Statement of Support for the 18th Women with Disability Day Celebration
This year’s theme, “Kababaihang may Kapansanan sa New Normal: Kapantay, Kaisa at Kasama sa Inklusibong Kaunlaran” highlights the role and equal participation of women with disabilities in inclusive development in this time of pandemic and beyond. The lived experience of women with disabilities are valuable inputs to ensuring gender equality and disability inclusive development. However, full and effective participation of women with disabilities cannot be realized without addressing accessibility and capability issues, especially in the areas of education, livelihood, employment and in the electoral process.
Recognizing the rights, role and participation of women with disabilities in promoting gender- responsive and inclusive development, we are one with government agencies, non- government organizations, the private sector, and persons with disability organizations to advocate, lobby and support among others:
- Accessibility of schools, training facilities, workplaces and polling places taking in consideration the needs of women with disabilities.
- Establish Disability structures or support services in education institutions to address accessibility requirements and facilitate participation of students with disabilities.
- Make online education and trainings accessible to persons with disabilities, including women with disabilities using available software and applications.
- Equalize participation of men and women with disabilities in education, livelihood, employment opportunities, electoral process and forms of political participation through access to information, assistive devices, skills trainings, technological and funding support.
- Create online jobs and make available work from home arrangement for persons with disabilities especially women with disabilities who are mothers and homemakers.
- Create more business opportunities and enterprises targeting women with disabilities in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA).
- Adopt a policy establishing a gender and disability-sensitive schools, training facilities and workplaces.
- Build the capacity of teachers, trainers and employers, election personnel and other frontline service providers in assisting persons with disabilities through gender and disability sensitivity trainings.
- Compliance to RA 10524, mandating all government agencies to reserve 1% of its workforce to persons with disabilities including women with disabilities.
- LGUs to support the organizing of women with disabilities groups and their empowerment as advocates of gender equality and participants of disability inclusive local governance.
Let us continue to work together in empowering women with disabilities through gender- responsive and disability inclusive education system, work places and electoral process.
(Sgd.) Atty. Kristine Rosary Yuzon-Chaves
Executive Director
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