News

The National Council of Disabled Women (NCDW) organized a roundtable on ‘Disabled Women’s Access to Justice in Prevention of Violence and Participation in Mainstream’ held in Dhaka on 17th June. Speakers at the roundtable urged the government to ensure the rights of disabled women by removing violence against women and gender discrimination from society.

The NCDW, formally launched in 2006, was formed by disabled women’s groups with support from ADD International. NCDW provide support, training and legal guidance, enabling disabled women to become self reliant members of their own communities. By organising community meetings and using drama and theatre to tell real life stories, NCDW have raised awareness of inequalities and violence faced by disabled women.

Women with disabilities tend to have lower educational, financial, professional and social success than both non-disabled females and their disabled male counterparts. Because women with disabilities are more isolated than most underrepresented groups, their plight typically has not been addressed. Speakers at the roundtable emphasised that women with disabilities therefore warrant unique attention when examining abuse and violence in the world.

Special guest Shaheen Anam, Executive Director of the Manusher Jonno Foundation, said that the justice system is not friendly towards women, and as a result, women are afraid of going to court for justice. Farida Yeasmin, Deputy Director of Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) said that it is very difficult to take court action against perpetrators because disabled women do not and often cannot report violence instantly. By the time violence is reported, the proof of abuse has vanished.

There is also a lack of awareness regarding disabled women among court and law enforcement agencies. Speakers at the roundtable challenged the assumption that intellectually disabled women are unable to identify perpetrators. In practice it has been proven that they are able to identify their abusers. Speakers also emphasised that visually impaired, hearing impaired and speech impaired persons are able to indentify abusers and should be recognised as witnesses in court.

Despite these shortcomings, it was recognised that the voices of women, and disabled women in particular, have become much louder, an indicator of the growing disability movement. 

Coordinator of National Council of Disabled Women Firoza Akter Seema read out the keynote paper, while Deputy Director of Gender and Social Justice Sanaiyya Faheem Ansari, Acting President of the NCDW Ujjala Banik Rokeya Begum, Programme Associate of ADD International Hajera Nahar Nodi and General Secretary of NCDW Advocate Eliza Rahi, among others, participated in the roundtable.