Rights activists have called for enacting a new law in the light of UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to ensure rights of women with disabilities and their full participation in the mainstream activities.They pointed out that women with disabilities face extra threats to personal security because of their vulnerable condition.
Women with disabilities are easy target of physical, sexual and psychological abuse, neglect and many other forms of discrimination, which often go unreported for lack of social and legal support, they added.
According to a study conducted by Action on Disability and Development (ADD), there were about 70 cases of violence against persons with disabilities in the last two years. Of the total number, 66 victims were women with disabilities who faced violence, including rape and murder.
Mentally challenged women face toughest consequences, they study added.
The rights activists said this at a seminar organised by National Council of Disabled Women at the National Press Club in the city yesterday.
They called on the government not to treat the issues of persons with disabilities on the basis of charity.
Dr Akbar Ali Khan, former adviser to a caretaker government, said neglect of society and attitude towards women with disabilities lead to their immense suffering. If women are termed as marginalised, women with disabilities are at the bottom.
Issues of women with disabilities are now addressed by three ministries — social welfare, women’s affairs and education. The government needs to coordinate these three ministries and increase allocation for this sector, he added.
There are no recent data available on challenged women in the country. According to a survey conducted by World Health Organisation, persons with disabilities constitute about 10 percent of the population in Bangladesh, which is about 15 million.
Different non-government organisations have mentioned that there are roughly 7.5 million women with disabilities in the country. Only two percent of these women get the opportunity of education.
The speakers stressed the need for education for women with disabilities linking with education ministry instead of social welfare ministry, introducing special stipend for them, including issues of women with disabilities in the curriculum and conducting training for teachers on special education, especially Braille and sign language.
Mosharraf Hossain, country director of ADD, also spoke, among others.
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