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Summary
As the world observes this International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we must move beyond empty platitudes about leadership and inclusion. We need to acknowledge and address the systematic sexual violence, economic exploitation, and social marginalisation that disabled women and girls face. Their leadership cannot be “amplified” while they're being silenced by violence, poverty, and abuse. A truly inclusive and sustainable future requires dismantling the patriarchy and ableism that treat disabled women as disposable objects rather than human beings deserving of dignity, respect, and justice.
Today, December 3rd, 2024, marks the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. While the world celebrates with performative activism under the theme “Amplifying the Leadership of Persons with Disabilities for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future,” we must address the horrifying reality faced by disabled women and girls who continue to be the most vulnerable targets of misogynistic violence and exploitation.
According to the United Nations, women and girls with disabilities are up to ten times more likely to experience sexual violence than their non-disabled peers, yet this disturbing statistic rarely makes headlines or sparks global outrage. Furthermore, a study reports that nearly 50% of disabled women will experience intimate partner violence in their lifetime, a number that should shake the foundations of our society but instead gets buried under “inspiring” feel-good stories that do nothing to address the systemic abuse.
The intersection of disability and gender creates the room for vulnerability that predatory men readily exploit. Disabled women are more likely to be forced into the sex trade compared to non-disabled women, with poverty, isolation, and societal neglect acting as primary driving factors. Meanwhile, their male abusers often escape justice by manipulating a system that already views disabled women as unreliable witnesses to their own trauma.
In Nigeria, the situation becomes even more devastating, where cultural stigma and systemic discrimination create a living nightmare for women and girls with disabilities. The patriarchal system treats these women as subhuman, with perpetrators often claiming they were “doing them a favour” by showing sexual interest, a sickening justification that reveals the depths of misogynistic dehumanisation.
The economic violence against disabled women compounds their vulnerability. The International Labour Organization reports that globally, women with disabilities are less likely to be employed compared to men with disabilities and women without disabilities. This economic marginalisation pushes many into desperate situations where exploitation becomes a means of survival. Those who manage to secure employment often face both sexual harassment and accessibility discrimination, creating a toxic environment where they must choose between their safety and their livelihood.
The medical establishment, supposedly a place of care and protection, often becomes another site of abuse. Studies from the World Health Organization indicate that disabled women are significantly more likely to experience medical rape and forced sterilisation, with healthcare providers often making decisions about their bodies without their consent. This medical misogyny stems from the same patriarchal mindset that views disabled women’s bodies as public property, available for violation and control.
The educational system fails women and girls with disability spectacularly, with UNESCO reporting that globally, only 1% of women and girls are literate. This educational exclusion creates a cycle of dependency that makes them more vulnerable to abuse and exploitation while simultaneously denying them the tools and resources needed to fight back against their oppressors.
What makes this situation even more infuriating is the deliberate silencing of disabled women’s voices in feminist spaces and disability rights movements. Their unique experiences of combined ableism and misogyny often get overlooked or dismissed, creating a dangerous blind spot in our understanding of gender-based violence. The few who do manage to reach leadership positions face constant undermining and questioning of their capabilities, while male disabled leaders are often celebrated and elevated.
The time for polite conversations is over. We need radical action to protect our disabled sisters from the double-edged sword of misogyny and ableism that threatens their very existence. Their future leadership depends first on their survival, and right now, the system is stacked against them in every way.
