Ministry Statements & Speeches:
Thank you, Mr President.
I am pleased to deliver this statement on behalf of Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
We thank the Special Rapporteur, Ms Heba Hagrass, for her report. We welcome the report’s analysis of how the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action has impacted women and girls with disabilities.
Women and girls with disabilities face unique forms of discrimination. They encounter distinct challenges, including with regard to access to education, employment, health services, political participation, and protection from violence and abuse.
We welcome the focus on domestic violence against women and girls with disabilities, given discrimination against women is intensified for those who also experience intersecting forms of marginalization.
Progress has been made in amplifying the visibility of women and girls with disabilities, as well as in recognising the unique challenges and compounded discrimination they face.
The CRPD has significantly contributed to shifting paradigms from a medical to a human rights-based approach to persons with disabilities, providing a robust framework for mainstreaming disability rights.
However, gaps remain in implementation in light of the main principles of the Convention, particularly in areas such as legal capacity, independent living, and multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination.
Furthermore, systemic barriers, limited accessibility, and a lack of meaningful inclusion persist, preventing the full realisation of rights.
We welcome the recommendations of the report and ask the Special Rapporteur: what more can the international community do to highlight and address the challenges and barriers faced by women and girls with disabilities?
I thank you.