At the 58th session of the Human Rights Council, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, highlighted the ongoing online accessibility challenges faced by women with disabilities. He asserted that the international community is failing to honour Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which affirms that all individuals are born equal. Türk identified two major risks stemming from technology: the creation of new discriminatory environments and the exclusion of disabled individuals from discussions about technological development.
Türk pointed out that only a few Member States include disabled people in the formulation of e-governance initiatives, limiting their access to essential services such as healthcare and voting rights. Alarmingly, he noted that a mere 2 percent of the 2 billion websites on the internet are fully accessible to all users, severely restricting informational access for people with disabilities.
Women with disabilities face compounded challenges due to a male-centric approach to technology design. Türk emphasised this issue, noting that prosthetic devices and software often cater to male anatomical needs, leading to a concerning “2:1 gender gap in internet access in favour of men with disabilities.” His remarks called for societal change to prioritise inclusivity, especially for women, and recognised the necessity for economic reforms.
Türk urged an intensified commitment towards ratifying and implementing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Human rights organisations have been vocal about the accessibility deficits faced in various nations, including the US, Kazakhstan, and Uruguay, while also addressing severe issues such as forced sterilisation of women with disabilities in Europe, alongside inadequate reproductive rights.
Although the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) lacks specific references to the challenges faced by women with disabilities, its Committee has proposed General Recommendation No. 18, urging CEDAW parties to report on the situation of women with disabilities in their periodic updates.
UN rights chief Volker Türk discussed the persistent online accessibility barriers faced by women with disabilities. He highlighted the negligence of many Member States in including disabled individuals in tech development discussions and pointed out that only 2% of websites are accessible. He urged societal reforms to prioritise women and called for the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Despite the limitations of CEDAW, recommendations for reporting on women with disabilities were encouraged.
In summary, the address by Volker Türk underscores the critical barriers faced by women with disabilities in digital spaces, emphasizing the need for inclusive practices in technology development. The alarming statistics on website accessibility and the gender disparities in online access highlight the urgent need for reform and recognition of women’s rights in this context. Efforts to ensure that all voices, particularly those of women with disabilities, are heard in policymaking and technological design are essential for achieving true equality and inclusion in society.
Original Source: www.jurist.org
