It is estimated that women and girls with disabilities constitute 25.9% of the total population of women in the European Union and around 60% of the overall population of 100 million persons with disabilities in Europe. While they are a large and diverse group, they face systemic marginalisation and attitudinal and environmental barriers, and their voices have often been marginalised or silenced, leading to a lack of progress in addressing their needs.
The third manifesto on the rights of women and girls with disabilities serves as a testament to their active participation in decision-making processes, ensuring that their needs are acknowledged and addressed. It lays the foundation for their demands and fundamental needs to be addressed to promote equality and non-discrimination in the European Union and in its Member States.
4 main ideas of the manifesto
- Political participation – the right to vote and the right to stand as candidates in European elections, regardless of legal capacity status, and EU country of residence. This must be ensured by implementing accessibility features, reasonable accommodation, eliminating violence against women in elections, including harassment, and awareness-raising within society. Women with disabilities should have the proper and necessary support to run as candidates and be politicians at all levels.
- End violence against women and criminalise practising forced sterilisation and forced abortion against women and girls with disabilities in all European countries. Women and girls with disabilities are still at a higher risk of violence, including human trafficking, during humanitarian crises, and the effects of natural disasters and climate change.
- Leadership – women and girls with disabilities can lead their lives as independent persons, benefit from their rights in society and make their own decisions. Women with disabilities are key actors not only in their own lives but also in society.
- Visibility and empowerment in all areas of life (access to justice, legal capacity, education, healthcare, labour market, reproductive rights…) – equal opportunities and inclusion. Included in society without discrimination based on disability, gender or other additional factors.
The demands
Women and girls with disabilities in all their diversity are calling the European Union and the governments for:
- Their full participation as voters and as candidates for all elections – including for the European Parliament, and at national and local levels.
- Meaningful inclusion and leadership in decision-making, including by enhancing accessibility measures for the participation of women and girls with disabilities in all issues.
- Increased visibility and awareness of and for women and girls with disabilities. The rights of women and girls with disabilities should be mainstreamed and visible in the work of the European Union and across Europe.
- Concrete targeted actions to reduce the poverty level faced by them, including through equal employment and pay measures, and ensuring the amount of disability allowances received by women and girls with disabilities are kept regardless of employment status or the financial means of their partners and families.
- Adoption of the EU Directive on combating violence against women and the end of forced sterilisation of women and girls with disabilities across Europe
- Funding of organisations and projects that support the empowerment, leadership and improvement of rights of women and girls with disabilities.
Read the complete manifesto
- (Word document) – Third manifesto on the rights of women and girls with disabilities
- (PDF document) – Third manifesto on the rights of women and girls with disabilities
Translated versions of the manifesto
- (French – Word document) – Third manifesto on the rights of women and girls with disabilities
- (German Word document) – Third manifesto on the rights of women and girls with disabilities
- (Greek – Word document) – Third manifesto on the rights of women and girls with disabilities
- (Italian – Word document) – Third manifesto on the rights of women and girls with disabilities
- (Portuguese – Word document) – Third manifesto on the rights of women and girls with disabilities
- (Romanian – Word document) – Third manifesto on the rights of women and girls with disabilities
Summary of the manifesto
- Summary Third manifesto on the rights of womenand girls with disabilities (Word document)
- Printable version non-accessible PDF: – Third EDF Manifesto on the Rights of Women and Girls with Disabilities
The manifesto in Easy-to-Read
- (Easy to Read version – PDF document) – Third manifesto on the rights of women and girls with disabilities
- (Easy to Read version – Word document) – Third manifesto on the rights of women and girls with disabilities
Translated Easy-to-Read versions
- (Italian – Easy to Read version – Word document) – Third manifesto on the rights of women and girls with disabilities
- (Portuguese – Easy to Read version – Word document) – Third manifesto on the rights of women and girls with disabilities
Some data
(PDF infographic) Survey on women and girls with disabilities in Europe
(Word infographic) Survey on women and girls with disabilities in Europe