Statement by UNFPA Executive Director Ms. Diene Keita on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (3 December)
The full inclusion and safety of people with disabilities is indispensable to creating a more equitable world, free from harm, including in the digital realm.
Globally, one in six people live with a disability. For the most part, digital technology has become a source of empowerment and progress for them, expanding social networks and opportunities for employment, and helping them navigate daily tasks.
Yet the digital world is also fraught with risks for people with disabilities, especially for women and girls, who face intersecting forms of discrimination, and are far more likely to experience gender-based violence in both the physical and virtual worlds.
The weaponization of digital tools against people with disabilities takes many forms, such as attaching tracking devices to mobility aids, or sharing medical information without consent. Harmful beliefs and assumptions about people with disabilities can allow perpetrators of digital violence to act with impunity.
Too often, efforts to protect people with disabilities are misguided, focussed on shutting down access to technology instead of creating conditions for safe use. This can result in the loss of access to technology, independence or family and social connections.
Services to prevent and respond to technology-facilitated violence should be readily accessible to people with disabilities. More information on safety measures in a range of formats would support women and other people with disabilities to protect themselves and to use technology safely without relying on intermediaries.
As laws and regulations evolve to respond to new forms of violence, people with disabilities, including women and girls, must be at the forefront of shaping new guardrails that ensure safety, accessibility and accountability.
If we are serious about leaving no one behind, we must recognize the leadership and lived experiences of people with disabilities - and work together to address the threats that can cause them harm and limit their full participation in society.
Realizing rights and choices for all in today’s world depends on the safe use of technology. On this International Day of Persons with Disabilities, let us act with intention. Let us follow the lead of people with disabilities. Let us work together to create safe and inclusive online spaces where all people can participate and thrive.
