In a position paper published on Wednesday 12 February, the European Disability Forum (EDF) set out to challenge the stereotypes of women with disabilities.
These women, who make up 29.2% of the female population in the EU, suffer discrimination as a result of these preconceived ideas, and this affects every aspect of their lives. Access to security, justice, healthcare, sexual and reproductive rights, education, employment and independent living are just some of the rights that are impeded.
Their exclusion is compounded by greater vulnerability to violence.
Faced with these issues, EDF has put forward a series of recommendations, including greater inclusion in the decision-making process, more awareness-raising and training - particularly for professionals - on these subjects, intersectoral collaboration, greater inclusiveness both in sexual and reproductive health services and in the professional world, greater legal protection and the promotion of independent living.
Finally, the Forum states that “comprehensive, high-quality statistical data is essential” to assess this discrimination.
The document: https://aeur.eu/f/fit (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)