Women Enabled International Comments on the CRC Committee’s Discussion on: Children’s Rights and Alternative Care

June 30, 2021

Women Enabled International welcomes the opportunity to comment on the CRC Committee’s general discussion on Children’s Rights and Alternative Care. This submission focuses on the intersection of gender and disability for institutionalized girls and gender non-confirming children with disabilities and presents an overview of the common rights violations they face.

Human rights abuses are frequent in institutions for all children and persons with disabilities. Girls with disabilities in institutions are particularly at risk of abuse, including neglect, psychological and emotional violence; physical violence and gender-based and sexual violence; sexual and reproductive health and rights violations; and denial of access to justice, among others. Framing these concerns is that the continued institutionalization of girls with disabilities has a triple discriminatory impact – being detained on the basis of being a child, having a disability, and gender. While the ultimate goal is deinstitutionalization so girls with disabilities can live grow up in a family and fully realize their rights, States must ensure that the rights of girls with disabilities are respected, protected, and fulfilled everywhere, including while institutionalized.