[Pdf-women] PDF Press Release for International Women's Day 2020

[Soloveni Vitoso]

Gender equality and women’s rights is the limelight for 2020.



The International Women’s Day is a time of reflection, to call for change
and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by women in Pacific
Island Countries (PIC) and communities.



This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is, “I am Generation
Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights,” and Pacific Disability Forum (PDF) is
calling on all Pacific Governments to stand up for gender equality and
women’s rights in all its legislative policies for 2020. To mark 25 years
of implementing the Beijing Platform for Action - a progressive road-map
for gender equality – there is the need to take stock of progress in each
country and bridge the gaps that remain through bold, decisive actions.



As per recent data from the PDF Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) –
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) Monitoring
Report of 2018 on Kiribati, Samoa, Palau and Vanuatu shows that women with
disabilities have fewer opportunities for inclusion and participation than
the rest of the population.



Further studies highlight their vulnerability to violence and abuse, and
the fact that women with disabilities experience additional and different
forms of violence from women without disabilities, including acts such as
the withholding of medication and assistance, denial of food or water, and
forced sterilization and medical treatment.



These data confirm the outcomes of studies carried out in the region
highlighting that, as in other part of the world, women and girls with
disabilities face multiple layers of discrimination.



These realities have been acknowledged by successive PDF Women with
Disabilities Forums and Meetings of Pacific Ministers for Women. Pacific
Island Countries have made clear commitments to take action. Most countries
in the region have ratified both the Convention on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the CRPD, which both require
Government states to take action to ensure the full development,
advancement and empowerment of women, for the purpose of guaranteeing them
the exercise and enjoyment of their human rights.



There are also number of regional frameworks that address gender
inequality, and among these some consider the specific issues of women with
disabilities. These frameworks include:

- Pacific Leaders Gender Equality Declaration (PLGED);

- Framework on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

- Revised Pacific Platform for Action on the advancement of women and gender
equality (RPPA);

- Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action;

- Framework of Pacific Regionalism.



These commitments have been leading to progressive changes, and a number of
initiatives have started to address some of the key issues of gender
inequality pertinent to women and girls with disabilities at national or
regional level. Thou there has been unprecedented advances all around,
still no country has achieved gender equality.



Thus Pacific Disability Forum (PDF) calls for the inclusion and involvement
of women with disabilities in all regional and national initiatives,
policy, programs and services for gender equality and empowerment of women
with disabilities, including sexual reproductive health and rights.



PDF also calls on Governments to ensure that Government policies,
disability-related programs and services are gender sensitive and
contribute to the empowerment of women and girls with disabilities.



Let’s make 2020 count for women and girls everywhere by ensuring that no
one is left behind by seizing the opportunity to mobilize global action to
achieve gender equality and human rights of all women and girls, especially
women and girls with disabilities.
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