Conferences

The Kuwaiti Women's Associations Union organized a closed regional consultative roundtable titled "Women and Disability."

Sheikha Fadia Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah, President of the Kuwaiti Women's Associations Union, emphasized that Kuwait is one of the earliest countries to enact specific laws regarding the rights of persons with disabilities. Kuwait has also established specialized schools for them and provided appropriate care, recognizing both their rights and the latent abilities and energy they possess.

In her speech at the opening of the closed regional consultative roundtable for the Middle East and North Africa region, organized by the Union under the theme "Women and Disability," Sheikha Fadia highlighted the importance of local, regional, and international cooperation to support this important group in society. She noted Kuwait’s positive environment for hosting experts from many countries to discuss issues concerning this group.

She also pointed out the crucial role of civil society in raising awareness about persons with disabilities, assessing the current situation regarding their rights, and addressing barriers to the implementation of international and national legal frameworks.

Sheikha Fadia reviewed the serious efforts to integrate persons with disabilities into society by making them active and productive members. She discussed empowering persons with disabilities to pursue work, progress, and be prepared to be productive while ensuring their right to live a dignified life and enjoy civil and political rights equally with others, without discrimination.

In her address, Dr. Heba Hegres, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, congratulated Kuwait for its pioneering international efforts at both regional and global levels.

Dr. Hegres expressed her happiness at being a central figure in the consultative roundtable and at learning about the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at the UN. She also discussed her vision for her work and how it intersects with the interests of participants dealing with disability issues.

Dr. Hegres also highlighted mechanisms to support the access of women and girls with disabilities to their sexual and reproductive rights, along with related rights, in order to achieve independent living and leadership, as outlined in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

In his speech, disability expert Adel Al-Qallaf explained that the purpose of the roundtable was to provide a platform for relevant stakeholders, including governments, civil society, persons with disabilities, and regional organizations, to discuss challenges, exchange best practices, and collaborate on solutions.

Al-Qallaf noted that the goal of the roundtable was to raise awareness among participants about the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the role of the UN special procedures system, and the importance of working with special rapporteurs to address various human rights issues in their countries.

He also emphasized the importance of regional cooperation between governments, civil society, organizations advocating for disability rights, and international actors. He called for NGOs and human rights defenders to encourage governments in the region to open up to special procedures in their countries, as well as monitor the challenges and forms of violence and discrimination faced by women with disabilities.

Dr. Haila Al-Mukaimi, Head of the Department of Political Science at Kuwait University and Vice President of the Kuwaiti Women's Associations Union, reviewed the role of Kuwaiti legislators in empowering women with disabilities. She shared the findings of a field study she conducted and published in an international journal.

Dr. Al-Mukaimi stated that the study examined the impact of Kuwait’s national legislation on empowering women with disabilities, through collaboration with the Kuwaiti Women’s Associations Union and several NGOs to reach individuals with disabilities and gather responses for a survey.

She also pointed out that Kuwaiti women derive their rights from the constitution, which does not differentiate between genders. It was the first to grant women equal rights, followed by international conventions that Kuwait ratified, granting women all their rights.

Dr. Heba Hegres, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, emphasized the importance of celebrating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. She noted that this year’s theme is "Promoting Leadership for Persons with Disabilities for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future."

She highlighted key values upheld by the UN, including the universality and indivisibility of all human rights and fundamental freedoms, and their interdependence.

Dr. Hegres reiterated her commitment to engage closely with persons with disabilities, organizations that represent them, states, UN entities, human rights mechanisms, academic circles, and other stakeholders. She called for support to achieve real change in the lives of persons with disabilities and the realization of their human rights without discrimination, on an equal footing with others.

Dr. Hegres emphasized that the political inclusion of persons with disabilities is a major indicator of their social empowerment. She noted that their participation, both as voters and candidates, enhances the visibility of their issues and concerns in political agendas. Their political representation at all levels of government ensures that persons with disabilities have a direct role in decision-making and enjoy equality before the law.

She also affirmed that regional and international bodies play a critical role in promoting and achieving the goals of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities through their policies and strategies, and by facilitating communication and cooperation with relevant regional bodies to ensure the protection and promotion of disability rights.

Dr. Hegres further explained that the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is the guiding framework for the Special Rapporteur’s work, alongside other relevant human rights instruments. The primary goal is to apply the UN’s entire regulatory framework to the issue of persons with disabilities.

She emphasized that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is unequivocally based on human rights for all, with a commitment to leave no one behind. The Convention provides a developmental perspective on disability, ensuring the protection and realization of human rights for persons with disabilities worldwide.

She also highlighted the importance of integrating a disability perspective into global responses to challenges such as armed conflict, disaster risk reduction, and other international mandates.

On another note, Dr. Hegres discussed the significance of sexual and reproductive health as a tool to empower women and girls with disabilities. She explained that good sexual and reproductive health is a state of complete well-being in physical, mental, and social aspects concerning the reproductive system. She emphasized the need for individuals to have access to accurate information, safe and effective contraception, and reproductive health services of their choice.

Women and Girls with Disabilities in Yemen

In a statement, Abir Ali Mansour, President of the Al-Wafa Association for the Care and Rehabilitation of the Blind Women in Yemen, expressed her deep gratitude to the Kuwaiti Women's Associations Union for inviting her to participate in the regional consultative roundtable for the MENA region on "Women and Disability." She appreciated the opportunity to meet with representatives from several countries, which allowed for the exchange of experiences and ideas benefiting women with disabilities.

She thanked Sheikha Fadia Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah for the invitation to discuss the challenges faced by women with disabilities and potential solutions to enable them to reach leadership positions.

Abir Mansour emphasized the importance of raising awareness about the struggles faced by women with disabilities in Yemen, particularly those living without basic support systems and lacking the means to lead independent lives.

UN Experts Call for Enhanced Leadership of Women and Girls with Disabilities for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future

Dr. Heba Hegres, the UN Special Rapporteur on Disability Rights, called for enhancing the leadership of women and girls with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future, particularly in light of the approaching deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals in 2030.

She pointed out that women and girls with disabilities face compounded discrimination, which hinders the realization of gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls globally. UN experts have urged governments to prioritize the leadership of persons with disabilities, including women and girls with disabilities, who are disproportionately affected by poverty, lack of healthcare, limited access to education, and violence.

Dr. Hegres highlighted that women and girls with disabilities are often rendered invisible, with their needs and concerns not sufficiently addressed in public policies related to gender equality and disability rights. The lack of data, categorized by disability, age, gender, and intersectionality, exacerbates this situation.

She stressed that the voices and experiences of all women and girls with disabilities must be integral to public policy priorities and decision-making processes. Their leadership roles must be amplified across all sectors, including within movements advocating for human rights.

She also noted that it is crucial to consider all aspects of the intersection between gender and disability, including how family status affects the rights of children with disabilities. There is a pressing need for caregiving and support systems that are gender-sensitive, inclusive of disability, and age-appropriate.

Dr. Hegres emphasized the need for policies and targeted investments to address the ongoing gaps in gender equality for women and girls with disabilities, as highlighted in the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration.

UN Experts Present:

• Dr. Heba Hegres, UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
• Molucca-Ann Miti-Dumond, Independent Expert on the Rights of Persons with Albinism
• Beatrice Miranda-Galarza, Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons Affected by Leprosy
• Siobhan Mullaly, Special Rapporteur on Human Trafficking, Particularly of Women and Children
• Laura Nerenkindy (Chair), Claudia Flores (Vice-Chair), Dorothy Estrada-Tank, Ivana Kristic, Haina Lo, and others.