Access to Justice for Women with Intellectual and Psychosocial Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific

Women with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities are among the most marginalized of the estimated 690 million persons with disabilities living in Asia and the Pacific. This brief analyses the key barriers women with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities face in accessing justice and proposes targeted actions to close the justice gap.

Women with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities are among the most marginalized of the estimated 690 million persons with disabilities living in Asia and the Pacific. They face numerous barriers to full and equal participation in society; in some countries, they cannot own property, open a bank account, or participate in elections either as voters or candidates. This marginalization has given rise to a complex set of barriers for women with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities to access justice.

This brief analyses the key barriers women with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities face in accessing justice and proposes targeted actions to close the justice gap.

The brief has been developed under the ‘Enhancing Access to Justice for Women in Asia and the Pacific’ Regional Programme, jointly implemented by UN Women, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the International Commission of Jurists, with generous support from the Government of Sweden.

With thanks to Women Enabled International who co-authored this brief, and other organizations that reviewed and provided inputs, including: the Irish Centre for Human Rights, University of Galway; the International Disability Alliance; Transforming Communities for Inclusion; YAPESDI Indonesia; the Pacific Disability Forum; and KOSHISH Nepal.