On 1 March, the European Disability Forum (EDF) gathered high-level representatives, leaders with disabilities and activists to launch its Third Manifesto on the Rights of Women and Girls with Disabilities in Europe.
Moderated by Samaneh Shabani, EDF Women’s Rights Officer, the event started with Catherine Naughton, EDF Executive Director, introducing the manifesto and shedding light on the significant challenges and underrepresentation faced by women with disabilities. “This manifesto aims to ensure women with disabilities involvement in voting and elections and to review progress in advancing their rights.” she remarked. Naughton further delved into the findings of a survey conducted by EDF to gather women’s priorities, stressing the alarming prevalence of violence reported by survey participants.
Empowerment and leadership
Before the first panel, the event featured two keynote speeches.
Victoria Ignat, Programme Analyst on Women in Leadership and Governance at UN Women discussed gender equality, inclusion, and political empowerment for women with disabilities, highlighting efforts and progress in Moldova.
She shared UN Women’s endeavours aimed at strengthening the political leadership of women with disabilities, particularly initiatives targeting voting accessibility barriers. Ignat stressed the crucial role of representation of women with disabilities in decision-making processes and policy implementation.
Following Ignat’s address, Pirkko Mahlamäki, EDF Executive member and Chair of the Women’s Committee, delivered a keynote speech outlining the background of the current manifesto, emphasising its necessity amidst ongoing disparities. “Empowerment and leadership were identified as crucial topics in the manifesto, crucial for achieving equality for women with disabilities”, she affirmed.
She urged attendees to explore the full document for deeper insights and explained the manifesto’s structure, which has 4 sections:
- Key issues,
- Empowerment,
- Leadership, and
- Key recommendations for a brighter future
Fostering the political participation of women with disabilities
The panel discussion on the political empowerment of women with disabilities featured speakers including Aoife Price, Research Associate at the Centre for Disability Law and Policy at the University of Galway, Anna Drabarz from the Polish Disability Forum, Elena Ratoi, Gender Expert, and Lilia Puzderi Cainareanu, Councillor in the local Council of Borogani village (Moldavia).
Aoife Price began by presenting her research findings, emphasising the importance of political involvement for women with disabilities in influencing decisions and challenging biases. She shed light on the challenges encountered by women with disabilities in politics, ranging from the lack financial support to accessibility barriers and violence.
She concluded by sharing real-life experiences from various European countries and underscored the necessity of financial support, strong networks, and the necessity for diverse and intersectional representation in politics to reflect society accurately.
Anna Drabarz focused on the barriers faced by women with disabilities in political participation within Poland. Drabarz outlined two primary obstacles that prevent women with disabilities to be active in the political arena:
- Persistent accessibility issues during elections, including poorly lit and inaccessible polling stations affecting a significant majority of supposedly accessible sites, and
- Legal restrictions that affect the voting rights and participation in groups such as women with psychosocial disabilities.
Drabarz is advocating for clearer legislation and rigorous implementation of accessibility standards, including provisions for facilities like changing places, to address these challenges effectively.
To conclude the panel, Elena Ratoi and Lilia Puzderi Cainareanu shared insights into the efforts, aspirations, and persistent barriers in advancing the political participation of women with disabilities in Moldova. UN Women launched capacity-building initiatives in 2017 and 2019, offering training, mentorship, and awareness campaigns to inspire women with disabilities to contest elections. The successful election of six women with disabilities as local councillors in 2019 prompted additional support programmes to sustain their positions. Lilia Puzderi Cainareanu, a participant in UN Women’s initiative, recounted her journey as a local councillor with a disability.
Both speakers emphasised the importance of integrating women with disabilities into mainstream political training programmes and promoting their leadership roles that results in increased participation in local elections. This inclusion not only fosters social integration but also attracts funding and awareness through documentaries and campaigns, culminating in the successful integration of women with disabilities into the political sphere of Moldova.
Leading the way
After the break, the session shifted focus to sharing personal stories and insights from three leaders with disabilities: Tamara Byrne, member of the EDF Youth Committee; Sara Rocha, vice-chair of EDF Women’s Committee, Board member of the European Council of Autistic People and co-founder and President of Associação Portuguesa Voz do Autista; and Heba Hagrass, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Tamara Byrne, a passionate self-advocate from Ireland, represents the EDF Youth Committee and Inclusion Ireland, championing the rights of persons with intellectual disabilities. Her advocacy spans crucial areas such as education, employment, voting rights, and access to information.
Byrne underscored the importance of autonomy for young women with intellectual disabilities, challenging societal norms that hold back their independence. “Don´t be afraid to speak up when your rights are being taken away. Don’t let anyone take away your decisions” she urged. Byrne encouraged women with disabilities, particularly the younger generation, to assert their rights, gather in supportive networks, and engage with advocacy organizations like the EDF to drive meaningful change.
Sara Rocha, an autistic and partially deaf woman from Portugal living in the UK, founded the first Portuguese self-advocacy organisation for autistic people in the country. She currently works with public health data at Cambridge University and collaborates with the European Disability Forum (EDF) on campaigns to ban forced sterilisation and end violence against women and girls with disabilities.
Rocha highlighted key demands for EU advocacy, including mainstreaming women with disabilities voices, ensuring sexual and reproductive rights, accessible education and support services, and addressing funding disparities. She emphasised the importance of considering women with disabilities at all levels of policy and ensuring their meaningful participation.
To conclude the panel, Heba Hagrass, the recently appointed UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, shared reflections on her advocacy journey and stressed the significance of solidarity and shared goals among disability advocates.
She recounted her contribution to drafting Article 6 on women and girls with disabilities in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, advocating for a comprehensive approach to address various concerns. She also explained her mandate as Special Rapporteur, the importance placed on communication with persons with disabilities, and her interest to work on sustainable development.
Closing remarks
Mary Collins, Secretary General of the European Women’s Lobby (EWL), delivered the closing remarks, reinforcing the collaboration between EWL and EDF. She supported the manifesto and stressed the importance of integrating disability issues into the feminist movement for a comprehensive approach.
Collins highlighted the ongoing challenges such as the incomplete EU Directive on violence against women and the criminalisation of forced sterilisation, as well as issues related to employment and poverty among women with disabilities. She ended by calling for EU ratification of the CEDAW convention
Samaneh Shabani closed the event with a call for sustained efforts to amplify the voices of women with disabilities across all spheres.
Related information
- Third Manifesto on the Rights of Women and Girls with Disabilities (available in Easy-to-Read and in different languages)
- Findings of the survey on women with disabilities in Europe