1GzuFGC

of people with disabilities in their communities.People with disabilities are subjected to degradingprocedures and confinement in institutions, oftenwith high rates of abuse. Activists have alsodirectly challenged the notion of care itself asdisempowering and objectifying of people withdisabilities, especially if it is conceived of as a onewayflow of giving and receiving (see Box 3.11).BOX 3.11Care and the rights of people with disabilitiesResearch and advocacy on care have focused primarily on the rights and needs of caregivers, bothpaid and unpaid. They have highlighted the emotional and financial costs of caring and constructed acomprehensive policy agenda around greater recognition and material support for carers in terms oftime, money and services. 207 The rights and needs of care receivers, in contrast, have received relativelylittle attention in debates around care. 208 The disability movement has forcefully exposed this bias.People with disabilities have broadened the policy agenda on care by identifying themselves as subjects ofrights, not objects of care. 209 Furthermore, they have drawn attention to the fact that people with disabilitiesare often caregivers themselves. 210 In the fight for their human rights, people with disabilities haveemphasized the importance of empowerment, autonomy and self-determination both in their lives and inhow their support needs are met. 211These challenges may seem to pit the rights of caregivers against those of care receivers. In fact, however,both constituencies share common histories, goals and interests. Both have struggled against oppression,inequality and discrimination. Both suffer from a lack of entitlements and social support systems that wouldprotect them against impoverishment and exploitation. 212 While each side has its specific concerns, there isa common agenda to be built around recognition and resources.For example, transformations in the physical and social infrastructure, by providing better and moreaccessible transport options, enhance the autonomy of people with disabilities while at the same timereducing the demands on those who support them. Alliances must be forged between the disability rightsmovement and organized caregivers around common demands for affordable, accessible and adequateservices and infrastructure to work towards ‘a fulfilling life both for the carer and the cared-for’. 213On the other hand, care services can reducethe time constraints faced by those—especiallywomen—who perform the bulk of unpaid care anddomestic work on a day-to-day basis. As such, theyplay a pivotal role in promoting substantive equalityfor women. The availability of care services can helpredress women’s socio-economic disadvantage byenhancing their ability to engage in paid work. Careservices also contribute to the transformation ofgender stereotypes by allowing women to move outof the home and into the public domain. In doing so,they can enable women’s enjoyment of a range ofrights, including the rights to work, education, healthand participation.In order to play these roles, care services mustbe affordable, accessible, of appropriate qualityand respectful of the rights and dignity of bothcaregivers and care receivers. 214 These conditionsare far from being met at present.Early childhood education and careIn most countries care services are still scarce, andwhere they exist their coverage and quality is often171