Investing in Women with Disabilities this International Women’s Day

On March 8th we celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD), a day that has been recognised by the United Nations since 1975 and whose genesis lies in National Women’s Day, first introduced in 1909.

IWD gives us an opportunity to both celebrate the achievements of women thus far, and to advocate for the implementation of even more progressive changes for women all over the world. The theme of this year is ‘Invest in Women,’ and so we must think about how and where we can improve frameworks which ameliorate women’s position and contribute to an equitable society for all.

There are numerous areas to consider when tackling the question of investment. However, as we consider these contexts, we must also be cognisant of the fact that disparities do not only exist between men and women. This is to say that we cannot treat all women as having encountered the same barriers or as having reaped the same benefits from society.

While we have certainly come a long way, there are still so many women across the globe who do not fully enjoy their rights and who do not have access to the same opportunities as other women. Those whose lived experience does not allow them to reach their full potential in a society which is not accommodating of them.

In 1989, Kimberlé Crenshaw, a black woman, coined the term intersectionality to describe this actuality. In an article about the way a black woman in America faced employment discrimination as a woman of colour, Crenshaw illuminated the fact that her identity was a site of both racial and gendered exclusion. The term is used therefore to underscore the multifarious and intersecting forms of exclusion and marginalisation people can face as a result of their identities.

Another group of women who experience this reality are those with disabilities. A UN Committee on the Rights of Women and Girls with Disabilities stated that there are “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.”

There are stark inequalities faced by women with disabilities, meaning they face far more barriers and are at greater risk than women without disabilities. In fact, a woman with a disability faces more barriers to inclusion than even their male counterparts. According to a UN expert group meeting “in Latin America and the Caribbean the prevalence of disability is higher among women than among men, a gap that increases with age” and “the voices of women with disabilities are not always heard or amplified and are sometimes even marginalized within the mainstream disability community.”

Therefore, when we think about investing in women, we must think specifically about investing in women with disabilities so that we can eliminate the intersectional barriers which stymie them and ensure every woman has equal access to opportunities.

For a great number of these women with disability there is another social reality which further challenges their lives and rights; a very significant barrier and one which intersects with and exacerbates women can face as a result of their disabilities. This barrier is poverty, inequality and the inaccessible environments they live in, which prevent them from accessing opportunities. Even those designed for women which are not accessible for women with disabilities.

In developing countries there is a lot of work to be done to guarantee that women and girls with disabilities are not disproportionately affected by poverty.

Poverty affects these women in many different ways. In times of climate change induced disasters where there are inaccessible evacuation procedures in place, it will be the women with disabilities who are not accommodated for or supported that will be put in serious danger. Similarly, in situations of drought, where decreased food production often leads to poverty, these women may not be able to afford the medical bills associated with their disability or may acquire a disability as a direct result of poverty, disease and malnutrition.

Poverty in developing nations poses a serious problem for women and girls with disabilities. In a recent partner visit to Kenya, CBM staff met many individuals and families who faced systemic barriers to inclusion as a result of both poverty, disability and gender.

One young girl met was Charity. Twelve-year-old Charity has Down Syndrome. Her mother Nelius is her caregiver but struggles to both meet her needs and work to provide for the family. She cannot afford to enrol Charity in an integrated private boarding school, one which would better facilitate her and would be an environment where Charity could receive more focused care and thrive. Instead, Charity attends the nearby public primary school, which is inaccessible for her. Unfortunately, Nelius’ economic position hinders her from providing the most suitable care, and as a result, Charity does not have access to resources which would aid her inclusion and allow her to best benefit from her education. Increased funding in inclusive education frameworks in Kenya could for example build capacity for underfunded public schools to hire specific classrooms aids for children with disabilities, allowing Charity to reap the full benefits of her education.

In a story like this it is clear to see exactly how the barriers faced because of disability and poverty combined can lead to a doubly disadvantageous situation for girls with disabilities in developing countries. So, while we may know that it is imperative to invest in women and girls with disabilities, the question remains how exactly?

In reality, there is no easy solution. For deeply imbedded social inequalities to be tackled and eradicated, a holistic approach is necessary. However, there are some key areas within which investment would bring about massive positive change.

One such key area is education. Girls with disabilities are among the most disadvantaged groups when it comes to schooling, and those living in poverty even more so. There are several factors which contribute to this reality. Women Enabled International notes that “There is a direct correlation between poverty, being a child with disabilities and low rates of participation in education. Disabled girls are more likely to grow up in poor families, which places them at an educational disadvantage, and disabled girls living in rural areas also have less access to education” due to the added cost of transport.

The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) posits inclusive education as a right, and therefore deprivation from it should be addressed with urgency. Across all social demographics there are structural inequalities which hinder persons with disabilities’ access to education, however those living in poverty are among the worst affected.

In developed nations, the EPSEN Act in Ireland demonstrates clear and concrete proposals for creating more inclusive education structures that could be replicated elsewhere.

In Developing countries for example, there is a huge gap between frameworks developed and implemented as compared to developing countries. Figures laid out in a report by the United Nations Girls Education Initiative expose the grim reality of the educational obstacles women and girls with disabilities face. 90% of people with a disability in developing countries do not complete full education as opposed to 63% in Ireland (CSO). Furthermore, this report recorded that the literacy rate for women with disabilities is a staggeringly low 1%. Ini terms of schooling, 50.6% of males with disabilities have completed primary school, compared with 41.7% of females.

The reasons for these differences can be because there are additional costs related to accessible and accommodating schooling for children with diverse needs. Gender stereotypes can also contribute to girls being left behind when it comes to education, as men as typically viewed as more desirable breadwinners, therefore, ‘investing’ mainly on the boys and men to prosper and thrive has been the historical trend of the government budgets.

Unfortunately, without primary school education it becomes far more difficult to find employment opportunities. When girls with disabilities are unable to complete their primary education their career prospects are drastically lowered, as is their chance to break the cycle of poverty.

Funding towards inclusive education is therefore imperative for women and girls living with disabilities’ capacity to live with as much agency and freedom in society as possible. There are so many ways to do this. Simply having one classroom aid for children with additional needs in a school would allow a girl with a disability to pursue an education and greatly increase her ability to navigate her life with independence and fulfilment.

CBM’s vision is of an inclusive society in which every individual prospers. To realise this ambition, we must make sure we provide suitable and sustainable supports for the people who are most marginalised. For women with disabilities in developing nations who face gender, poverty, and ableist exclusion the necessity could not be more obvious.

How we invest is a question we must constantly ask, and a pressure we must never cease to place on government bodies and NGOs to answer. At every level, in every country, there must be frameworks and supports in place for inclusive education, the kind that come from very purposeful implementation. These investment strategies must apply a human-rights based approach to ensure that not only are these women accommodated, but that they are also empowered.

Within an inclusive education system, women and girls with disabilities are not only recipients of but also meaningful participants in the education system; capable of affecting change and leading action. Therefore, it mustn’t be that we focus only on how women and girls can benefit from education but also place an emphasis on seeing spaces open up within educating spheres that women with disabilities can inhabit, making true the phrase ‘Nothing About Us Without Us.’

Women and girls with disabilities can no longer be pushed to the margin of womens' and disability activism, and their educational opportunities can no longer be sacrificed, for we cannot claim to be investing in women and girls if we do not invest in them all.

Síofra O'Regan8 March 2024