***************************************************************************
The electronic version of this document has been prepared at the Fourth
World Conference on Women by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
in collaboration with the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women
Secretariat.
***************************************************************************
AS WRITTEN


STATEMENT PRESENTED BY MARIA RANTHO, DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON
DISABLED PEOPLES' INTERNATIONAL

FOURTH UNITED NATIONS WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN
SEPTEMBER 8, 1995 BEIJING, CHINA


Madam chairperson,
Distinguished delegates,

Thank you for the opportunity for Disabled Peoples' International to
address this important UN Conference.

For a very long time problems impeding empowerment of people with
disabilities have been viewed and addressed in a paternalistic and
welfaristic approach. This has undoubtedly led to gross
underdevelopment and dis-empowerment of millions of persons within
this marginalized group.

According to reputable available United Nations statistics the total
number of people with disabilities in the world today is more than
500 million. Half of them are girls and women with disabilities and
most of them live in developing countries, which are characterised by
strife, war, poverty and gross human rights violations.

Important human rights instruments for women and girls with
disabilities are: The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination Against Women, the Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights, the UN Declaration on Human Rights, the Convention
on the Rights of the Child and the Standard Rules on the Equalisation
of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, to mention some.

We have high hopes and aspirations on the Platform for Action to be
adopted at this UN Conference.

The concerns of women and girls with disabilities are human rights
issues, and they are gender specific. Women and girls with
disabilities are confronted with multiple discrimination and
oppression by the society at large and also by their own sex.

In the Beijing Declaration to be adopted, it is important for us that
governments will be committed to intensify efforts to ensure girls
and women with disabilities non-discrimination and equal enjoyment of
all human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Despite the existence and adoption of the various identified UN human
rights instruments the responsiveness and commitment of most
governments the world over is minimal in bridging the gap of creating
equal opportunities for women and girls with disabilities.

International development efforts that target women and women' s
rights movement in nearly every country continue to exclude women and
girls with disabilities. This is evident also at this important
conference of the small number of disabled women who are official
delegates in their delegations.

Madame chairperson,

We, women with disabilities, have come here to contribute and to
share this conference with all other women. Like all other women we
struggle for equal rights and opportunities. Like all other women we
can contribute to achieve the goals of equality, development and
peace. Women and girls with disabilities have both unique obstacles
to overcome and unique strength to provide and to contribute to our
societies nationally and internationally.

For us, the Platform for Action has to contain actions that will
allow us to overcome the obstacles that we face each day and it has
to build on our strength.

Madame chairperson,

We are pleased that some of our central concerns are already
reflected in the agreed text of this important document. However,
there are numerous important sections which have excluded the
concerns of millions of the most marginalized and oppressed people in
the whole world.

Some of the strategic objectives identified by the Platform for
Action, such as Education, Poverty, Peace, Health, Protection of
Human Rights, are very relevant to our emancipation and empowerment,
but much more is needed to make the objectives a reality which will
improve the situation of women and girls with disabilities.

Together with the implementation of the Platform for Action to be
adopted, it is important for us that all governments recognise and
implement also the Standard Rules on the Equalisation of
Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, and disability to be a
priority agenda item of governments.

States have a responsibility to create the legal basis for measures
to achieve the objectives of full participation and equality for
persons with disabilities. Also, states should ensure that disability
aspects are included in all relevant policy-making and national
planning. States also have the financial responsibility for national
programmes and measures to create equal opportunities for persons
with disabilities.

States should recognise the principle of equal educational
opportunities for all groups of disabled persons. They should
recognise that persons with disabilities must be empowered by
creating employment opportunities in both rural and urban areas,
providing adequate support for their productivity. States are also
responsible for the provision of social security and income
maintenance for persons with disabilities.

Appropriate and adequate awareness of the concerns, needs and rights
of persons with disabilities is one of the prerequisites for our
empowerment and improvement of the quality of our lives.

All of these issues are among the responsibilities of governments in
the Standard Rules document, as well as reflected in the Platform for
Action of this conference.

Madame chairperson,

I would like to conclude by recommending that the Standard Rules for
Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities should
gradually be developed into a convention. National and regional plans
for action for the implementation of both the Beijing Platform for
Action and the Standard Rules should be developed in all countries,
if we want to attain equality, development and peace for girls and
women with disabilities.

Our final message to the UN conference on women is that a disability
can be endured, but the lack of human rights, the marginalization and
exclusion, the deprivation of equal opportunities and the
institutional discrimination that girls and women with disabilities
are facing, cannot be endured, and can no longer be tolerated.

Thank you, madam chairperson.