Women with disabilities urge for equal rights in all sectors

Islamabad:Women with Disabilities Monday urged the authorities concerned to play an active role in providing equal rights in health care, education, vocational training, employment and income generation opportunities.

Women with Disabilities (WWD) are one of the most marginalised groups in society. Sidra Batool disable women told “Women with disabilities face significantly more difficulties in both public and private sphere.”

She said that they face challenges in attaining education, health, housing , vocational training and employment". They also experience inequality in hiring, promotion rates and pay for equal work, she further said.

She suggested the WPC to make a working group to address issues faced by women with disabilities. Secretary Women’s Parliamentary Caucus Munaza Hassan assured complete support of Women Parliamentary Caucus (WPC) for women with disabilities and said that women with disabilities will be part of all WPC initiatives in future.

She said that 10 to 15 per cent people in Pakistan were disabled and half of them were women. She said that 80 per cent of the women with disabilities live in rural areas. They were living in the most vulnerable conditions, which makes everyday living a challenge in itself.

They were excluded from the mainstream of education, health and development and were perceived as a loss of productive potential and a drain on family resources. She said that Pakistani women with disabilities have played a lead role in bringing the agenda of WDDs in Sustainable Development Goals.