A new fact-finding report developed by Women Enabled International in response to the COVID-19 crisis, COVID-19 at the Intersection of Gender and Disability: Findings of a Global Human Rights Survey, March to April 2020. This report—which draws on 100 responses to a global qualitative survey from women, non-binary, and trans persons with disabilities—outlines how responses to COVID-19 have further marginalized a population made vulnerable due to discrimination and stigma at the intersection of gender and disability.

Respondents shared:

  • Their healthcare needs were being overlooked, particularly related to sexual and reproductive health, and they feared that they would be left behind should their States need to “ration” healthcare.
  • They were increasingly having trouble meeting basic needs, including obtaining food, personal hygiene items, and assistance with tasks of basic living
  • Nearly one-quarter felt they were at increased risk of violence at home or in their communities, due to lockdown orders that kept them from leaving abusive familial and intimate partner relationships, disability-related stigma in their communities, and increased dependence on others to meet basic needs.

The full report, executive summary, and press release are available at: https://womenenabled.org/blog/covid-19-survey-findings/. We hope you will read with interest and share this report widely with your networks.

In particular, we are urging organizations and individuals to:

More details of the report below.

In March 2020, WEI identified a gap in initial global responses to COVID-19: many actors were discussing how to include women and persons with disabilities in the response, but few were considering the unique experiences of women with disabilities and others living at the intersection of gender and disability. At the same time, we were hearing from local advocates that they were distressed about the situations in their countries and had concerns about the impact of this crisis on women with disabilities in particular, especially with respect to  violence, access to health goods and services, and meeting basic needs. As such, WEI created the WEI COVID-19 Survey (Survey) to better understand these issues and how the lives of women, girls, non-binary, trans, and gender non-conforming persons with disabilities were being impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.

One hundred women, non-binary, and trans persons with disabilities across the globe responded to this Survey, which asked respondents to identify concerns they had about healthcare, violence, support services, income, and education. Survey respondents identified that their mental and physical health was being negatively impacted by this crisis, that they feared healthcare shortages combined with discrimination would mean they would not receive needed care if they were to become sick, that they were having trouble meeting their basic needs, and that many were in fear for their personal safety. For instance, Survey respondents reported that:

“I have had days of extreme crisis and no support. Mental health is not like physical health. You cannot put it on hold. You have to manage it daily and if you don’t it will get worse and be difficult to recover.” – A woman with psychosocial disabilities, age 48

“I heard about that [healthcare rationing] on Facebook. That makes me really scared to go to the hospital. Petrified.” – Linda, a woman with an intellectual disability, age 41, New York, U.S.

“I fear I may run out of food. I was not prepared for this. The government is distributing food only in the city centre.” – A woman with a disability from Uganda

“Before, I had a person who helped me change and bathe every day. With this situation the service is not available and I feel powerless to handle my own hygiene.” – Rosario, a woman with muscular dystrophy, age 23, Argentina

“My family is emotionally abusive, and I am trapped in a house with them.” – Alex, a non-binary autistic person with physical, emotional, and mental disabilities, age 23, Texas, U.S.

These are all issues that many women, girls, non-binary, trans, and gender non-conforming persons with disabilities experience in their everyday lives, often due to stigma, stereotypes, and discrimination at the intersection of gender and disability. The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified these abuses, and we hope this report will bring these issues out of the shadows.

Key Recommendations to States:

  • Involve women, girls, non-binary, trans, and gender non-conforming persons with disabilities in planning for and implementation of the COVID-19 government and healthcare responses.
  • Issue specific guidance to healthcare providers on ensuring rights-based care during the COVID-19 crisis that makes clear that discrimination on prohibited grounds, including at the intersection of gender and disability, is not permitted.
  • Classify disability-related support services and gender-based violence services as essential services during COVID-19 lockdowns, stay-in-place orders, or other restrictions on movement and ensure a streamlined process for obtaining any needed permits for movement for these service providers.
  • Urgently adopt social protection measures—including income supplementation, rent subsidies and eviction moratoriums, food subsidies, and free clean water and hygiene measures, including menstrual hygiene—to fill the gap in income for all persons so that they can meet their basic needs. Ensure those who worked as freelancers, entrepreneurs, or in the informal sector or who receive other types of income support are eligible for these measures.
  • Undertake particular efforts to reach women, girls, non-binary, trans, and gender non-conforming persons with disabilities with social protection measures, including through campaigns that provide information in a variety of accessible formats, and ensure that social protection goes directly to these individuals rather than to families or partners.

Amanda McRae

Director of U.N. Advocacy

Women Enabled International

New York, New York USA

a.mcrae@womenenabled.org

+1 913 226 4784