Human Rights for the Physically Handicapped and Aged

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (the “Disability Rights Convention”) explicitly recognizes the difficulties facing women and children with disabilities, including multiple discrimination.

Everyone has the right a standard of living adequate for ... health and well-being..., including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of ... sickness, disability, widowhood, old age....” — Universal Declaration of Human Rights , Articles 2, 22, and 25. “ There are an estimated one billion people, or 15 percent of the world’s population, living with a disability, according to the World Health Organization. Despite this, people with disabilities face barriers to inclusion and their needs are often given low priority. Women and children with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to discrimination. They experience multiple discrimination—both from their disability and their age or gender. In many parts of the world, it is common practice to isolate, abuse, and deny basic human rights to these particularly vulnerable groups.