Combating violence against women and girls with disabilities.

Nghe An Newspaper had an interview with Ms. Tran Thi Nhu Hoa - Member of the Standing Committee of the Association of People with Disabilities of Nghe An Province, Head of the Steering Committee of the Network of Women with Disabilities in Central Provinces.

PV:Women and girls with disabilities are among the most vulnerable groups in society. They may experience violence without knowing who to confide in, and the likelihood of experiencing gender-based violence is very high. Could you elaborate on this?

Ms. Tran Thi Nhu Hoa:According to statistics from relevant sectors, there are currently about 6.5 million people with disabilities nationwide, of which about 3.4 million are women and girls.

Nghe An is the largest province in the country in terms of area and has the fourth largest population, which means that the number of people with disabilities is also very large. According to statistics, the number of people with disabilities in the province is over 130,000, of which women and girls account for 48%.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) once estimated that people with disabilities face three times more difficulties than people without disabilities, and women with disabilities face three times more difficulties and are three times more likely to be victims of gender-based violence than men with disabilities. These are groups who suffer from "double" discrimination based on both disability and gender. Therefore, they need timely protection and support to ensure their basic human rights.

Like women and girls in general, women and girls with disabilities also suffer basic forms of gender-based violence, including: psychological violence; physical violence; sexual violence; and economic violence. In addition, women and girls with disabilities often experience other forms of violence less common among women, such as: restrictions on access to medication or rehabilitation equipment and assistive devices; limitations on their freedom of movement, including isolation, confinement, exclusion from community organizations, and forced placement in social welfare centers; forced sexual slavery; sexual abuse by caregivers; and rape when unable to control themselves.

In recent years, the media has reported numerous cases of domestic violence and sexual violence against women in general, and women with disabilities in particular. Especially, women and girls with hearing impairments and intellectual disabilities are frequently subjected to harassment and sexual abuse due to their limited communication abilities. A study on sexual violence revealed that 4 out of every 10 women with disabilities have experienced at least one form of sexual violence. Most women with disabilities, when subjected to violence or abuse, primarily confide in their parents or siblings, rather than reporting it to relevant authorities.

Furthermore, in this rapidly evolving and difficult-to-control digital age, women and girls in general, and women and girls with disabilities in particular, are vulnerable to online violence (such as stalking and harassment). Similar to other forms of violence, victims may become fearful, depressed, and may even contemplate suicide.

PV:So, in order to protect and provide timely support to ensure the basic human rights of women and girls with disabilities, how have laws and policies related to this issue been adjusted in recent times? How have various levels and sectors been involved?

Ms. Tran Thi Nhu Hoa:With the development of society, in order to encourage people with disabilities in general, and women and girls with disabilities in particular, in our country to receive more attention and favorable conditions to exercise equal rights in politics, economics, culture, and society, and to develop their abilities to stabilize their lives and integrate into the community.

Vietnam is one of the countries that signed international human rights agreements, especially those concerning women and girls with disabilities, very early on, such as: the CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women in 1979; the CRC Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989; the CRPD Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2006… In addition, the State has enacted the Law on Persons with Disabilities and the Law on Gender Equality; and all levels and sectors have also promoted the dissemination and communication of these laws and related documents.

In 2020, the Vietnam Women's Union and the Action Center for Community Development (ACDC) launched a network to support women and girls with disabilities. The network's main activities include: training programs to enhance the capacity of the network of women with disabilities, equipping them with knowledge and skills to prevent and combat gender-based violence against women and girls with disabilities. In addition, it connects and supports women and girls with disabilities who have been abused in Vietnam, such as: establishing a hotline/consultation center to quickly and effectively report and update information; and creating a social media platform for the community of women with disabilities to interact and share useful and meaningful information with wide reach.

In addition, it is necessary to strengthen communication to raise awareness in the community, such as developing promotional materials on social media for women with disabilities; organizing community-based communication campaigns, in which the network of women with disabilities directly disseminates information and mobilizes support in the community through disability clubs...

PV:It is known that the Nghe An Provincial Association of People with Disabilities is one of the local organizations that pays great attention to supporting and protecting the rights of women and girls with disabilities. Could you elaborate on that?

Ms. Tran Thi Nhu Hoa:Nghe An Province Association of People with DisabilitiesCurrently, the association has 12,000 members, of which women with disabilities account for nearly 50%. In recent years, the Nghe An Provincial Association of People with Disabilities has organized many programs and activities to promote gender equality and prevent gender-based violence; it has also organized many training courses on preventing and combating sexual violence against women and girls with disabilities for its member organizations. Through the knowledge and skills acquired to prevent gender-based violence, women with disabilities better understand their rights, how to prevent violence, and how to seek support.

In 2019, the Association collaborated with the Center for Community Development Action to implement the project: “Enhancing the capacity to respond to gender-based violence against women and girls with disabilities,” funded by the European Union’s Fund for Justice Development. The project organized numerous direct legal counseling sessions for hundreds of people with disabilities and their relatives on the reality of gender-based violence; and organized competitions on “Understanding Gender-Based Violence for Women and Girls with Disabilities” in various localities…

Nghe An province has established a provincial-level Club for Women with Disabilities and six clubs for women with disabilities in Vinh City, Thai Hoa town, Cua Lo town, and the districts of Nghi Loc, Thanh Chuong, and Quy Hop. Through the activities of the Club for Women with Disabilities, the women in the leadership boards can understand the situation, thoughts, and aspirations of women with disabilities, and disseminate information on issues related to gender-based violence and sexual violence against women and girls with disabilities.

PV:As the Head of the Network of Women with Disabilities in the Central Provinces, could you share some stories related to the prevention and combating of violence against women and girls with disabilities in the province recently?

Ms. Tran Thi Nhu Hoa:In recent years, several cases of sexual abuse against disabled women have been discovered and brought to light by authorities in Nghe An province. For example, in 2019, a paralyzed woman in Dien Tan commune (Dien Chau district) was sexually abused by a school librarian; the perpetrator was later sentenced to two years in prison. In 2021, a mute woman in Hung Linh commune (Hung Nguyen district) was raped by a man with a prior criminal record…

Besides that, there are many stories of violence suffered by women and children with disabilities. Most victims choose to remain silent due to feelings of shame and inferiority. However, when participating in training courses on preventing and combating gender-based violence, in a trusting and relaxed atmosphere, these women began to share their experiences, including many stories that they said were "revealed for the first time." These include the story of a woman who was disrespected and insulted by her family for many years; stories of some disabled women who suffered sexual violence from their husbands; and stories of inappropriate comments, seductive messages, or insults on social media that they had to endure.

To prevent such incidents, the Nghe An Provincial Club for Women with Disabilities has organized meetings and counseling sessions to help women identify different forms of violence and thus prevent them. The club also acts as a bridge to relevant agencies such as the Provincial Legal Aid Center and the Provincial Women's Union to help women receive timely support.

PV:To prevent and combat violence against women and girls with disabilities, what solutions should we promote in the future?

Ms. Tran Thi Nhu Hoa:Violence, both mental and physical, leaves wounds that never heal for victims, especially girls and women with disabilities. Therefore, we need to act and do more meaningful things for the development and inclusion of women and girls with disabilities.

This includes raising community awareness about disability and gender issues. Disseminating information about the Law on Persons with Disabilities and the Law on Gender Equality to everyone in society is crucial. Improving the understanding and capabilities of women with disabilities within their families and society through organized activities and training courses specifically for women is also essential. Establishing clubs, peer counseling, and informal conversations will help women gain more confidence to speak up when they need support or assistance from the community.

Furthermore, it is necessary to strengthen the connection with competent authorities at the grassroots level, such as women's associations, the Red Cross, and village heads, to understand the circumstances and difficulties of women and children with disabilities in order to take timely measures to prevent violence. The Association of People with Disabilities needs to strengthen coordination with the Women's Union at all levels to integrate disability issues into women's activities in general. It is necessary to supplement and integrate specific policies into existing laws to protect and support women and children with disabilities from gender-based violence and sexual violence, ensuring consistency among legal documents on preventing and combating gender-based violence.

PV:Thank you for the conversation!