multiple disabilities. Services in barangay heath centers are not gender sensitive and
disability inclusive.
Disability organizations reported that many emergency shelters and evacuation centers
are inaccessible for those with mobility impairment.
5. Persistence of gender and disability stereotypes, lack of public awareness on
the issues and conditions of women with disabilities
PAWID reports the prejudice and gender stereotypes against women with disabilities
perpetrated by high-ranking State officials, government workers, law enforcement
officers, civilians, and family members. In court cases, these prejudices are often
manifested in victim-blaming and to the belief that women with disabilities are not
competent to give testimony.
In the consultation on access to justice, disability organizations cited instances when
family members are not aware of the rights of persons with disabilities and their lack of
competency to provide appropriate care. These lead to family members isolating
persons with disability. Women with disabilities are not allowed to venture out of their
homes, to have relationships, to marry, to get an education.
Employers refrain from hiring PWDs despite circulars from the DOLE. Employers and
companies view them as less productive, useless and a burden to the business. The
media are unaware of the negative effects of their portrayal of women with disabilities.
For example using symbolisms of silence for deaf women and darkness for blind
women reinforces the prejudice that deaf women should remain silent and blind
women has no right to give testimonies.
6. Weak monitoring of human rights violations against women with disabilities
In 2007 the CHRP Working Paper cited the following reasons for weak human rights
case monitoring for persons with disabilities: inadequacy of the database to capture
and derive data on complaint and cases concerning PWDs; minimal capacity of the
CHR to reach out to vulnerable groups, non-identification of PWD and PWD
organizations; and, at that time, the absence of human rights instrument specific to the
rights of PWD.
Since the Philippines ratified the UN CRPD, the present challenge is to ensure
implementation and strengthening the role of national institutions for the protection
and promotion of rights of PWDs.
PAWID in their 2016 CEDAW Shadow Report highlighted the non-implementation of
disability-specific provisions in RA 9710 or the Magna Carta of Women. Progress on
implementation of the Magna Carta of Women in relation to protecting and promoting
rights of women with disabilities are not monitored and reported.
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