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Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities 2017, para. 36
- Paragraph text
- Girls and young women with disabilities also encounter significant challenges when attempting to access justice, prevention mechanisms and response services for sexual and gender-based violence. Sexual assault is often underreported, and even more so when the individual has a disability. Girls and young women with disabilities face numerous challenges when reporting abuses, such as the risk of being removed from their homes and institutionalized; stigmatization; fears with regard to single parenthood or losing child custody; the absence or inaccessibility of violence prevention programmes and facilities; the fear of the loss of assistive devices and other supports; and the fear of retaliation and further violence by those on whom they are both emotionally and financially dependent (see A/67/227, para. 59). In addition, when, as survivors of sexual violence, they report the abuse or seek assistance or protection from judicial or law enforcement officials, teachers, health professionals, social workers or others, their testimony, especially that of girls and women with intellectual disabilities, is generally not considered credible, and they are therefore disregarded as competent witnesses, resulting in perpetrators avoiding prosecution.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Families
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities 2017, para. 23
- Paragraph text
- Many girls and young women with disabilities do not have access to information and education about sexual and reproductive health and rights and related services. Several studies found that youth with disabilities, especially girls and young women with intellectual disabilities, have low levels of sexuality education and sexual and reproductive health and rights knowledge, including information with regard to the prevention and transmission of HIV. The lack of inclusive education prevents girls and young women with disabilities from accessing comprehensive sexuality education, as those programmes are usually not available in special education settings. In addition, comprehensive sexuality education is not always delivered in accessible formats and alternative languages, and very often it does not address disability-specific needs. Stigma and stereotypes about female sexuality can also lead to the exclusion of girls and young women with disabilities from existing comprehensive sexuality education programmes by their parents, guardians and teachers. There is a general lack of guidance for families and teachers on how to talk about sexuality and equality with girls and young women with disabilities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities 2017, para. 32
- Paragraph text
- There is a worrisome and growing number of cases of surgical procedures and hormonal treatments intended to inhibit the growth of girls and young women with severe impairments. Hysterectomy, for example, is regarded as an effective way to avoid menstruation management,42 and it is justified on the discriminatory presumption that girls and young women with disabilities cannot handle the pain, discomfort and trauma of menstruation — an argument not applicable to girls and women without disabilities. Oestrogen treatment is also being increasingly administered for “growth-attenuation therapy”, aiming to inhibit girls’ entry into puberty and reduce their final height and weight in order to facilitate care. Those practices constitute gross human rights violations that go well beyond patronizing and infantilizing; they prioritize the interests of caregivers to the detriment and denial of a person’s dignity and integrity. As the Committee on the Rights of the Child has emphasized, the interpretation of a child’s best interests cannot be used to justify practices that conflict with the child’s human dignity and right to physical integrity. Stunting a girl’s growth does not represent, by any means, an appropriate response to the lack of support that families may encounter in providing assistance to their girls with disabilities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities 2017, para. 19
- Paragraph text
- Stereotypes based on gender and disability often lead to structural or systemic discrimination against women with disabilities, in particular when exercising their sexual and reproductive health and rights. Stigma and misconceptions about disability and sexuality can have a profound negative impact on their lives and can lead to their disempowerment and infantilization. The nature of the prejudice experienced affects their self-esteem, making them feel insecure and socially isolated. Girls and young women with disabilities are neither seen to be in need of information about their sexual and reproductive health and rights and available services, nor seen as competent to make decisions about their sexual and reproductive lives. Moreover, as many girls and young women with more severe impairments live at home or in institutions, often completely dependent on or controlled by others, they are denied the full exercise of their autonomy and privacy, whether that is intentional or not. Consequently, many girls and young women with disabilities lack the basic knowledge and support required to protect themselves from sexual abuse, unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, and are not equipped to make informed decisions about their own bodies, health and lives.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities 2017, para. 8
- Paragraph text
- Furthermore, girls and young women with disabilities are, almost without exception, prevented from making autonomous decisions with regard to their reproductive and sexual health, which can result in highly discriminatory and harmful practices, as discussed in section III below. Many of those practices occur in institutions, as girls and young women with disabilities are more likely to be institutionalized.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities 2017, para. 53
- Paragraph text
- States must recognize the existing layers of identities within the disability community in order to adequately address the inequalities and intersectional discrimination experienced by girls and young women with disabilities. States should consider developing and implementing policies and practices targeting the most marginalized groups of girls and young women with disabilities (e.g., those with multiple or severe impairments and deaf-blind girls and young women) in order to accelerate or achieve de facto equality.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities 2017, para. 47
- Paragraph text
- States must ensure effective access to justice for girls and young women with disabilities who experience sexual and other forms of violence. Access to effective and accessible judicial and other appropriate remedies is critical to combating all forms of exploitation, violence or abuse against girls and young women with disabilities in the public and private spheres. States must eliminate all restrictions preventing girls and young women with disabilities from accessing justice, including restrictive rules on legal standing on the basis of age and disability.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities 2017, para. 26
- Paragraph text
- Girls and young women with disabilities face unique challenges with regard to the management of menstrual hygiene. The absence of appropriate sanitation facilities in schools, including separate, accessible and sheltered toilets, in addition to the lack of education, resources and support for menstrual hygiene, compromise their ability to properly manage their hygiene and make them especially prone to diseases. Consequently, many girls and young women with disabilities stay at home or are sent to special schools, reinforcing their exclusion from comprehensive sexuality education.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Water & Sanitation
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities 2017, para. 38
- Paragraph text
- States can take a number of measures to improve sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities, including by reviewing their legal and policy frameworks; taking concrete measures in the areas of education and information, access to justice, accessibility, non-discrimination and participation; and by allocating specific budgets for their implementation.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities 2017, para. 59
- Paragraph text
- The Sustainable Development Goals, which contain specific targets and references to sexual and reproductive health and rights and to persons with disabilities, constitute an excellent opportunity to achieve a coordinated engagement of international donors to advance the sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities. According to article 32, paragraph 1 (a), of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, international donors must ensure that all international cooperation, including international development programmes in the area of sexual and reproductive health and rights, is inclusive of and fully accessible to persons with disabilities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities 2017, para. 58
- Paragraph text
- States have an obligation to take immediate steps to the maximum of their available resources, including those made available through international cooperation, to ensure that girls and young women with disabilities can fully exercise their sexual and reproductive rights and access quality sexual and reproductive health services. Government plans and budgets must incorporate sexual and reproductive health and rights policies and strategies and consider the particular needs of girls and young women with disabilities. Participatory budgeting processes and earmarked funds can help expand the allocation of public funds in that area. States should regularly monitor whether or not the resources available were used to progressively achieve the full realization of the sexual and reproductive health rights of girls and young women with disabilities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities 2017, para. 57
- Paragraph text
- The Sustainable Development Goals, which call for a significant increase in the availability of high-quality, timely and reliable data disaggregated by, inter alia, gender, age and disability (Goal 17), represent a unique opportunity to collect better data related to the sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities. The short set of six questions on disability formulated by the Washington Group on Disability Statistics provides a well-tested method for disability data disaggregation in national censuses and surveys, including household and demographic and health surveys. In addition, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Washington Group on Disability Statistics have developed a module on child functioning, which covers children between the ages of 2 and 17 that can be incorporated into existing data collection efforts. The module is included in the current round of the UNICEF-supported multiple indicator cluster survey that will be implemented in more than 35 low- and middle-income countries during the next three years.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities 2017, para. 56
- Paragraph text
- States must collect appropriate information, including statistical and research data, to formulate and implement disability-inclusive sexual and reproductive health and rights policies and programmes and monitor and evaluate progress in promoting and protecting the rights of girls and young women with disabilities. The lack of reliable and comparable statistical data on sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities is alarming, particularly in middle- and low-income countries. Academic literature on the sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls with disabilities is also scant and tends to focus on self-reported experiences and challenges rather than on positive interventions. In this regard, the Special Rapporteur welcomes the upcoming United Nations Population Fund global study on the sexual and reproductive health and rights of young people with disabilities, which will also cover gender-based violence.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities 2017, para. 55
- Paragraph text
- States should be aware that the views of girls and young women with disabilities might collide with those of their families and caregivers. While organizations of parents of children with disabilities are instrumental in promoting and securing the autonomy and active participation of their children, States must always take into consideration the will and preferences of children with disabilities (see A/HRC/31/62, para. 36). Similarly, mainstream organizations of persons with disabilities might have different views from those of children with disabilities, therefore it is important to consult and engage directly with girls and adolescents with disabilities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities 2017, para. 54
- Paragraph text
- States must consult and involve children with disabilities, including girls and adolescents, in the implementation of sexual and reproductive health and rights as provided by articles 4, paragraph 3, and 7 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It is crucial that girls and young women with disabilities be consulted, as they are the experts on their own lives. Girls and young women with disabilities, even the youngest, have the right to participate in policymaking, so they must be provided with disability- and age-appropriate support. Plan International has developed guidelines for consulting with children and young people with disabilities that contain practical suggestions on the matter.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities 2017, para. 52
- Paragraph text
- States have an obligation to provide access to sexual and reproductive health and rights services to all girls and young women with disabilities without discrimination. States must therefore eliminate discrimination against girls and young women with disabilities in law, policy and practice; ensure child- and gender-sensitive policies and programmes; and prohibit all forms of discrimination in the provision of those services. Moreover, States need to take measures to provide disability- and age-appropriate support and reasonable accommodation to girls and young women with disabilities so that they can access and enjoy those services and facilities on an equal basis with others.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities 2017, para. 50
- Paragraph text
- States must ensure the full accessibility of all sexual and reproductive health and rights information and services. All public and private facilities and services open or provided to the public, including gynaecological and obstetric services, must take into account all aspects of accessibility for women with disabilities, including accessibility with regard to infrastructure, equipment and information and communications. Transport to reach those services must be accessible, as otherwise girls and young women with disabilities will continue to be obstructed from enjoying and exercising their sexual and reproductive health rights in practice.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities 2017, para. 49
- Paragraph text
- States have an obligation to prevent, investigate, prosecute and try all acts of violence, including sexual violence, and to protect the rights and interests of the victims. National human rights institutions and civil society organizations can play a key role in carrying out inquiries and investigations on exploitation, violence or abuse against girls and young women with disabilities, and in assisting all women with disabilities in accessing legal remedies. For instance, the National Union of Women with Disabilities of Uganda trained 32 women with disabilities as paralegals with knowledge about the rights of women and girls with disabilities related to sexual and reproductive health and rights and gender-based violence. The paralegals offer peer-to-peer support with regard to reporting violations and conducting the necessary follow-up to ensure justice is achieved. States should consider reparations and redress mechanisms for girls and young women with disabilities who have been subjected to harmful practices, such as forced sterilization and forced abortion, particularly within institutions (see CEDAW/C/JPN/CO/7-8, paras. 24-25).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities 2017, para. 48
- Paragraph text
- States need to take all appropriate legislative, administrative and other measures necessary to ensure the provision of procedural and age-appropriate accommodations for girls and young women with disabilities, which is essential to enabling their effective direct and indirect participation, including as witnesses, in all legal proceedings, from investigative and other preliminary stages to court hearings. All protection services must be age-, gender- and disability-sensitive. For instance, the Kenya Association for the Intellectually Handicapped provides training to law enforcement officials, health personnel and service providers on the provision of reasonable and procedural accommodations to persons with intellectual disabilities and on respect for their personal autonomy.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities 2017, para. 46
- Paragraph text
- States must provide information and assistance to families of girls and young women with disabilities in relation to sexual and reproductive health and rights. Families may need assistance in understanding their child’s sexuality, ways to support their sexual and reproductive health needs and ways to avoid, recognize and report instances of sexual exploitation, violence and abuse. Studies have shown that training can change the attitudes of parents towards the sexuality of their children with disabilities and improve their confidence in talking to them about sexuality. Parents and family members need guidance on understanding the importance of sexuality education and respecting their children’s right to express their views freely, which will help them overcome fears about the risk of sexual exploitation and abuse of girls and young women with disabilities. Families should be involved not just as recipients of training but as participants of awareness-raising initiatives to modify their own attitudes and practices in relation to their children with disabilities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities 2017, para. 45
- Paragraph text
- States should train health-care personnel, teachers, community workers and other public officials on the sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities. All primary health-care workers dealing with sexual and reproductive health, particularly in rural and remote areas, must be adequately trained, prepared and supported in their work. For example, in Guwahati, India, a team of service providers was trained to provide support to young persons with disabilities with regard to accessing sexual and reproductive health and rights information and services and identifying sexually abusive behaviours. The adoption of technical guidelines on how to provide adequate sexual and reproductive health and rights information and services to girls and young women with disabilities is recommended. In Uruguay, for example, the government developed a guide on sexual and reproductive health and rights of persons with disabilities that has been distributed to all health centres across the country.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities 2017, para. 44
- Paragraph text
- States need to provide comprehensive and non-discriminatory sexuality education to girls and young women with disabilities, both within and outside school (see A/65/162, paras. 62 and 87). It should include information about self-esteem and healthy relationships; sexual and reproductive health, contraception and sexually transmitted diseases; the prevention of sexual and other forms of exploitation, violence and abuse; stigma and prejudices against persons with disabilities; gender roles; and human rights. Indeed, sexuality education has been found to be effective in improving the sexual knowledge and skills of youth with disabilities, and in reducing sexual violence against them. States must ensure that their sexuality education programmes are inclusive of girls and young women with disabilities and their specific needs, and that they are made available in accessible and alternative communication formats. Peer-education programmes are effective ways to enhance knowledge and skills with regard to the sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities 2017, para. 42
- Paragraph text
- Sexual and reproductive health care must be provided for free or at an affordable cost to all girls and young women with disabilities, including access to products and medicines. Universal health coverage can increase their access to quality sexual and reproductive health care. Social protection systems also help to address the additional costs that girls and young women with disabilities face when accessing sexual and reproductive health care, and to facilitate support services for those who might need it (see A/70/297, paras. 4-9, and A/HRC/34/58, para. 68). States must also ensure that girls and young women with disabilities benefit from the same range and quality of sexual and reproductive health services and programmes as other women and girls.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities 2017, para. 41
- Paragraph text
- The rights of and needs of girls and young women with disabilities must be mainstreamed and addressed by States in all policies and programmes on sexual and reproductive health and rights. Many States have a range of policies and strategies that specifically address both the rights of persons with disabilities and sexual and reproductive health and rights, but those are usually disconnected and do not include a child, youth or gender perspective. Moreover, where policies and strategies identify persons with disabilities as key vulnerable groups, there is generally little focus on the specific challenges faced by girls and young women with disabilities. States must ensure that their health-care systems and services meet the specific sexual and reproductive health needs of adolescents with disabilities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities 2017, para. 40
- Paragraph text
- States must immediately repeal all legislation and regulatory provisions that allow the administration of contraceptives to and the performance of abortion, sterilization or other surgical procedures on girls and young women with disabilities without their free and informed consent, and/or when decided by a third party. Furthermore, States should consider adopting protocols to regulate and request the free and informed consent of girls and young women with disabilities with regard to all medical procedures. Colombia, for example, recently adopted regulations for the delivery of sexual and reproductive health services to persons with disabilities, which include references to the provision of reasonable accommodation and support in decision-making. Laws permitting substituted decision-making and involuntary treatment of persons with disabilities must also be revoked.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities 2017, para. 39
- Paragraph text
- States must ensure a supportive legislative and regulatory framework for the sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities. Existing general laws and regulations that restrict the free access of girls and women to sexual and reproductive health services, including by requiring spousal or parental consent or setting a minimum age, should be amended to facilitate universal and equitable access to sexual and reproductive health information and services. Narrow definitions of sexual violence, including sexual assault and rape, should be reviewed to include all forms of violence experienced by girls and young women with disabilities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities 2017, para. 37
- Paragraph text
- Physical and communication barriers in the justice system hinder access to justice by girls and young women with disabilities and their ability to seek and obtain redress. The barriers include lack of accessibility and reasonable and procedural accommodations, such as sign language interpretation, alternative forms of communication and support services that are age- and gender-sensitive. For example, the lack of provision of sign language interpretation can significantly limit the chances of success of deaf applicants. Moreover, owing to prejudices and stereotypes, courts commonly discount the testimony of girls and young women with disabilities in sexual assault cases, from questioning whether girls and young women with intellectual disabilities can understand the oath when testifying to discrediting the testimony of blind witnesses because they are not “able” to know/perceive the sequence of events. Courts often also fail to develop child-friendly proceedings adapted to the particular circumstances of girls with disabilities, including the provision and delivery of gender-sensitive and child-friendly information.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities 2017, para. 34
- Paragraph text
- Girls and young women with disabilities are disproportionately affected by different forms of gender-based violence, including physical, sexual, psychological and emotional abuse; bullying; coercion; arbitrary deprivation of liberty; institutionalization; female infanticide; trafficking; neglect; domestic violence; and harmful practices such as child and forced marriage, female genital mutilation, forced sterilization and invasive and irreversible involuntary treatments (see A/HRC/20/5, paras. 12-27). Many of those forms of violence are a consequence of the intersection between disability and gender, and might happen while a girl or young woman with disabilities performs daily hygiene, receives treatment or is overmedicated. Gender-based violence occurs at home, in institutions, in schools, in health centres and in other public and private facilities, and perpetrators are frequently relatives, caregivers and professionals on whom the girl or young woman may depend.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Gender
- Harmful Practices
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities 2017, para. 31
- Paragraph text
- Other medical procedures or interventions that are often performed without the free and informed consent of girls and young women with disabilities include forced contraception and forced abortion. Contraception is often used to control menstruation at the request of health professionals or parents. Moreover, while the contraceptive needs of girls and young women with disabilities are the same as those without disabilities, they receive contraception more often by way of injection or through intrauterine devices rather than orally, as it is less burdensome for families and service providers. In addition, girls and young women with disabilities are frequently pressured to end their pregnancies owing to negative stereotypes about their parenting skills and eugenics-based concerns about giving birth to a child with disabilities. During official country visits, the Special Rapporteur has received information about compulsory regular gynaecological checks and the use of forced abortion in institutions as a way to contain the institution’s population.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women with disabilities 2017, para. 28
- Paragraph text
- The pervasive misconception that adolescents, both with and without disabilities, lack the capacity to make autonomous decisions about their own health care is a major barrier to girls and young women with and without disabilities when they attempt to access sexual and reproductive health information and services. Many States legally limit the ability of adolescents to make autonomous choices about their sexual and reproductive health and rights by requiring parental notification or consent prior to the provision of information and services, or by permitting health-care providers to deny reproductive health information, goods and services to adolescents. Moreover, for young women with disabilities over legal age, legislation restricting their legal capacity on the basis of disability and misconceptions about their perceived lack of capacity prevent many of them from making autonomous decisions about sexual and reproductive health-care services. Those restrictive circumstances result in an impenetrable barrier for girls and young women with disabilities, especially for those requiring support to express their will and preferences, since such support is usually provided by the family. Consequently, in many cases, girls and young women with disabilities have no control over their own sexual and reproductive lives, as decisions are taken for them under the paternalistic guise of “for their own good” (see A/67/227, para. 36). Denying access to sexual and reproductive health care to girls and young women with disabilities is a form of violence, which also exposes them to the risks of unwanted pregnancy, early marriage and school dropout.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Youth
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
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