to know that if I persevere I can be understood
Blessed are you, who never bid me to hurry or take a task away from me and do for me, for I always need time
Blessed are you, who understand that it is difficult for me to put my thoughts into words
Blessed are you with a smile, so please encourage me to try once more
Blessed are you who ask for my help, for the greatest need is to be needed
Blessed are you who never remind me that today I have asked the same question twice
Blessed are you who respect my rights, love me as I am and not as you wish I were."

Sofia, Uganda

This poem is from a young woman from Uganda, who has struggled with achieving her goal of becoming a nurse. She was rejected from school based on the grounds of her disability. Since she was discriminated, she was encouraged to join a disability rights group to campaign for better rights. The campaign was called the CRPD- the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Her poem expressed the ideas and beliefs of many youth with disabilities. (United Nations, 2012)

In Tamale Ghana, the situation is worse for women with disabilities, as they experience multiple disadvantages on account of gender and disability. Given the intersection of disability, gender, poverty, cultural beliefs and practices, unemployment is very high. As employment provides not only income for women with disabilities but opportunities for social participation and increases psychological well-being as well as self-esteem, it is imperative to remove barriers that hinder their employment. (Augustina Naami, Reiko Hayashi & Hank Liese, 2012)

Personal freedom seems to be one of the main issues that many disabled women face. They say their ability to move around freely, to dress, to eat, to choose their own friends is taken away. This seems to be more restricted than for men. Over-protection from the families is also an issue. This seems to have a big impact on their quality of life. However, the greatest concern is the risk of abuse and exploitation. Many female youth with disabilities from around the world have shared stories about rape, unwanted pregnancies, abuse, and abandonment. (United Nations, 2012)

Young disabled women also face many factors that contribute to this area. For example the lack of empowerment or not being given a voice, women and girls with disabilities often cannot talk about issues surrounding sexual or physical abuse. Moreover as girls with disabilities reach puberty, they may not understand what is happening to them, or be able to express how they feel to anyone because no one has talked to them about relationships or sex. (United Nations, 2012)

Even if they are aware of what is happening to them, they can still find it hard to gain protection because those in authority may be inaccessible. I feel like women with disabilities fall into a lower poverty group, due to lack of employment, living conditions, health care system access and education. They experience a discriminatory attitude which has a disappointing impact on their participation in life. In a Neoliberalism perspective, these women would fall under the lowest poverty group, because they lack the education to maintain a higher income bracket, refusing them to move up the ladder of hierarchy. With a neoliberalism attitude, there would be little opportunities for these women who face disabilities because the wealthier chose otherwise. (Women’s Canadian Health Network, 2012)

- Meri-Beth *

　

References:

Retrieved from:
http://social.un.org/index/Youth/ResourcesandPublications/YouthWithDisabilities.aspx
(Youth Social Policy and Development Division, 2012)

Retrieved from:
http://www.cwhn.ca/en/node/39492
(Women’s Canadian Health Network, 2012)

Retrieved from:
http://www.unwomen.org/2012/10/forgotten-sisters-violence-against-women-and-girls-with-disabilities/
(United Nations Women- United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, 2012)

Retrieved from:
http://www.tandfonline.com.libproxy.auc.ca/doi/abs/10.1080/09687599.2011.644930
A(ugustina Naami, Reiko Hayashi & Hank Liese: The unemployment of women with physical disabilities in Ghana: issues and recommendations November 2012)
DOI: 10.1080/09687599.2011.644930