THE SITUATION AND RIGHTS OF WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES Valérie Van Hees |Coordinator SIHO | European Parliament 10.10..2017

The Situation and Rights of Women with Disabilities OUTLINE Support Center Inclusion Higher Education The Situation and Rights of Women with Disabilities Implications and recommendations The Situation and Rights of Women with Disabilities www.siho.be

The Situation and Rights of Women with Disabilities 1 | Support Center Inclusion Higher Education (SIHO) Overarching support service for institutions for higher education in Flanders Focusing on enhancing the participation of students with a disability in Flemish higher education Creates a bridge between policymakers and educational institutions. SIHO is proactively involved in policy changes and development Enhances the social perception of the general public on disability The Situation and Rights of Women with Disabilities www.siho.be

The Situation and Rights of Women with Disabilities Women with disabilities form around 16% of the total population of women in Europe Prevalence of men with disabilities in the population of men in Europe is similar The proportion of women within each country reporting a disability varies widely, from 6.3% in Italy to 33.6% in Finland The Situation and Rights of Women with Disabilities www.siho.be

The Situation and Rights of Women with Disabilities Article 6 of UN-Convention on Persons with Disabilities specifically refers to measures for women and girls with disabilities States Parties recognize that women and girls with disabilities are subject to multiple grounds of discrimination, and in this regard it shall take measures to ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure the full development, advancement and empowerment of women, for the purpose of guaranteeing them the exercise and enjoyment of the human rights and fundamental freedoms set out in the present Convention. The Situation and Rights of Women with Disabilities www.siho.be

The Situation and Rights of Women with Disabilities Commitment at EU level strengthens the rights of women with disabilities across a range of policy fields The EU Directive 2000/78/EC prohibits discrimination and makes reasonable adjustments regarding the area of work and employment Most states have gone beyond this scope, and offer similar protection against discrimination in other EU domains, including education The Situation and Rights of Women with Disabilities www.siho.be

The Situation and Rights of Women with Disabilities Women with disabilities face issues in the domain of: Employment Education and training Home and family Abuse and violence Democratic processess and decision making Recreational activities The Situation and Rights of Women with Disabilities www.siho.be

The Situation and Rights of Women with Disabilities Employment Women with disabilities face a double disadvantage in the workplace based on both their gender and their disability status Disability is the most important issue shaping access to work. Gender tends to have a multiplier effect Other factors are also important, e.g., countries where employment in general is low The Situation and Rights of Women with Disabilities www.siho.be

The Situation and Rights of Women with Disabilities Education A significant disability disadvantage in education and training with rates of participation and attainment in education for persons with disabilities significantly lower than for persons without disabilities The gender effect is more modest in this domain Importance register and monitoring at different levels The Situation and Rights of Women with Disabilities www.siho.be

The Situation and Rights of Women with Disabilities Education A significant disability disadvantage in education and training with rates of participation and attainment The gender effect is more modest in this domain Importance register and monitoring at different levels The Situation and Rights of Women with Disabilities www.siho.be

The Situation and Rights of Women with Disabilities Example of one Flemish University College The Situation and Rights of Women with Disabilities www.siho.be

The Situation and Rights of Women with Disabilities Example of one Flemish University College p<.001 n.s. The Situation and Rights of Women with Disabilities www.siho.be

The Situation and Rights of Women with Disabilities Home and family Intersectionality is strong in the area of home and family Issues: the right to marry and form a family, decide freely on the number and spacing of their children, have access to family planning information and retain their fertility on an equal basis with others The Situation and Rights of Women with Disabilities www.siho.be

The Situation and Rights of Women with Disabilities Abuse and Violence Women with disabilities are at greater risk of being abused than other people. National legislation lacks a strong focus on disability Access to health services and social protection Gender and disability issues in health and social services are not covered by the same legislation Social protection systems do not typically recognize gender The Situation and Rights of Women with Disabilities www.siho.be

The Situation and Rights of Women with Disabilities Democratic processes and decision making Women with disabilities remain under-represented in democratic processes and decision-making more generally Recreational activities Women with disabilities are also under-represented in recreational activities, culture and sport The Situation and Rights of Women with Disabilities www.siho.be

The Situation and Rights of Women with Disabilities 3 | Implications and recommendations Disability has consistent and severe impact on the lives of both men and women The negative impact of disability is unevenly spread between the genders An intersectional perspective is very important The Situation and Rights of Women with Disabilities www.siho.be

The Situation and Rights of Women with Disabilities 3 | Implications and recommendations The right on intersectionality is insufficiently provided in the law Awareness of the cumulative impacts of social disadvantages is essential Action in the domain of education and employment with an intersectional perspective is essential and urgent The Situation and Rights of Women with Disabilities www.siho.be

Contact: Valerie.vanhees@siho.be www.siho.be