conference | programme | overview | presentations | declaration | links
"The EDF EP Election Manifesto: the future of women with disabilities in Europe" How to make discrimination of persons with disabilities, a history in Europe!
By Kicki Nordström
EBU representative of EDF Women’s Committee
Thanks for inviting me to this key conference and for letting me talk about
women with disabilities. This subject is close to my heart since decades
back.
My name is Kicki Nordström and I am representing the European Disability
Forum Women’s Committee on behalf of EBU. Thanks EBU for this trust in me!
The European Disability Forum (EDF) is the representative umbrella
organization of approximately 50 million EU citizens with disabilities, of
which 52% are women. EDF has an observer status within the Council of
Europe.
EDF is working to ensure full inclusion of women and girls, boys and men
with disabilities in society.
We, the citizens with disabilities of Europe, women and men, boys and girls,
wish to participate in the construction of a European Union for all!
EU should be a role model for Human Rights practice in the world and other
states should look to EU states for guidance and support on how to exercise
Human Rights in practise.
EU and member states need to obtain true participation, inclusion and
equality on all levels, in order to ensure respect for the human, civil,
political, economic, social and cultural rights as persons with
disabilities.
We PWD also represent a diversity of the population as such and can face
discrimination not only on the basis of disability.
We also face the same discrimination as others on the ground of ethnicity,
religion, sexual orientation, age, and of course, gender, besides
disability.
In the Manifesto of EDF which address the European Parliament, with the
title: “the future of women with disabilities in Europe” it states:
“Men and women, boys and girls with disabilities, call on EU decision making
structures to recognise and protect our needs and rights to be included and
considered in all matters concerning citizens rights and obligations,
including the following:
1. The right to equal access for voting and participation in electoral issues in accordance with Article 1, 3 and 29 in the CRPD.
2. An European Parliament for All, that also represents and counts in persons with disabilities, as stated in Article 19 and 29 in CRPD.
3. A swift ratification and the implementation of the UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities (CRPD) and what is stated in its Article 43.
4. Comprehensive Pact, setting disability objectives as a target at EU level, including a firm gender perspective, as stated in Article 4 and 33 CRPD.
5. The right to participate in the EU decision-making process and to mainstream disability rights across all areas of EU, into national laws, legislations and policies, taking into account the gender perspective in all decision making processes. (Article 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 14 and 16 of CRPD).
6. The right to equal access and opportunities in education for all, in accordance with Article 24 and 26 in CRPD.
7. The right to equal treatment in employment, including vocational training, in accordance with Article 24, 26 and 27 of CRPD.
8. The right to social protection, social security and a decent income, in accordance with Article 18 and 28 in CRPD).
9. The right to live independently in the community and make our own choices in life in accordance with Article 9, 12, and 19 of CRPD.
10. The right to access goods and services, public transports, public buildings, all public services, communication and information technology etc, in accordance with Article 4, 9 and 13 of the CRPD.
It is well known among women with disabilities that the situation for women
and girls with disabilities in Europe is worse in all aspects of life, than
for men and boys with disabilities. Despite that, men and boys as well as
women and girls, are more discriminated against than the rest of the
population in general.
Women and girls have less access to education, including higher education,
than men with disabilities.
Girls with disabilities have higher rates of school dropouts and, as a
consequence, higher illiteracy rates than boys with disabilities.
Women are less likely to obtain a job than men with disabilities, due to
prejudices of what women shall and can do, in particular if she has a
disability.
Women with disabilities have a worse health condition compared to the rest
of the population.
Of course the incomes of women with disabilities are significant lower than
most other groups in the society.
For all those reasons women with disabilities in EU, are poorer, have a
worse social living condition, her flat has a lower standard, and she is
more exposed to violence and abuse and have less money for support service
than men with disabilities.
WWD have less education, less access to job opportunities, live with a more
bad health condition due to the multiple effect of double discrimination,
live under the threat of violence and abuse, experience social gender
exclusion and ignorance.
From this we can draw the conclusion that there is a clear discriminatory
practice on the basis of gender and on disability, exactly what is stated in
Article 6 in the CRPD.
Awareness of the situation of women and girls with disabilities, and the
discrimination women with disabilities face today, should be taught to all
our organizations, politicians, teachers, all pupils and students, parents
and the civil society, at all levels.
This is a long term action but this is the only way to make it possible to
eradicate all kinds of discrimination, including multiple discrimination of
women and girls, in particular women and girls with disabilities.
It is now time for women with disabilities to be counted in, and all efforts
must be taken so as WWD can be able to exercise the Human Rights! WWD will
no longer tolerate to be excluded from any human rights, which is guaranteed
to all persons of human race by all 9 fundamental Human Rights treaties! No
exceptions can be tolerated any longer and no exclusion of WWD from the rest
of the society!
We must also use all other thematic conventions adopted by the EU member
States to teach everyone of the content of Human Rights concepts.
For instance we, WWD, should use the CEDAW (the convention on the
elimination of all forms of discrimination against women).
We must also use the CRC (the rights of the Child), which are useful
thematic conventions for us in our work for full equality and Human rights
for women and girls with disabilities.
We must also use our own convention on the rights of PWD, (CRPD), if not we
will come nowhere.
Another very important issue to address is how WWD and PWD for that matter
are addressed in our daily language!
I just read in a report from a study of WWD in Europe, aimed for experts. In
this study WWD are constantly addressed in third person, like “they, those,
them”, etc.
The same appears in CRPD, we, the stakeholders, are addressed in third
person, as we are of a different kind to the rest of the society!
Another very important subject that must be addressed not only in EU and the
member states, but also within our own organizations, is violence against
women with disabilities!
We know from several reports made in different countries like Canada,
Australia, USA, Sweden and England, that violence against WWD are far more
common than among non-disabled women.
Officials, including our own organizations, must admit that there is a need
to assist battered and abused women with disabilities and make WWD visible
in country reports, plans and programs!
What do decision makers know about WWD and violence? What kind of support
does our own organization provide and what do sheltered homes for battled
women give to WWD?
No excuse for inactivity or lack of resources should be tolerated. A change
in attitude and behavior would not cost much money, but may take a bit of
personal and political will from some decision makers!
It is now time for change!
No rights will be given to us without us demanding them! We must challenge
our government so as they not only adopt new legislations without
implementation, including women and girls with disabilities!
We, women with disabilities, must make sure that our Human Rights are
implemented and we must be the watchdog for our rights!
The main step forward now, towards the realization of a world without
discrimination, a world in peace and freedom for all, is to put an end to
all forms of violence and discrimination of women and in particular of WWD
and GWD!
Women’s and girl’s rights is not negotiable, women’s and girl’s rights are
Human Rights!
Thank you for your attention
Disclaimer: This document has been supported by the European Commission. The
content of this document is the sole responsibility of its publishers and
represents in no way the views of the Commission and its services.