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Around the world, even today, women and girls with
disabilities are being sterilized without their consent – and sometimes
even without their knowledge – simply because others want to control
their sexuality…believing that they cannot, or should not, be Mothers.
Forced sterilization is a problem worldwide.
My team and I at Women Enabled have been working
with other sister organizations, globally, to lobby and publicize on
behalf of the rights of women and girls with disabilities. For
example:
● Organizations in several
countries rejected the decision of the
Colombian Constitutional Court allowing for sterilization of minors
with disabilities without their consent.
"Forced
non-consensual sterilization of women and girls with disabilities
cannot be tolerated as it not only violates our core human rights, but
also our physical and mental health. Empowering others to make such
decisions for women and girls with disabilities is an unacceptable form
of violence and control."
-- Stephanie Ortoleva
Read
the CEDAW Committee's Recommendations to Colombia, October 2013, par. 30(e).
Read the full press release in English (PDF) (Word
.docx file)
Read the full press release in Spanish (PDF) (Word
.docx file)
Read
the Columbia's Court's decision: Constitutional Court of Colombia –
Press Release No. 08 – March 11, 2014.
● The Sexual and
Reproductive Rights of Women and Girls with Disabilities
By Carolyn Frohmader and Stephanie Ortoleva
(4. Forced and/or Coerced Sterilisation)
“Forced
sterilisation of women and girls with disabilities is a practice that
remains rife throughout the world, and represents grave violations of
multiple human rights. It is an act of violence, a form of social
control, and a clear and documented violation of the right to be free
from torture. Perpetrators are seldom held accountable and women and
girls with disabilities who have experienced this violent abuse of
their rights are rarely, if ever, able to obtain justice.”
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