COMMONWEALTH PARLIAMENTARIANS WITH DISABILITIES
ADVANCING WOMEN AND GIRLS WITH DISABILITIES
Hon. Dato’ Dr Noraini Ahmad, MP, Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Chairperson is
a Member of the Federal Parliament of Malaysia and Chair of the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE). The CWP Chairperson was elected for a threeyear term in 2016. Elected to Parliament for the first time in 2008, she has held various Ministerial positions whilst also leading various federal agencies including the Malaysian Network Information Centre, Astronautic Technology, and the Investment Agency for People’s Trust Fund.
In most parts of the world, the number of women with disabilities is likely to be higher than the number of men with disabilities. This is in large part a result of the longer life expectancy of women compared to their male counterparts. The 2011 World Report on Disability highlights that the percentage of women experiencing a disability which causes significant difficulties to their everyday lives is 19.2%, whereas it is 12% for men. Additionally, amongst those experiencing severe difficulties in their everyday lives, the prevalence rates between men and women are 1.4% and 2.7% respectively, a ratio of nearly 1:2. In terms of employment, the World Bank (2011) has further revealed that in 51 countries, only 20% of women with disabilities are employed compared with 53% of men with disabilities and 30% of non-disabled women. These figures indicate that persons with disabilities, and especially women and girls with disabilities, are amongst the most vulnerable and most disadvantaged minorities in our societies. Disability, gender inequality, and discrimination are closely intertwined, however, women
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and girls around the world with disabilities have been invisible both in advocacy for gender equality and disability rights. This has only served to further increase their vulnerability and caused them to be left with multiple impediments to fully realizing their rights. Women and girls with disabilities notably have the potential to face ‘double discrimination’, which may involve social, economic and political marginalization, gender-based violence and exploitation. Consequently, in many parts of the world they often have little to no hope of going to school, getting a job, purchasing and owning their own home and property, raising a family, or exercising their political rights. To empower women and girls with disabilities, effective legal mechanisms to end inequality, discrimination and the violation of rights that threaten them must be strengthened, and their needs must be not only considered but mainstreamed and incorporated into development of policies, plans and strategies for effective implementation in all levels across the Commonwealth. This is in line with the principles of non-discrimination and equality of opportunity as enshrined in
articles 3 (b), 3 (e) and 5 (2) of the Convention on the Rights of Person with Disabilities (CRPD), as well as paragraph II of the Commonwealth Charter, which reaffirms the commitment to “equality and respect for the protection and promotion of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights.” It must be noted, however, that the Commonwealth Charter does not directly mention those with disabilities, instead opposing “all forms of discrimination, whether rooted in gender, race, colour, creed, political belief or other grounds.” Instead it must be assumed that the other grounds cover disability. Similarly, while the word ‘disability’ is only briefly mentioned directly in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), all seventeen goals are pertinent to ensuring the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities. In line with the principle of ‘leaving no one behind’, various goals in the SDGs are related to disability, particularly with regard to: poverty and hunger (Goal 1), health and well-being (Goal 3), quality education (Goal 4), gender equality (Goal 5), economic growth and employment (Goal 8), accessibility of human