by Elise

The World Health Organization (WHO) report, Measuring Violence Against Women With Disability, reveals that disabled women experience physical, verbal, financial, sexual and psychological violence and isolation disproportionately to nondisabled women. Caregivers and healthcare workers are often perpetrators. Along with the fact that much violence against them is not reported, most global data also overlooks them. WHO calls for improved research by governments worldwide to include disabled women and their organizations in all phases of design, implementation and in many formats including Braille. Part of the UN Women-WHO Joint Program on Violence Against Women Data is the first data collection with the objective of improving disabled women’s lives via research. Later this year WHO will release its report. It’s inexcusable that responders, such as police, often dismiss violence against women with disabilities!

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World Bipolar Day (WBD) raises awareness of bipolar disorder, a mental illness. Mental illness is one of the invisible disabilities. WBD seeks to erase stigma, answers questions about the disorder, announces and calls for more resources—including more and accessible mental healthcare. March 30 was chosen to coincide with the birthday of painter Vincent Van Gogh, who is suspected of having suffered from bipolar disorder. Founded by Asian Network of Bipolar Disorder, International Bipolar Foundation, and International Society for Bipolar Disorders in 2014, the Day’s 2024 theme is “Bipolar Strong.” Those who live with it had the opportunity to tell their stories of struggle and hope. CREST BD/Collaborative RESearch Team, which studies psychosocial issues in bipolar disorder, hosted a 48-hour question and answer event on Reddit with experts from around the world that began on March 19. Organizations, including ReachOut Australia, World Psychiatric Association, Bipolar Scotland and South African Depression and Anxiety Group, held information sessions. Artists, who comprise a large population of those with bipolar disorder, held live and online art events. The Rohini Nilekani Centre for Brain and Mind, in India, had a zine-making workshop. Alberta, Canada’s Red Door Food Bank encouraged people who have or suspect they have bipolar disorder to get help by dialing 2-1-1. As of 2018, 46 million people worldwide were diagnosed with bipolar disorder. How many more are undiagnosed?

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People with disabilities in Missouri called for higher pay for care assistants at their “We Are Here” rally. Many care assistants are going into other work for better pay. The simple messages of those at the rally were: we are working, we are in your communities and we need help. Indeed, with care assistants leaving the workforce for better pay in other fields, those with disabilities are especially in need of help as the shortage of care assistants leads to greater instances of illness, accidents and isolation.

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Around the world, about 16% of people have disabilities. The experience of the disabled, worldwide, is to be undereducated, suffer higher rates of poverty and unemployment, be passed over for raises and advancement and, often, being harassed. These are aggravated in developing countries. To fight this reality, Solidarity Center partnered with Teach Me, of Kazakhstan, and Ravenstvo, of Kyrgyzstan, to sponsor the UN’s 2024 Project Zero Conference for inclusive education and employment for those with disabilities. More than 1,000 people from 100 countries gathered in Vienna to participate. Even though Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan ratified the UN’s Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, people with disabilities still experience widespread discrimination. Teach Me is implementing new measures to help more than 34,000 workers with disabilities get jobs. In Kyrgyzstan efforts are being made to change laws, including the labour code, to protect people with disabilities who work for a living. Ravenstvo focuses on educating women with disabilities to help them get work. The International Labor Organization continues its persistent advocacy for the rights of those with disabilities to improve their employment experience.