Side Event on Rural Women and Girls with Disabilities On The Occasion Of The 56th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women

28 February 2012

By Stephanie Ortoleva

The voice and concerns of women and girls with disabilities in rural development should be articulated and clearly integrated into the work of the international community so that the perspective of rural women and girls with disabilities are reflected in any policy decisions made at international, national and local levels. The Side Event is designed to contribute to a full understanding of the issues under discussion at the CSW and to assist the CSW in its deliberations and development of its Final Conclusions from the session, as well as to contribute to the preparation for the 2013 UN High Level Meeting on Disability and Development. Member States, including Austrailia and Sweeden, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs and civil society organizations (including Women enabled, Women with disabilities Australia and the Women’s UN report Network) have co-sponsored this Side Event at CSW, which will also include, in person and via video conference, the participation of women with first-hand experience of disability in rural settings.