WEI Submission to the CRPD Committee Draft GC5 on CRPD Article 19: The Right to Independent Living and Inclusion in the Community

July 7 2017

WEI welcomes the opportunity to comment on the CRPD Committee’s Draft General Comment on Article 19, addressing the right to independent living and inclusion in the community. In particular, WEI welcomes the inclusion of issues that affect women and girls with disabilities in the Draft General Comment, including that women with disabilities may face more restrictions on their living arrangements and also encounter further barriers to accessing social support services because of discrimination and stigma based on both their gender and disability.

The social isolation that is often caused by and leads to gender-based violence against women with disabilities also has a significant impact on their ability to live independently and be included in the community. As such, WEI recommends that the CRPD Committee include more specific information about how violence against women with disabilities impacts the right to independent living and inclusion in the community. This submission provides background information about the impact of domestic violence and violence in institutions against women with disabilities on independent living and inclusion in the community, as well as specific recommendations for how to include this information in the Draft General Comment.