Introduction

1. Introduction Michelle Millar Outreach Officer Disability Action Centre on Human Rights for People with Disabilities

2. “Women with disabilities face double jeopardy based both on their disability and their gender”. The stereotypes ascribed to women with disabilities condones passivity, dependence and failure”. (Menz. et al., 1989:32) More women than men are classed as being disabled Double Jeopardy

3. Incapable, unambitious, unreliableIgnorance, fear and prejudice are among the reasons for persons with disabilities being five times more likely to be unemployed and claiming benefits than able-bodied people. (‘Ready, willing and disabled’.” ‘Still afraid of the wheelchair’, Financial Times, 2 April 2003) Stereotyping

4. Mothers, carers, partners, daughters wives, lovers, sisters, friends, grandmothers, workers, artists, musicians, sports women, individuals Who are women with disabilities?

5. Physical Sensory Hidden Intellectual Mental Health The five areas of Disability

6. Medical Model Society often considers disability to be a tragedy for the individual and a burden for the family and society. This is based on a medical approach to disability. Medical v Social

7. The social model of disability says that disability is created by barriers in society. These barriers generally fall into three categories: The environment People’s attitudes 3 Organisations Social Model

8. Seen as an extra cost to the organisation If my needs are not met I can lose networking opportunities and become isolated Rarely invited to social events outside work Sometimes feel I am being a nuisance Personal account from colleague

9. Sexual health – smear tests Difficult for women to access breast screening / mammograms. Some disabled women are unable to perform breast self examinations, thus increasing their risk of detecting an abnormality Being a disabled woman

10. Women with disabilities are seen as asexual. They are not seen as in need of birth control or information on sexual health Women with disabilities are at greater risk of being sexually abused than non-disabled women. (Craine et al., 1988: Musick, 1984; Senn, 1988). Likely to live on their own Being a disabled woman – cont.

11. Sexual assault and battering may be two or three times higher for women with disabilities than for other women. Higher proportion of women with disabilities need fertility treatment as a result of their disability Being a disabled woman - Cont.

12. Training may become less important to employers Reasonable adjustments may become less important Flexible working patterns may become less important Impact of budget cuts

13. Accessing good quality affordable childcare is crucial to enable women to remain in paid work, to access training or to retrain to increase their employment opportunities. Dealing with patronising attitudes from health professionals (e.g anti natal) Getting access to health care to suit ones’ needs Lack of awareness of what support & information is available Barriers

14. Over a third of businesses find it difficult to fill vacancies, yet 3.4 million persons with disabilities are out of work. One million say they want to work but cannot find a job. www.realising-potential.org/your-business case Employment?

15. Improving the employment rate of persons with disabilities would boost the economy by £13 billion the equivalent of six months’ economic growth. (Disability Rights Commission, ‘Disability, Skills and Work: Raising Our Ambitions’, June 2007) Employment?

16. 37,290 individuals were helped via access to work in 2009/10 financial year 29,040 individuals were helped in a 6 month period from April – Sept 2010 Companies do not have to make expensive changes to their workplace to accommodate persons with disabilities. Access to work

17. From April 2011 those working and receiving working tax credits will have their tax credits overall reduced by a bigger percentage (increasing from 39% to 41 %) Withdrawal of certain elements (e.g. family element & baby element) Child benefit will be frozen for 3 years from 2011 Benefits cuts

18. Independent Living Fund This fund provides money to allow 20,000 disabled people to live independently. The Independent living fund has closed to new applicants It will close permanently by 2015 Benefits cuts

19. Disabled people have extra costs associated with the effects of disability and these can include heating, transport, fuel, housing, shopping, clothing, aids, equipment and paying for care. There are many reports available to back up and illustrate the extra costs disabled people incur Disability & Poverty

20. Fears about how the pregnancy will impact upon their body How will their body adjust to the weight gain, mobility & independence Anxiety can increase due to previous experiences of hospital visits Feel more vulnerable May need specific equipment, mobility aids or larger wheelchair Pregnancy

21. Concerns about choice Concerns about dignity Concerns about their disability being exacerbated following the birth Concerns that medication currently being taken has the potential to harm the foetus There is a 1:2 risk for women with mental health difficulties that their mental health will deteriorate Concerns about effects of post natal depression Pregnancy - cont

22. Some women with disabilities may experience added difficulties with hot flushes. Women with conditions that affect the bowel and bladder (e.g. spina bifida), may find that fluctuating and then declining oestrogen levels increase urinary tract infections, kidney and bladder stones, or result in poorer kidney function. Menopause

23. Women with disabilities are one of the most marginalised groups in our society. Much work is still to be done to understand their lives in order to remove the barriers which still exist. Menopause - cont

24. Fairness Respect Equality Dignity Principles of Human Rights

25. Article 6 – Women with Disabilities State Parties recognise that women and girls with disabilities are subject to multiple discrimination, and in this regard shall take measures to ensure the full and equal enjoyment by them of all Human Rights and fundamental freedoms UNCRPD

26. Article 6 State parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure full development, advancement and empowerment of women, for the purpose of guaranteeing them the exercise and enjoyment of the human rights and fundamental freedoms as set out in the present Convention UNCRPD