The situation of women with disabilities

Subject: The situation of women with disabilities

Ref.: Exploratory opinion requested by the European Parliament

1.   Procedure

To the members of the
European Economic and Social Committee

Expert/s

An-Sofie Leenknecht (for the rapporteur)

2. Gist of the European Parliament document

There is strong evidence to show that women and girls with disabilities face barriers in most areas of life. These barriers create situations of multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination against women and girls with disabilities, in particular with regard to: equal access to education, economic opportunities, social interaction and justice; equal recognition before the law; and the ability to participate in politics and to exercise control over their own lives across a range of contexts, for example with regard to health care, including sexual and reproductive health services, and to where and with whom they wish to live.

The UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities published in 2016 the General comment No. 3 on women and girls with disabilities.

The EESC opinion would look into the current situation of women with disabilities, in relation to some of the most relevant articles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: awareness-raising, accessibility, equal recognition before the law, access to justice, independent living, education, employment, social protection, health and rehabilitation.

The opinion will serve as input to a Non-Legislative Own-Initiative Report of the European Parliament on the same theme.