Zeitschrift Behinderung und Dritte Welt

S CHWERPUNKTTHEMAThe Potential and Promise of the CRPD on the Role ofWomen with Disabilities in the Global Move towardsRecognition and InclusionCharlotte McClain-Nhlapo & Laura McDonaldResearch on the experience of women and girls with disabilities is limited, particularly in resource-poor settings.Existing studies to date highlight that girls and women with disabilities are often vulnerable to discrimination, exclusionand violence. Such exclusion is often caused by societal stigmatization linked to their status in society as itrelates to their disability and gender. This double form of discrimination is furthered by limited research and continuedsocio-economic exclusion. Together, their marginalization within the larger community and society, resultsin their limited access to key activities, critical for health, empowerment, development and well-being, includingfor example, access to education, health services and employment. In this article, in addition to providing informationon the marginalization of girls and women with disabilities, the authors underscore the potential of the Conventionon the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) to respond effectively. The CRPD, widely ratified by morethan 71 countries worldwide, has the potential to lead to concrete actions which can play an important role in ensuringthat the rights of girls and women with disabilities are respected, promoted, and protected. The authorsalso provide recommendations for priority action.The Convention on the Rights of Persons withDisabilities (CRPD) which entered into force inMay 2008 codifies, for the first time, the legalobligation and commitment of its states partiesto protecting, promoting and ensure the humanrights of people with disabilities. To date, theCRPD has been ratified by more than 66 countriesworldwide 1 . This legally binding instrumentwill have an impact, in particular, on thelives of women and girls with disabilitiesthroughout the world – who continue to facedouble discrimination as a result of both theirdisability and gender status (Groce 1997). TheCRPD’s specific and concrete provisions addressthe lived experience of women and girls withdisabilities of dual-faceted discrimination whichoperates at both the policy- and communitylevels.Despite the numbers of women and girlswith disabilities worldwide, there is scarce researchto date on their needs compared toother vulnerable groups. And, in particular,there is scant information on the intersectionbetween gender and disability. This is, in part, aresult of limited research on disability in resource-poorsettings (McDonald & Rockhold unpublished).Not a priority to date in the internationalresearch and/or development agenda.One study, to date which attempts to uncoverthe lived experience of people with disabilities 2and, in particular, that of women and girls withdisabilities.International development and humanitarianaid literature, however, in recent years has increasinglyemphasized that people with disabilities,particular women and girls with a disability,are vulnerable to discrimination, exclusionand violence. In terms of women with disabilities,research has found that women withdisabilities are often a highly marginalizedgroup. In many settings, they are disproportionatelypoor, illiterate, socially isolated and underserved,with reduced if any access to publicservices (Hershey 2000). The literacy rate ofpeople with disabilities worldwide highlights thelevel of exclusion experienced by people withdisabilities – reaching as low as 3%. It furtherunderscores the disparity in terms of genderwhere among women with disabilities the literacyrate is even much smaller at an estimated1%. (UNDP 1998).Within the literature, and in emerging discussionand research, various issues which profoundlyaffect the lives of women with disabilitieswhich require action and attention. Theseinclude: sexual and reproductive health, livelihoodactivities, as well as violence, abuse andexploitation. (Brownridge 2006; Becker et al.1997; Hassouneh-Phillips & Curry 2002). Thecentrality of these issues was recently highlightedin the context of a World Bank/GlobalPartnership for Disability & Development(GPDD) led E-Discussion on Women with Disabilitiesin Development which took place fortwo weeks in March 2009 (see summary in thisIssue and the World Bank Disability & Developmentwebsite 3 ).Despite the noted limitation in research, ex-34 Zeitschrift Behinderung und Dritte Welt 3/2009