Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-04-26-Speech-4-034"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20070426.5.4-034"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
".
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, a milestone in terms of the rights of people with disabilities, entered into force at the beginning of April. This convention stipulates that all 650 million disabled people worldwide have the same rights as people who do not suffer from a disability. It encompasses civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, and thereby offers effective legal protection. For the first time, disabilities are recognised as a human rights issue. It is regrettable, and here I would also very much appreciate another statement from the Commission, that the EU Commission has got cold feet and refused to sign the additional protocol, which would have given individuals and organisations the right of appeal before the UN Committee of Experts.
When we here in Parliament talk about disabled people, especially about disabled women and girls, we must ask ourselves time and again whether we would not be better off talking about the impeding environment. When we look at this building and all other institution buildings, including those of the European institutions, it then becomes clear that we still have much work to do in order to actually improve the opportunities available to disabled persons. Here in this House, for instance, a woman or girl with a disability could only get access to the canteen via the freight elevator. This is very regrettable and we must certainly put our own house in order and see that we are also, alas, contributing to these people having no reasonable freedom of movement.
Worldwide, it is primarily women who have to endure a double dose of discrimination. As far as these women and girls are concerned, however, it is very important that we do not just talk about their misfortune, for these women are also self-aware and, although they have a disability, naturally have the same rights when it comes to shaping society.
It is especially regrettable that girls and women with disabilities experience much more than their fair share of sexual violence, be it by family members, care staff or other workers. In particular, there is also the fact that as far as these women are concerned, unfortunately, it is also very difficult that they are victims and do not have the same rights when it comes to getting married or starting a family. It is still the case that disabled girls and women are sterilised and forced to have abortions. There are many more compulsory abortions and because such women are not accorded the same rights in terms of sexuality or motherhood, their reproductive rights are also greatly restricted.
According to the UN report, only a quarter of women with disabilities are gainfully employed. In this area, we must implement real change at a European level. We also know that, compared to men with disabilities, women, in part, earn just half of what men do. Here, too, we should again ask the European Union for more precise figures. We are already aware that, despite the principle of ‘equal pay for the same work’, glaring differences exist between men and women when it comes to women with disabilities. This is shocking indeed.
According to estimates by UNESCO, only 3% of people with disabilities worldwide can read and write, with this figure estimated at 1% when it comes to women and girls with disabilities. Here, we must make much greater efforts in the area of humanitarian aid, but we should also place the topic of educational opportunities and enhanced education, especially for girls with disabilities, quite high up on the agenda once again. In this area, Member States must do much more.
It is therefore very important that we get this theme going at a European level and that we focus much more attention in this area. What is very important as far as I am concerned, however, is that our resolution should not fall behind the UN Convention. From there, we must actually make it much clearer that these women naturally do not just want to be seen as victims. They want to make it clear that although they have a disability, this disability should not result in discrimination on the labour market or in terms of education. We must attach greater importance to protecting these women against violence and send out very clear signals.
I hope that we really can take a step forward with our resolution and not fall behind the UN Convention."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples