Going beyond Rhetoric: Addressing intersectionalities to ensure inclusive approach for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs)

Disability – like gender – one of the most universal cross-sectionalities, yet persons with disabilities remain largely excluded. Giving meaning to the Leaving No One Behind Principle would not happen if we cannot address the situation.

 Hence an inclusive and intersectional programming approach is essential to ensuring that no one is left behind. This will require a paradigm shift, where all women and girls with disabilities, in all their diversity and across their life course are included and considered equal partners across the development-humanitarian continuum, and their rights and agency are fully realized. 

 For example, the UN Partnership to Promote the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD) supports joint UN initiatives at all levels to implement the Convention, including 38 UNCTs (approximately one third) that have already benefited. In the last cycle, UN Women supported proposals were successful leveraging UNCT partnership looking at challenges faced by women with disabilities. These and all other successful proposals will be implemented in 2018-19.

 In 2017 UN Women supported initiatives and projects for the empowerment of women and girls with disabilities in close to 30 countries. For example, In India, UN Women supported analysis through GRB of key policies and plans impacting women and girls with disabilities and tribal women and girls. In Kenya, for the 2017 election, UN Women in partnership with UNDP, supported replication of the Women Situation Room as a strategy that promotes social inclusion, and design of tools taking into consideration the needs of women with disabilities. In the Occupied Palestinian Territory, UN Women supported counselling, legal services, psychosocial services to enhance the capacity of women and girls with disabilities to advocate for gender equality in humanitarian context, and ensuring that their needs are met in times of crisis. In Serbia, UN Women support CSOs in provision of services to women and girls’ victims of violence, with a special focus on women with disabilities. In Fiji, UN Women supported the Nausori Town Council to improve in local markets safety and accessibility for persons with disabilities. This is not an exhaustive list.

 The above-mentioned examples tells you about the need for adopting both mainstreaming approach and targeted action. It also highlights the need for doing more with both ‘less’ and, ‘more’.

 Hence, UN Women’s forthcoming corporate strategy on gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls with disabilities, which consists of:

o  mainstreaming gender, and the rights of persons with disabilities, in all initiatives,

o  Targeted action to ensure their inclusion and participation.

o  An inclusive approach which will promote accessibility, innovation for ensuring both voice and agency of the PWDs.

 While as a System we have made some modest progress, it remains uneven within and across entities. We see better results where there has been leadership from the highest level, accompanied by funding and accountability mechanisms. Accessibility and reasonable accommodation, including ad hoc funding processes, remain major challenges for the full and effective participation of persons with disabilities at all levels, including as personnel, participants in meetings and programmes.

 But when we work together with various stakeholders toward a common goal, we have seen results. We have the unique opportunity to effectively mainstream the rights of persons with disabilities in all their diversity in all aspects of life and at all levels, so that no one is left behind. We must lead by example to demonstrate our own internal commitment and willingness to do more.

 We do not have to try to lead always. Our capacity and knowledge is limited. We can connect, facilitate and support others so that they can do better, reach out better.