From: Carolyn Frohmader [mailto:Carolyn＠wwda.org.au]
Sent: Thursday, 25 July 2013 5:32 PM
To: Carolyn Frohmader
Subject: WWDA Represented at ICPD International Human Rights Conference in
The Hague
WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES LOBBY FOR RECOGNITION OF OUR SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE
RIGHTS AT INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON HUMAN RIGHTS
Report from Therese Sands, WWDA delegate to the ICPD Beyond 2014
International Conference on Human Rights
Sexual and reproductive health and rights was the key topic of discussion at
the ICPD Beyond 2014 International Conference on Human Rights held at the
Hague, Netherlands from 7 ? 10 July 2013. The Conference was part of the
United Nations (UN) mandated review of the 1994 International Conference on
Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action. I was privileged to
represent WWDA and People with Disability Australia (PWDA) at this
Conference. The Conference was hosted and organised by the Government of
The Netherlands, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Office of the High
Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). It focused on the nexus between human
rights, equality, accountability and population and development, with a
focus on gender, discrimination, empowerment and sexual and reproduction
health and rights.
Carolyn Frohmader, WWDA Executive Director, was the only Australian invited
by the Conference organisers to be a member of the International Reference
Committee for the Conference. The Reference Committee was formed to provide
technical expertise and advice on issues relating to the planning and
implementation of the conference, as well as its follow-up. In her advisory
role, Carolyn advocated strongly for women with disabilities to be included
on the invitation only participant list. This was critical - the ICPD
Programme of Action does contain provisions for people with disabilities but
does not provide gender-specific provisions to address the specific needs
and rights of women and girls with disabilities. Carolyn was personally
invited to participate, but generously provided this opportunity to me, as
well as advocated strongly and successfully to ensure that Myra Kovary
(International Network of Women with Disabilities) and Stephanie Ortoleva
(Women Enabled) were also invited.
Carolyn also prepared a comprehensive background briefing paper with
Stephanie Ortoleva, ‘The Sexual and Reproductive Rights of Women and Girls
with Disabilities’. This paper provided the critical detail about the
denial of sexual and reproductive rights, including the denial of autonomy,
the condoning of harmful practices such as forced sterilisation, and the
higher incidence of all forms of violence. The briefing paper also detailed
the accountability framework required to address these issues. (The paper
can be downloaded from WWDA's website in PDF or Word at:
http://www.wwda.org.au/confpaps2011.htm )
During the conference, it was not always possible to focus on the specific
issues for women and girls with disabilities as there were many compelling
human rights issues so it was important that Myra, Stephanie and myself made
sure we raised issues as much as possible during the plenary and breakout
sessions, as well as the networking and social events.
Myra managed to introduce herself to Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner
for Human Rights and pointed out the importance of raising issues for women
and girls with disabilities, and the next day during the plenary session,
Navi Pillay mentioned women and girls with disabilities in her address.
Stephanie was a discussant at one of the concurrent sessions on Gender Based
Violence and Sexual and Reproductive Rights and used the opportunity to
highlight issues for women and girls with disabilities.
Along with Geetanjali Misra, I co-hosted a discussion at the Conference’s
‘Human Rights Cafe’ on the sexual and reproductive rights of people with
disabilities and focused attention on the specific situation of women and
girls with disabilities. Geetanjali Misra is the co-founder and Executive
Director of CREA, an Indian women’s human rights organisation that works to
advance the sexual and reproductive rights of women, including women with
disabilities. For more information see http://web.creaworld.org/home.asp and www.sexualityanddisability.org/
The outcomes of the Conference will feed into the UN 2014 review of the ICPD
as well as the 2015 review of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs),
which focus on eradicating poverty with a specific goal of achieving gender
equality. In addition, civil society organisations prepared their own
statement, The Hague Civil Society Call to Action on Human Rights and ICPD
Beyond 2014: All Different, All Human, All Equal. WWDA has endorsed this
outcome document as has the International Network of Women with Disabilities
(INWWD), Women Enabled, and People With Disabilities Australia (PWDA). The
document is available to endorse, either as an organisation or individual.
To read and/or sign on to The Hague Civil Society Call to Action on Human
Rights and ICPD Beyond 2014, go to: http://sexualrightsinitiative.com/2013/icpd/petition/
WWDA Delegate to the ICPD Beyond 2014 International Conference on Human
Rights
Carolyn Frohmader
Executive Director
Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA)
PO Box 605, Rosny Park, Tasmania 7018 AUSTRALIA
Ph: +61 3 62448288 Fax: +61 3 62448255
Mobile: 0438 535 123
Email: wwda＠wwda.org.au
Email: carolyn＠wwda.org.au
Web: www.wwda.org.au
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