October 16, 2017 Women Enabled International's Comments to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) for a report to the Human Rights Council on the right to health and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.  

On October 16, 2017, Women Enabled International (WEI) submitted comments to the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) for a report to the Human Rights Council on the right to health and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. WEI's submission, which was endorsed by five other non-governmental organizations from around the world, provides information about sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls with disabilities, highlighting violations to their rights to informed consent, accessibility and non-discrimination. Current human rights and medical ethics standards require free and informed consent for reproductive health procedures, but women and girls with disabilities are still subjected to forced and coerced medical treatments. They also experience violations to required accessibility standards of sexual and reproductive health information, goods, and services, as well as discrimination in health care contexts. WEI provides suggested recommendations to implement and monitor Sustainable Development Goals with the right to health for women and girls with disabilities in mind.

• WEI OHCHR Submission on SDGs & Health & Women & Girls with Disabilities October 16, 2017 FINAL.pdf
• WEI OHCHR Submission on SDGs & Health & Women & Girls with Disabilities October 16, 2017 FINAL.docx

October 5, 2017  Women Enabled International's Comments to the UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights for his December 2017 visit to the United States

In October 2017, Women Enabled International submitted comments to the UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights for his December 2017 visit to the United States. WEI's submission provides evidence about the disproportionate rate of poverty for women with disabilities in the United States and explores some of the causes and consequences of that poverty, including unemployment, lower wages, and less access to social protection income; gender-based violence; and lack of access to health services, including sexual and reproductive health services. The submission concludes with some suggestions about organizations the Special Rapporteur should contact during his visit, as well as questions he should ask the government and recommendations he should make to the US in his country visit report.

• WEI SR Extreme Poverty Submission on United States October 4, 2017 FINAL.pdf
• WEI SR Extreme Poverty Submission on United States October 4, 2017 FINAL.docx

August 27, 2017 Women Enabled International, Colectiva Polimorfas, and Profamilia joint Submission to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ESCR Committee) regarding violations of Colombia's obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights  

Women Enabled International, Colectiva Polimorfas, and Profamilia jointly submit this report to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ESCR Committee) regarding violations of Colombia's obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights as they pertain to the sexual and reproductive rights of women and girls with disabilities. Women with disabilities in Colombia encounter significant barriers in realizing their economic, social, and cultural (ESC) rights. In particular, Colombia's guardianship law severely limits the ability of women with disabilities to make autonomous decisions about their lives, infringing core ESC rights guaranteed by the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights. This submission outlines the harmful effects of Colombia's guardianship law in violation of the government's obligations under the ICESCR. The submission then identifies other areas where Colombian women and girls with disabilities encounter barriers to the realization of their ESC rights, such as sexual and reproductive health, marriage and family life, housing, education , including sexuality education, and employment. The submission concludes with suggested recommendations that this Committee could make to Colombia to provide guidance to the State to ensure that its legislative and policy framework protects, rather than violates, the ESC rights of women and girls with disabilities.

• WEI, Colectiva Polimorfas & Profamilia CESCR Submission Colombia August 27, 2017 FINAL.pdf
• WEI, Colectiva Polimorfas & Profamilia CESCR Submission Colombia August 27, 2017 FINAL.docx