THEMES

Diversity and intersectionality

Just as disability is part of human diversity, disability is diverse and experienced by individuals in unique ways. As disability is conceptualised as the interaction between impairment and barriers, there is a huge diversity of disability. Two people with the same type of disability may have completely different lives depending on where they live, their gender, their age, their ethnicity, their access to services, and how their communities perceive and include them. People who experience both disability and some other types of marginalised identities, are likely to experience greater levels of exclusion as their marginalisation by society is compounded.

Resources in this section and the corresponding sub sections related to diversity and intersectionality, include evidence and research findings about the diverse experiences of disability, and how programs can address compounding layers of marginalisation to ensure that people from under-represented disability groups are also able to benefit and be included in development programs.

Gender

Women and girls with disabilities face intersecting forms of discrimination, on account of their both gender and disability status. In combination, this often limits access to basic rights and opportunities for women and girls with disabilities. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) requires States to ensure equality between men and women with disabilities, and to also address the specific needs and rights that exist for women with disabilities (Article 6). This includes protection from violence and abuse (Article 16) and access to healthcare (Article 25). To ensure their effective inclusion in development programs, a combination of targeted and mainstreaming strategies is needed to bridge the gap and address the disparities caused by the intersection of disability and gender.

The resources below include evidence and tools for taking an intersectional approach to disability and gender.

CBM Global IAG (2025) Disability in GEDSI Analysis: Quick reference guide

This quick reference guide is for Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) advisors and development practitioners who are undertaking GEDSI analysis and looking to ensure that disability equity and rights are adequately addressed.

Humanity & Inclusion (2018) Gender and disability intersectionality in practice: Women and girls with disabilities addressing discrimination and violence in Africa

This report documents nine examples of good practices across six African countries relating to the elimination and response to violence, abuse and exploitation of women and girls with disabilities.

Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2016) General Comment No 3 – Article 6: Women and girls with disabilities

Article 6 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is a response to the lack of recognition of the rights of women and girls with disabilities.

CBM Australia (2018) Leave No One Behind: Gender equality, disability inclusion and leadership for sustainable development

This report highlights the discrimination that exists at the intersection of gender, disability and poverty and how this affects women and girls with disabilities in accessing employment, education, and health care.

CBM (2019) CBM Disability and Gender Analysis Toolkit

The purpose of this toolkit is to help CBM staff to ‘walk the talk’ on disability and gender equality.

Plan International (2017) Let Me Decide and Thrive: Global Discrimination and Exclusion of Women and Girls with Disabilities

This report calls for all children with disabilities to be provided comprehensive sexuality education so they can make conscious choices about relationships and sexuality.

World Bank (2023) Including Women and Girls with Disabilities in World Bank Operations

The toolkit lists the commitments of the World Bank Group to women with disabilities as well as examples of law and policy reform, key barriers and solutions across several World Bank sectors, and a checklist for World Bank project teams.

UN Women (2023) Gender- and disability-inclusive budgeting: Issues and policy options

This policy brief from UN Women identifies emerging practices on gender and disability-inclusive budgeting.

CBM Australia (2023) Gender Equality and Disability Equity

This paper summarises key contexts related to women with disabilities.

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