Introduction
Despite global progress in gender equality and disability rights, women with disabilities remain among the most marginalized and invisible groups worldwide. These women occupy an intersectional space where gender-based discrimination meets ableism, resulting in “double discrimination” that systematically excludes them from empowerment frameworks. If the objective of women empowerment is to create an equitable society where every woman can thrive, then ignoring the specific needs of women with disabilities is a fundamental failure.
The Missing Lens in Global Empowerment Discourse
In an era marked by international commitments to gender equality, disability rights, and human dignity, one question remains disturbingly underexplored: What happens when a person stands at the crossroads of multiple marginalized identities?
For women with disabilities, the answer is clear yet persistently overlooked—they are doubly discriminated against, not merely by chance but by deeply embedded global structures that fail to acknowledge their unique position. These women face layered barriers—structural, attitudinal, economic, and social—that are rarely addressed in mainstream gender advocacy or disability rights frameworks.
Around the world, women with disabilities often remain invisible—not only in public life but also in the policies designed to promote inclusion. Their exclusion is not incidental but systematic, revealing a profound failure to apply the lens of intersectionality in both academic theory and policy-making.
This article explores why intersectionality matters, and how the global movement for empowerment must reorient itself to recognize and respond to the distinct challenges faced by women with disabilities.
Understanding Intersectionality and Double Discrimination
Intersectionality, a term coined by legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989, refers to how different social identities—such as gender, race, class, and disability—interact and compound to produce unique experiences of discrimination and privilege. In the context of women with disabilities, intersectionality reveals how their experiences differ both from those of non-disabled women and from disabled men.
Intersectionality describes how various forms of discrimination—such as sexism, racism, ableism, and classism—intersect and compound one another. Rather than treating each identity in isolation, intersectionality provides a framework to understand the multi-dimensionality of oppression.
In the case of women with disabilities, intersectionality reveals how their experiences diverge sharply from those of non-disabled women and disabled men. The challenges they face are not merely additive but multiplicative, forming unique obstacles in their daily lives, aspirations, and rights.
Double discrimination manifests across several dimensions:
- Social exclusion from education, healthcare, and public spaces
- Increased vulnerability to violence, especially within homes or care institutions
- Stereotyping as passive, dependent, or asexual
- Lack of representation in policymaking and advocacy spaces
These intersecting oppressions demand a multidimensional response within the broader framework of women empowerment.
Barriers to Empowerment for Women with Disabilities
1. Educational Exclusion and Literacy Gaps
Globally, girls with disabilities are less likely to attend school, and even less likely to complete secondary education. According to UNESCO, over 90% of children with disabilities in developing countries do not attend school, and among them, girls are disproportionately affected due to gender biases, inaccessibility, and poverty. This educational exclusion directly impacts their independence, employment potential, and social participation.
2. Economic Disempowerment and Employment Discrimination
Women with disabilities face higher unemployment rates globally. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that employment rates for disabled women are significantly lower than those for disabled men and non-disabled women. Even when employed, they are often relegated to low-paying, informal, or precarious jobs without benefits or protections.
3. Healthcare Inequities and Reproductive Injustice
Access to quality healthcare—including reproductive health services—remains a major barrier. In many countries, healthcare systems are not equipped to address the specific needs of women with disabilities. They are frequently denied bodily autonomy, with forced sterilization, lack of consent, and denial of maternity support being common violations of their human rights.
4. Violence and Gender-Based Insecurity
Globally, women with disabilities are three times more likely to face physical, sexual, and emotional violence, often at the hands of caregivers, family members, or within institutions. Compounding this vulnerability is the lack of accessible reporting systems, support services, and legal remedies.
5. Political and Social Invisibility
Across the globe, women with disabilities are rarely represented in leadership roles or decision-making processes. Whether in local governments, disability rights groups, or feminist organizations, their voices are too often marginalized. This exclusion prevents policies from being truly inclusive or effective.
Building a Truly Inclusive Empowerment Agenda
🌐 Adopt Intersectional Policy Frameworks
International bodies, governments, and NGOs must integrate intersectionality into the design and implementation of all empowerment and inclusion programs. This means recognizing that gender, disability, race, and class do not operate in isolation—and building systems that respond to this complexity.
🗣️ Representation and Leadership
The mantra “Nothing about us without us” must be honored. Women with disabilities must have a seat at the table—in parliaments, boardrooms, educational institutions, and advocacy platforms. Inclusion is not a favor; it is a right.
🏥 Ensure Accessible Health and Reproductive Services
From maternal healthcare to mental health support, accessibility must be central to healthcare delivery. Healthcare professionals must be trained not only in technical competencies but also in disability-sensitive and rights-based approaches.
🎓 Invest in Inclusive Education and Skills Training
Education is the bedrock of empowerment. Global education policies must ensure that all learning environments are accessible, adaptive, and inclusive, with targeted efforts to retain and empower girls with disabilities at all levels of schooling.
🧰 Combat Stereotypes and Promote Public Awareness
Global media and education systems play a crucial role in reshaping narratives around disability and gender. Public campaigns must highlight the strength, agency, and aspirations of women with disabilities—not just their challenges.
Conclusion
The empowerment of women with disabilities is not just a subset of the broader gender or disability rights movements—it is a central human rights issue. It calls for a radical shift in how we define inclusion, equality, and justice. Without addressing the unique challenges they face, we risk building a future that leaves the most marginalized behind.
Empowerment, in its truest form, must be inclusive. It must reach those at the intersections. And it must recognize that intersectionality is not complexity—it is clarity.
If we aim to build a just, equal, and inclusive world, we must look beyond generic models of empowerment. True empowerment is not measured by how well it uplifts the most privileged women—but by how effectively it reaches the most marginalized.
Women with disabilities do not need charity. They need equity, visibility, and voice.
Intersectionality is not just a theoretical framework—it is a call to action. A reminder that without inclusion at every level, our definitions of justice and empowerment remain incomplete.
📚 References
- Crenshaw, K. (1989). Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex. University of Chicago Legal Forum.
- United Nations (2018). Flagship Report on Disability and Development.
- World Health Organization (2011). World Report on Disability.
- UNESCO (2020). Global Education Monitoring Report: Inclusion and Education.
- Women Enabled International (2022). Issues Affecting Women with Disabilities Worldwide.
- UN Women (2017). Making the SDGs Work for Women and Girls with Disabilities.
👩🎓 Author Bio
Dr. Sadia Khan is a dedicated researcher, human rights promoter, and social justice activist. With a strong academic foundation, she brings a nuanced perspective to issues at the intersection of rights, politics, and global governance. Dr. Khan is a prolific writer and academician whose work explores fundamental concepts in human rights, international relations, politics, and Western political thought.
Her writings aim to challenge dominant narratives, amplify marginalized voices, and promote inclusive discourse. As a contributor to RightsRecall.com, she remains committed to making academic knowledge accessible and actionable in real-world struggles for justice and equality.
