This oral statement was broadcasted at the 54th Session of the Human Rights Council Interactive Dialogue on the Special Rapporteur Report on Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Click here to watch the video statement.
Dear Special Rapporteur. Thank you for your extensive well detailed intersectional report on Rights of Persons with Disabilities. I am Smruti Sudha and I am speaking from the Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW) where we agree to all the points mentioned in the report. For marginalised group specifically, we recommend
- Member States pay special attention to women and girls with disabilities living in difficult geographical locations and harsh climatic conditions so that their sexual and reproductive health and rights are made accessible.They live with more vulnerabilities due to the multiple layers of intersecting marginalized identities. While climate change adversely affects the access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, women and girls with disabilities bear the brunt of it in a more adverse manner .
- Women and girls with disabilities to be included in important decision making and policy making spaces related to climate change and sexual and reproductive health and rights thereby adhering to the UNCRPD and Paris Agreement’s resolutions and frameworks of non discrimination and human rights’ obligations.
- Member States to facilitate sustainable inclusive care mechanisms for women with disabilities living in hierarchical arrangements and building their families’ mutual capacities to ensure strong ungendered care ethics especially around the sexual and reproductive health of women with disabilities.