From CEDAW to Convention on the rights of From CEDAW to Convention on the rights of persons with disabilitiespersons with disabilities

Disabled women and girls’ rights Disabled women and girls’ rights becoming a realitybecoming a reality

Lydia la Rivière-ZijdelLydia la Rivière-ZijdelInternational Consultant Gender and Disability Chair DCDDInternational Consultant Gender and Disability Chair DCDD

European Conference on Disability & Development CooperationEuropean Conference on Disability & Development Cooperation IDDC 20-21 November 2006, BrusselsIDDC 20-21 November 2006, Brussels

L. la Rivière-Zijdel IDDC Nov 2006L. la Rivière-Zijdel IDDC Nov 2006

Disabled women and girls and UN Disabled women and girls and UN ConventionsConventions

• Universal Declaration of the Human Rights (1948)

• Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons (1975)

• Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities van (1993)

• Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women CEDAW (1979)

• Convention on the Rights of the Child (1990)

• Beijing Platform for Action (1995)

L. la Rivière-Zijdel IDDC Nov 2006L. la Rivière-Zijdel IDDC Nov 2006

DP in Developing countriesDP in Developing countries• > 600 million disabled

people world-wide• In developing countries:

– 70% of the adults – 87% of the children

• Estimations disabled women– 53% in industrial

countries– 58 to 63% in developing

countries

L. la Rivière-Zijdel IDDC Nov 2006L. la Rivière-Zijdel IDDC Nov 2006

From Cedaw to CRPwDFrom Cedaw to CRPwD

CEDAW: • For all women!?• Is anti-discrimination

convention

Beijing Platform for Action• First mentioning of disabled

women/girls

Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities

• Milestone for women and girls on of August 25th, 2006

1979

2006

L. la Rivière-Zijdel IDDC Nov 2006L. la Rivière-Zijdel IDDC Nov 2006

CEDAW (im-) possibilitiesCEDAW (im-) possibilities

• 1979 No mentioning of disabled women/girls

• 1991 Gen. recommendation nr. 19:after 60 periodic (annual) reports: – recommendation to state parties to

include disabled women in reports– special measures on right to

education, employment, health services and social security, and participation in all areas of social and cultural life.

• 1992 Recommendation on violence – Includes mentioning disabled women

• 2004 Gen. recommendation nr. 25– Art. 12 refers to disability and multiple

discrimination

L. la Rivière-Zijdel IDDC Nov 2006L. la Rivière-Zijdel IDDC Nov 2006

Beijing Platform for ActionBeijing Platform for Action

• 1995 200 disabled women present in Beijing– from 25 countries– 1st time to attend a women’s

mainstream conference– mentioning of disability in art

32• 2000 1st review

– reference to disabled women• 65 disabled women from 31

countries present

• 2005 2nd review– no reference to disabled

women

L. la Rivière-Zijdel IDDC Nov 2006L. la Rivière-Zijdel IDDC Nov 2006

Convention Rights of ChildConvention Rights of Child

• 1990 Mentioning in Art 2– disability and sex– in relation to discrimination

• Art 23– 4 articles referring to

disabled children– no specific mentioning of

disabled girls – no link between sex and

disability• In entire text no mentioning

of gender

L. la Rivière-Zijdel IDDC Nov 2006L. la Rivière-Zijdel IDDC Nov 2006

Process to include womenProcess to include women

• Convincing – Disability organisations– Government delegates

• EU member states tough opponents– Especially female delegates

• Fear for loosing out on CEDAW

• Gender = what works for women works for men too!

• Twin-track approach!

L. la Rivière-Zijdel IDDC Nov 2006L. la Rivière-Zijdel IDDC Nov 2006

UN Convention RPwDUN Convention RPwD

The most important for disabled women and girls

Art 6 Women with Disabilities– Legal base for women’s rights

Other mentioning

• Preamble (q)– recognition of violence

• Art 3 General principles– equality between men and women

• Art 16 Freedom from exploitation, violence and abuse

– women specific legislation– (not all demands met!)

• Art 28 Adequate standard of living and social protection

– social protection programmes and poverty reduction programmes

L. la Rivière-Zijdel IDDC Nov 2006L. la Rivière-Zijdel IDDC Nov 2006

Women and girls within the ConventionWomen and girls within the Convention

Mentioning of gender in:• Preamble (s):

– gender perspective in promoting rights• Art 16 Violence

– all forms of exploitation, violence and abuse, including their gender based aspects

– gender and age-sensitive assistance and support

– protection services, gender sensitive– recovery and reintegration: gender

specific needs Mentioning of gender in:• Art 25 Health

– health services, incl. health-related rehabilitation gender-sensitive

• Provide sexual and reproductive health programs

• Art 25 Employment– Protection from harassment

• Art 34 Committee on the rights of PwD– balanced gender representation

L. la Rivière-Zijdel IDDC Nov 2006L. la Rivière-Zijdel IDDC Nov 2006

Women and girls within the ConventionWomen and girls within the Convention

Mentioning of sex in:• Preamble (p)

– multiple or aggravated forms of discrimination on the basis

• Art 8 Awareness raising– combat stereotypes, prejudices and

harmful practices incl. based on sex

NOT MENTIONED (within)• Education• Employment• Reproductive Rights• Forced abortion and

sterilisation• International cooperation

L. la Rivière-Zijdel IDDC Nov 2006L. la Rivière-Zijdel IDDC Nov 2006

Convention processConvention process

UN Convention requires Paradigm Shift

• from care/charity to autonomy

• from gender neutral to sex-specific

• from colonialism to self government

=

from medical model to social model

L. la Rivière-Zijdel IDDC Nov 2006L. la Rivière-Zijdel IDDC Nov 2006

I AM AFRAID SO

LYDIA!

DINAH, WE STILL GOT A BIG JOB

TO DO!