This policy paper is focused on diverse groups of socially marginalized women with diverse disabilities. It highlights how the 12 critical areas of concern from the Beijing Platform for Action have progressed or faced continuing entrenched barriers and dealt with new challenges in the 30 years since the United Nations’ Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing.

The focus is specifically on how gender inequality and disability exclusion both compound and create unique concerns for women and girls with disabilities. As they are not homogenous, this paper takes an intersectional approach, identifying the impacts for women and girls with disabilities facing numerous forms of discrimination while having different and multiple types of disabilities. Stereotypes and social and cultural norms are discussed in relation to stigma and discrimination.

The paper also features the voices of diverse women leaders with diverse disabilities, with case studies from various low- and middle-income countries.

The paper was produced as part of the development of the global report on accelerating disability inclusion in a diverse and changing world as well as a set of accompanying documents prepared for the Global Disability Summit 2025. Funding was provided by the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany through UNICEF.

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.

The list highlights key recent knowledge products developed by the UN System Coordination Division of UN Women to support the integration of gender considerations into strategic system-wide processes at global, regional, and country levels. It covers topics spanning from gender mainstreaming, UN-SWAP, UNCT-SWAP, Gender Equality Marker, UN Gender Theme Groups, to Disability Inclusion and Intersectionality.

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.

Overview of UN Women's work to amplify the voices of women with disabilities and enable their equal representation, UN Women strives to ensure their active participation in intergovernmental meetings and consultative processes.

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

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 at the country level, with support from the United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD). Leaving no one behind is a shared responsibility of all United Nations System staff in the process of supporting States, especially during the COVID-19

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.

The website of the United Nations Programme on Disability/Secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (SCRPD)has information and resources related to mainstreaming disability and the rights of persons with disabilities in the development agenda, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);the yearly Conference of State Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; the United Nations Inter-agency Support Group on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (IASG).

The website contains information and resources to promote and support the right of people with disabilities to decent work taking a twin-track approach to disability inclusion. One track allows for disability-specific programmes or initiatives aimed at overcoming particular disadvantages or barriers, while the other track seeks to ensure the inclusion of disabled persons in mainstream services and activities, such as skills training, employment promotion, social protection schemes and poverty reduction strategies.

The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is the body of independent experts which monitors implementation of the Convention by the States Parties.

UNICEF work has a renewed and intensified focus on equity, which seeks to identify and address the root causes of inequality so that all children can realize their rights. The equity-based approach is one of the foundations UNICEF's disability agenda.

Through a rights-based approach, UNESCO encourages the development and implementation of inclusive education policies, programmes and practices to ensure equal education opportunities for persons with disabilities.

An overview of UN Habitat's work on disabilities

UNHCR works to ensure women, girls, men and boys with disabilities have access to vital services and have the opportunity to apply their skills and capacities to benefit themselves, their families and communities, and to identify the issues they face and develop long-term solutions.

Including persons with disabilities and expanding equitable opportunities are at the core of the World Bank's work to build sustainable, inclusive communities, aligned with the institution's goals to end extreme poverty and promote shared prosperity.

ESCWA assists member States in devising inclusive development policies

An overview of WHO's work on disabilities

the Inter-Agency Standing Committee published Guidelines on the ‘Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action’ which set out essential actions that humanitarian actors must take in order to effectively identify and respond to the needs and rights of persons with disabilities.

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.