36
WOMEN, BUSINESS AND THE LAW 2022
BOX 1.4 HOW CAN LAWS PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES? (continued)
FIGURE B1.4.1 | PRELIMINARY FINDINGS ON THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK RELATED TO WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES Constitution guarantees equal rights for persons with disabilities
71
Constitution recognizes and protects the rights of women with disabilities
0
A law, other than the constitution, addresses the rights of persons with disabilities
138
The law recognizes and protects the rights of women with disabilities
35 0
20
40
60 80 Number of economies
100
120
140
Source: Women, Business and the Law database.
However, some economies do address the needs of women with disabilities. For example, Indonesia’s law recognizes the importance of protecting women with disabilities from violence by providing information services and requiring shelters to be easily accessible. Kuwait’s law affords additional maternity leave benefits to women with disabilities. Moldova requires medical service providers to take “special needs … into account, including gynecological treatment and counselling on family planning and reproductive health” (Article 42 [12]). Overall, preliminary findings confirm, “Laws and policies on disability have historically neglected aspects related to women and girls with disabilities. In turn, laws and policies addressing women have traditionally ignored disability” (Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2016). A gap in knowledge about global good practices is evident in the existing data. To address this gap, Women, Business and the Law collected additional data on the rights of women with disabilities in the areas of employment law, family law, nondiscrimination legislation, and gender-based violence. A publication of the results is planned for the spring of 2022. Source: Women, Business and the Law team.
Notes 1.
Through a meta-analysis, Chmielewska et al. (2021) confirm that maternal and fetal health outcomes have worsened since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis. Tu et al. (2021) document changes in short-term sexual and reproductive health and behaviors, noting the need for further research into the long-term effects.
2.
Lakshmi Ratan et al. (2021) discuss the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on women working in the informal sector.
3.
This research includes Amin and Islam (2015); Htun, Jensenius, and Nelson-Nuñez (2019); Islam, Muzi, and Amin (2019); and Zabalza and Tzannatos (1985). Roy (2019) provides an overview of the evidence linking legal gender equality and women’s economic outcomes.
4.
See the World Bank Entrepreneurship Database, https://www.worldbank.org/en/programs /entrepreneurship/inforgraphics.
5.
Research by Bhalotra, Brulé, and Roy (2020) shows that equalizing inheritance rights between sons and daughters in India increased son preference and female feticide.
