Resource Library
Reports
2022
The study presents knowledge on the different forms of violence, its underlying causes, and the ability to access services as well as the experiences of women with disabilities in Egypt, focusing on the intersectionality between gender, disability and poverty.
Briefs and brochures
2022
This brief analyzes legal and policy data from 190 economies on the rights of women with disabilities and highlights promising practices where laws directly recognize and protect these needs, with the goal of informing policy reforms across the globe.
Briefs and brochures
2021
The purpose of this document is to provide a user-friendly guide for women with disabilities across the globe to understand their rights in accessing support when experiencing gender-based violence and to enable them to advocate with States for their rights.
Briefs and brochures
2021
This checklist is intended to guide a wide range of States, gender-based violence (GBV) support service providers, and other stakeholders, as well as United Nations Country Teams, providing guidance on pandemic response and recovery efforts
Reports
2020
This paper contributes to the development of intersectional approaches for addressing sexual harassment as it manifests in the lives of women with disabilities. It also offers advice and support for policy makers.
Briefs and brochures
2017
This brief underlines the need to mainstream disability and address the rights and demands of women with disabilities as a matter of priority to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development for all women and girls. Based on available data, the brief highlights key issues related to gender equality and women’s empowerment (SDG 5), ending poverty (SDG 1) and ensuring healthy lives (SDG 3) for women and girls with disabilities; and calls for closing data gaps on gender and disability.
Reports
2020
Enshrined in the principle of "Leave No One Behind," this study report is a synthesis of key findings and recommendations from a multi country mapping of the manifestations and trends in discrimination against women and girls with disabilities in the ESA region.
Reports
2021
This document was written in collaboration with UN Women's Disability Inclusion and Intersectionality Portfolio (DIIP) within the context of the Disability-Inclusive COVID-19 Response and Recovery Global Programme in the country, with support from the United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD). Considering the intersection of disability, gender and violence from a human rights perspective for a life free of violence for all women
Media
OHCHR has a mandate to ensure the inclusion of the rights of persons with disabilities in the United Nations system. The webpage provides access to guidance on the human rights-based approach to disability, as well as reporting and activities mandated by the Human Rights Council, the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities, among others.
Manuals and Guidance Tools and methodologies
2021
The toolkit is developed based on the information gathered from the person with disability, organization for person with disability, CSO and government in Timor-Leste, who work in prevention of violence against women and children. The content in the toolkit is looking at the definition of person with disability, human right, gender, violence and action plan to help training provider conducting the training for service provider institutions.
Good practices
2025
The United Nations Inter-Agency Working Group on Gender and Disability Inclusion (UNWGGDI) collected case studies for the Beijing+30 review process, looking at lessons learned and good practices on gender, disability inclusion, and intersectionality. UN Women received a total 32 case studies from six UN entities (UN Women, UNEP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNICEF, and UNOPS) and two UN Country Teams represented by the UN Resident Coordinator’s Offices in India and Honduras.
In reflection of the 12 critical areas of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, violence against women and women in power and decision-making were equally the most addressed critical areas in the case studies, while the critical areas around women and the environment as well as the girl child were equally the least addressed.
This knowledge compendium aims to share reflections for UN entities, Member States, policymakers, and civil society organizations. It synthesizes best practices, innovative approaches, and collaborative efforts to enhance sustainable development and human rights for all. By ensuring that the rights and needs of women and girls with disabilities are adequately addressed, this document reinforces the commitment of the UN system and its stakeholders to a more equitable and inclusive future.
Good practices Policy Reports
2023
One in five women is estimated to be living with a disability, making it crucial to study the increased risks of various forms of violence that they face.
This synthesis review contains key insights and lessons from the experiences of 22 diverse civil society and women’s rights organizations in various contexts that were supported by the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women (UN Trust Fund) special window to end violence against women and girls with disabilities between 2018 and 2023. In particular, it highlights the lessons learned about fostering collaboration, shifting mindsets, empowering women and girls with disabilities, engaging with legal and policy systems, and allowing for flexible adaptation and learning in addressing violence against women and girls with disabilities.
These findings mean that the review:
- contributes to developing programming that is disability specific and disability inclusive;
- promotes the development of a knowledge base that is grounded in the realities of practitioners in the Global South; and
- offers practical recommendations to practitioners, researchers, donors and policymakers.
Research and data
2024
The “Women with disabilities stigma inventory” (WDSI) was developed as part of the project “Addressing stigma and discrimination experienced by women with disabilities” (ASDWD) project, which was jointly led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Women, with funding from the United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN PRPD).
The ASDWD project focused on the intersection of disability and gender-based stigma and discrimination. A key objective was to create a survey tool to assess the experiences of women and girls with disabilities regarding stigma, discrimination, and gender-based violence. To this end, alongside developing the WDSI using a participatory approach, a methodological note and ethical guidelines were also produced to ensure a human rights–based approach and minimize harm.
This toolkit includes:
- Women with disabilities stigma inventory (WDSI)
- WDSI methodological note
- Ethical standards guide for the ASDWD project
The WDSI is a stand-alone, self-reporting survey tool that can be used to collect data about the experiences of women with disabilities globally in relation to stigma, discrimination, and violence.
The purpose of the methodological note is to provide an overview of the WDSI, its development process, and how to implement the tool and analyse results.
The “Ethical standards guide” was used throughout the ASDWD project to minimize the risk of harm while engaging women with disabilities. The human rights–based approach and the “Do no harm” principle guided the conceptualization and implementation of these guidelines.
Manuals and Guidance
2021
The purpose of the Guidelines is to provide guidance on how to consult with and actively involve persons with disabilities and their representative organizations in all disability-specific and general decision-making processes across the UN’s work, as mandated in the UNDIS’ entity accountability framework and UNCT accountability scorecard, in order to enhance the participation of persons with disabilities to reach programmatic and operational goals and leave no one behind. This document provides guidance on how to make participation of persons with disabilities meaningful.
The Guidelines are intended to assist all UN personnel, whether they are working in human rights, sustainable development, humanitarian assistance, peace and security, or operational functions to consult with and actively involve with persons with disabilities and their representative organizations across programmes and operations – from planning and design to implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
Manuals and Guidance
2022
Disability-inclusive communications will help to fulfill the promise of ‘leaving no one behind’, a key component of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Inclusive communications allow persons with disabilities to participate fully and equally in all spheres of society.
The purpose of the Guidelines is to assist UN communications focal points and other UN staff to make all our communications disabilityinclusive and accessible. Inclusive and accessible communications reduce bias and discrimination, and promote inclusion and participation.
Policy Tools and methodologies
La presente publicación representa un esfuerzo conjunto de Organización para la Educación y la Cultura de Naciones Unidas (UNESCO), la Entidad de Naciones Unidas para la Igualdad de Género y el Empoderamiento de las Mujeres (ONU Mujeres) y de la Organización Panamericana de la Salud (PAHO) en Panamá bajo un programa nacional financiado por la sexta convocatoria del Fondo Fiduciario de Socios Múltiples (Multi-Partner Trust Fund) del Secretariado de la Alianza de las Naciones Unidas sobre los Derechos de las Personas con Discapacidad (UNPRPD por sus siglas en inglés).
El documento presente pretende dar una herramienta a la Asamblea Nacional en apoyo de su función fiscalizadora del gobierno para mejorar los resultados del presupuesto nacional relacionados con los compromisos nacionales e internacionales a favor de los derechos de las mujeres y de las personas con discapacidad. Sin una distribución eficaz y eficiente de los recursos destinados a cerrar las brechas de género y desigualdades que afectan a las personas con discapacidad, dichos compromisos no pueden cumplirse.
La asamblea nacional es el órgano que tiene el mandato de fiscalización y control al gobierno; de aprobar legislación que pueda afectar el proceso presupuestario (aumento de impuestos, recorte de gastos, etc.) y de legislar en torno a los temas de igualdad de género y derechos de las personas con discapacidad.
Policy Tools and methodologies
2024
La presente publicación representa un esfuerzo conjunto de Organización para la Educación y la Cultura de Naciones Unidas (UNESCO), la Entidad de Naciones Unidas para la Igualdad de Género y el Empoderamiento de las Mujeres (ONU Mujeres) y de la Organización Panamericana de la Salud (PAHO) en Panamá bajo un programa nacional financiado por la sexta convocatoria del Fondo Fiduciario de Socios Múltiples (Multi-Partner Trust Fund) del Secretariado de la Alianza de las Naciones Unidas sobre los Derechos de las Personas con Discapacidad (UNPRPD por sus siglas en inglés).
Para avanzar los derechos de las mujeres y de las personas con discapacidad en el país en base a las convenciones internacionales firmadas y ratificadas por Panamá y reflejadas en diversas legislaciones nacionales, y alcanzar la inclusión y la igualdad sustantiva, es necesario que los recursos humanos y financieros estén identificados y disponibles dentro de los sistemas de planificación y presupuestación del estado.
Es por ello que en la presente publicación se ofrecen ejemplos y se describen herramientas que logran introducir una perspectiva de género y de inclusión de los derechos da las personas con discapacidad a la planificación y presupuestación gubernamental. Para ello se ha contado también con la participación de las OPD y la Asamblea Nacional recogiendo sus sugerencias y puntos de vista a través de diversos talleres y reuniones dando a conocer los objetivos del proyecto y, de manera más importante, los derechos de las personas con discapacidad y su reflejo en los presupuestos públicos.
Policy Tools and methodologies
2024
La presente publicación representa un esfuerzo conjunto de Organización para la Educación y la Cultura de Naciones Unidas (UNESCO), la Entidad de Naciones Unidas para la Igualdad de Género y el Empoderamiento de las Mujeres (ONU Mujeres) y de la Organización Panamericana de la Salud (PAHO) en Panamá bajo un programa nacional financiado por la sexta convocatoria del Fondo Fiduciario de Socios Múltiples (Multi-Partner Trust Fund) del Secretariado de la Alianza de las Naciones Unidas sobre los Derechos de las Personas con Discapacidad (UNPRPD por sus siglas en inglés).
El documento pretende dar una herramienta a las Organizaciones de Personas con Discapacidad (OPDs) en apoyo de su función de incidencia y abogacía para mejorar los resultados del presupuesto nacional relacionados con los compromisos nacionales e internacionales a favor de los derechos de las mujeres y de las personas con discapacidad. Sin una distribución eficaz y eficiente de los recursos destinados a cerrar las brechas de género y desigualdades que afectan a las personas con discapacidad, dichos compromisos no pueden cumplirse.